The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1896-11-20


Trusting to his perfect knowledge OF
every nook and Granny in the premises
Hale, with the stealthy motion OF a cat
ascended the steep, narrow, winding
stairs.
For the first time in his experience
thew creaked beneath his weight.
Up. up he went, every slight noise
sending a thrill of terror through MS
frame; up past loopholes, which now
admitted no single ray of light; up, I'M
til the second last round was nearly
completed and then he stopped.
What was it that made him shiver as
though afflicted with an ague? What
caused him to crouch down in the inky
darkness, scarcely three feet from the
bottom of the last, rickety hight OF
stairs? He held his breath and listened.
DESPITE the fearful roaring of the tenn
pest without, Hale distinctly heard
the low mur1nur of voices, and the loud,
echoing sound of descending foot
steps.
lie recognized the wreckers. One was
an Indian, the other Miles Parker,
white man, and both suspicious and
dangerous characters.
'Ugh!" exclaimed the former, as he
paused on the last step. "Me hear UNI
noise! 'Sh!"
The sharp-eared Indian had detected
THE almost suppressed breathing OF
Hale. The brave boy never moved
muscle, but the beating of his heart waf'
painful in that fearful moment.
Two steps to one side, and either one
of the men would have trampled upon
him where he lay
Would they make search? Wonld
they strike, Light?
go on, you coward!" said Parker
impatiently. There amt no human
oein' but them in the cottage within
miles of u.s. Go on, l tell you!"
Ugh! White man, him FOOL" the In
dian answered, mutternig oiscontented-
ly as he passed downward.
Parker followed, and soon their echo
ing footsteps died away in the distance
and Hale rose, with a prayer OF thanks
giving on his lips. for the danger was
past.
Quickly he ran up the last flight OF
stairs, and one glance showed him I'll.
The vreclxers had not extinguished the
lamp, but simply broken the revolving
apparatus. In another lighthouse fur
Their DOWN the coast the light was sta
tionaSS. Pilots, therefore, would nat
urally mistake one for the other, and
run their ships upon the rocks. The
plan of the wreckers was perfect in it's
diabolical ingenuity and in its certainty
Of success.
Hale, however, was equal TO the occa-
sion. Closing the heavy door Of the lit
lie circular apartment, he bolted and
barred it firmly. This was scarcely the
work of minute Then. standing on
stool, he found-oh, joy Of ioys!-that
lie could reach the lamp, and move it
easily with his hands-in fine, that he
himself could perform the work Of the
revolving apparatus.
Cone, two, three, four, five. six be
counted, with the regularity of a clock,
until he reached 90" and then the bril-
liant light flashed out upon the dark
ness, and many pilot, miles away upon
the bosom Of the stormy gulf, saw the
Well-known signal and steered his YES
sci accordingly.
It is scarcely necessary to relate how
the infatuated wreckers, vOwing ven
geance upon the person who had out
witted them, ram up the narrow stair
way and flung themselves again and
again upon the stout barrier which sep
arated them from the heroic boy. Suf-
fee it to say that amid the bowling Of
the storm. the curses, threats and pistol
shots of the baffied ruffians. five feet
away from him Hale calmly and pre-
cisely continued counting the weary
minutes Of that long, terrible night.
His arms ached; his limbs could
scarcely support him; he was almost
overcome with fatigue; but he never
0incbed-he stood with invincible de-
termination at his post Of duty. saving
by his eNertions the property of anxious
merchants and the lives Of stor1n-to8sed
marines.
And when the anger of the storm sub
sided and the sun rose IN THE east. fling
ing its glorious radiance over the spark
ling waters OF the Gulf of ST. Lawrence.
it flashed brightly on the sails of many
ships. which. but for the herosm Of
little boy, would have been shattered
on the cruel rocks of Cape Hurricane.
The wrecllers. who had made their
escape before daylight, were afterwayd
captured and punished as they deserved
to be--by imprisonment for long
term of years.
When Hale. on descending from the
lighthouse in the morning. released his
father, the latter wept tears of JOY in
thanking Heaven for so heroic and no
! bIe- hearted = SON
Later the little fellow received n
bronze medal for heroism from the ~ov-
eminent.
Even at this day, visitors to Cane
| Hurricane, hearing this story told unite
| in applauding the grand and noble
Iced. and in calling down blessings
upon the hero, Hale tombstone the
lightkeeper's son.-Golden Days
Bees may be increased very rapidly
| by spreading the broad combs and
placing empty frames of combs be.
| tween them.
| A queen bee lays both fortified and