The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-05-03
AT THE LIGHTHOUSE.

! been in a lighthouse before 1t was no new
( thing to me, but after I'd been there few
] hours I wondered what my master hired
me for. It was like being pensioned off.
| There was nothing to do.
But, mark ye, when it came night, and
| the wind began to moan about the light
! house, and the lamps were lit, and all out
/ side was black as pitch, and all the sound
! we heard was the swash, swash, swash of
! the waves, my master mixed some grog
! and called me to sit along with him. That
! looked sociable, but can't say he did.
He sat glowering over his glass for
awhile and opening his mouth as if to
| speak and shutting it again. Then said he:
What's your name?'
"Ben Dare, said I.
''Would you mind calling yourself
| Brace?' he asked.
! ''I'Ye no reason to be ashamed of my
/ name, - said L
Look here, - said he, "I am a gentle
/ man born and bred. never came to earn
/ ing my bread before. I'm ashamed of it.
i This is what / mean: If any strangers
/ come out here and ask for William Brace,
( why, you say you are the man. You claim
/ to be lighthouse keeper. It's easy. DON
suppose much company will call, but I
choose not to see them, if they do. That's
| what hired you for. -
"Ohl'' said I.
"You see," said he, ST got this place
Those who gave it to me never saw me.
If die some day, why, here you are in the
place. If go off, and I may, here you are
still until then. I'll pay you we'll, and you
/ know your duties"
1 ''Well, it's shamming,' said I; "but,
I after all, what does any one care what my
/ name is? And what shall call yOuf"
! "Ca1l me nothing" said he. "Call me
/ captain, as you did when met you, but
never speak of me to any one"
Gentleman or no, he wasn't lazy. He
didn't care how he worked. The lamps
were as bright as jewels. There wasn't
speck of dirt in the whole tower.
But let any boat come nigh us, away he
went and hid himself and came out with
! a white, scared face and shaking hand
At night he was afraid to go up to the
lamps alone, and he'd look over his shout
der and turn white as we stood there to-
gether.
At last he took a new turn He sat star
/ ing at a corner for awhile Then he spoke
/ to me in a low voice:
''Brace, do you believe in ghostsP''
81 hain't considered the question: I
answered.
''WelI,' said he softer than before
"1ook into the corner" And he pointed.
looked.
"Don't you see anything?' he asked.
"No,' said I. mo. cappen.'
"Ah,' he muttered, Every well, very
WE'LL I'm glad you DON'T
But that wasn't anything to what hap
pened the very next night.
We slept in two hunks nigh each other,
and naturally, when he woke up with a
/ yell, I woke too.
He was shrieking and shaking and
wringing his hands.
1.-THE woman, the womanl" he said.
"She stood here just now, all red with
blood. It dripped down the white ruf1es.
6riTUp6 her hands beFI
herI She has gone to call themi STOP
herl Stop herl''
''Where did she goP'' asked.
He stared at me with his wide open eyes
all the whites showing, below and above
''She couldn' t have been here" said he.
"It was dream"
"Lord love you, a nightmare" said I.
So we went asleep again, but heard OF
the woman so often after that that grew
used to her.
The cappen, as I called him, got to be
worse and worse every day. I wanted to
go ashore and fetch the doctor, but he
would not hear to it. He raved if tried
to leave him.
At last there came hot, hot night in
+ June. 1t was burning hot all day and a
dead calm at night.
About dark the cappen went to sleep,
/ and went and sat where could see the
water and the lights ashore. 1t was SO
still that 1 could hear the sailors in a
Spanish ship 1noored not far away singing
| in their foreign lingo.
And I was sort of quiet and dreamylike
! when something happened that walked me
mighty wide and sudden. Something was
standing on the steps below me-some-
thing white. Something came toward me.
1t was little slender figure, with long
hair all about its shoulders. I couldn't see
its face. I don't think I really saw it
plainly at all, but it went past me softly
while looked, and knew it was woman
in white ruff1ed gown, and that she had
gone to the room where my master lay.
I shook too hard for d moment to move,
but as soon as could started up to go
to him. just then voice cried:
Lighthouse, ahoy!"
I answered, AYE, ayeP' and stopped a
bit. Duty first of all things with a sailor.
A boat lay at the foot of the steps, and
four men jumped out of it.
1--WE want William Brace, keeper of this
lighthouse, - said one, big man in linen
overcoat.
''I'm one that answers to the name, "
says I.
He swung a lantern over my head.
Search the place, my men, said he.
There was no use saying anything, but
did try to stop them.
GIVE got a sick friend aloft, - says I.
"Don disturb him. I'm afraid the woman
will skeer him anyhow, he's so low
- nat woman SAID he
''The one that came aboard with you,
SIR said I.
''No woman came with us, he snar1ed.
"Stand aside. Men, do your duty
They went up stairs. I followed. I saw
them walk into the cappen' s room. I heard
them cry out and stand still. When got
to the door, they stood in a row, looking
down on the bed. I looked too. Man nor
woman couldn't brighten the cappen more.
| He was dead.
"What has he done?'' asked the officer.
"Killed his wife, - said he; that's all.
! No doubt she deserved it. but it's not al