River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1896-10-15
THE LIGHT-KEEPER.
BY CLYDE FORD.

from the 500. William Smith. "Old
Billy Smith, as he is better known
round the lakes, is and has been the
Hght- keeper for many years. People
say II was soon after the wa- that he
received his appointment. and he must
have been fully IS years old then. lie
is bent old man now, with loEg. white
hair. Lighthouse keeping Is a IoreIy
life. but perhaps lonelier for yoUhg
man than for an old man like Bi.;y,
who can look back over 90 years at least.
Billy does not call himself LONELY.
though he is shut away from the world
by the wilds of the island behind him
and the stretches { : Mud lake aud the
river before him. He tends his lights
and his ranges and looks after his cow
and garden. lie has doubtless grown
accustomed to solitude in the years in
which he has tended tine lighthouse at
the point. and would feel confused and
disturbed by the hustle of life. even i'm
such place as the 500, even as Byron's
Prisoner of ChilIon. who grew &c
quainted with the spid rs and watched
the mice in their moonlight play. who
even made friends with his chains, re-
gained his freedom with a sigh.
But the time was when there was
not so much difference between the
world of men and the world OF this one
lonely man, when the house of the light
house keeper Of the point was as full
of life and happiness rs river homes on
other shores of the same waters. That
was before BiIly's wife died. When
TlaFTr~ g., h.s -.
river he brought young wife 18th HIM.
Nobody but a wife " would follow a man
into the lOnesomeness of lighthouse,
and nobody but wife could cheer the
lOnesomeness away from a lighthouse
until IL became the whole world to-
man.
One summer day boy came TO the
lighthouse keepers home, and the
WORLD was cheerier than ever then. Eut
though one would think that happiness.
if il stayed anywhere. ought TO cling TO
solitary home on Sugar island. II did
not stay. Billy's wife died when they
had been married five years. and the BOY
and Billy were left-the boy with I.fc
too young to feel his loss muCh; Billy
with a life up to that time too happy 10
recover from it. He lost his smile, hut
learned to love his solitude near Ter
grave.
BILLY did not think very profoundly of
things-life on the river does not en-
courage deep thinking-but where Dhi-
lOsOphy was at fault, his fathcrly heart
came in, and he figured out when the
boy-Joe, he called him-was about
4 l.
grow up in the lighthouse. So Billy got
a keeper further down the lake to tend
his lights night or twOand he went up
TO the 500. When he came back he an
nounced to Joe that he had found
home for him and chance to go TO
school. Joe cried: the little fellow did
not think of school or the town. Int
only of leaving his father. And B'lly
cried, too. when he was away from ice.
busted with the lighthouse or garden.
But he did not quail. and Joe was sent
10 the 500. and he went on with his life
alone. In those DAYS. or better said.
years, Il lily was lonesome. homes,ck
with consuming eagerness to now aud
see what his boy was doing n his new
Rome. But the years wore on and the
longing in his heart grew to content it.
self with occasional visits to Joe. and
frequent letters from him.
Ten years had gone by since that day
when the last JOY had left the keepers
heart, and il had changed Joe greatly.
Though he knew that his father kept
the lighthouse at the point, he regarded
him more as some friendly old gentle
man who took kindly interest in him
than as his father. and felt himself
completely at home in his new sur
roundings. He regarded the people
where he lived as his parents. and with
them his real home. don't know that
Pillv ever told him that he paid $500
year. almost all he saved from his
meagcr salary as keeper. TO keep him
IN his foster home.
Joe was ready TO graduate from the
high school. II had been IN Billy's slip
ulations with the family that his BIO,
should he kept in school. and II am
hilton ever came to Billy's soul IL took
shape in the ore desire of seeing Joe
finish . school course. Finally the year
came. Time passes even in = lighthouse
keepers life. though il may bring but
few changes. In Billy's life. however.
Joe's graduation was a great event. a
proof with him that time did really 60
on
A dsy or so before the time came
Billy got a substitute for few days
and went up 10 the 500. His old friends
there Saw him dressed in stylish clothes.
the first tine, perhaps. since he came to
the river with his wife years before.
They smiled aud remarked 10 each other
that be had come down To see Joe grad
nate. In some way or other Billy had
also found out that flowers were usually
given to graduates on such occasions.
and he arranged TO have dorm Of the
costIiest roses he could procure ready
for the evening. The exercises .vere
held in a large hall. and Billy was the
first to arrive. but he took modest seat
in the corner. He had not gone to see
Joe since coming TO town. for. said hs
70 some old river Acquaintance: He's
crful busy. you know. gi.tin' ready. and
don't wanter discommode him any"
Throughout the evening Billy sat as
IL in a dream. 1t was very warm. and
everybody else was uncomfortable and
uneasy. but not so Billy IN stiff new
clothes. modern collar and all. he sat
rs IL spellbound. looking n the stage
end the graduates where Joe was.
~Pritty fine-lOokin' bow" be kept re-
reating to himself When the diplomas
had been distributed and the exercises
were over Billy fingered behind. lie
wanted to see Joe. and was going home
with him IL there was any show" he
thought to himself. Blu. Joe was in
too much of hurry. going or with
some fellows 10 special spread. TO pay
much attention TO his Esther. and so
Billy stayed at the Chippewa house in
stead. He felt little sad IN some way.
for he had planned On having a gooa.
long visit with Joe, but he did not think
that Joe had BEEN unkind TO him-no.
of course not, for wasn't Joe his boz?
After a short call on Joe next day he
went back 20 the lighthouse ct the
poiEi.
Two Eaars years weat By. Billy atm
kFsa e's lessssws lifs, saa sss BED BE-