The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-02-12
The keeper of Loon Lioht.
F'rom the New York Evening Post. L
Four Parts.)


house boarder. She talked with Nancy du
ring the day and often shared the early vi
giIs Of the night with Capt Sam. The yer.
desolation and loneliness Of the plac
! seemed 10 possess a charm for her. Il
early morning when the Captain cIeane'
the lamps, she would polish the wonderful
lenses until they shone again, .stoppin;
occasionally to cry ship ahoy" to tn
Captain as a white vessel hove in sigh
over the edge Of the horizon and speculate
whether it was the Curlew, and Capt. Sol
who sometimes called at the light. WheI
the keeper went below to sleep she would
often sit on the outer walk of the dizzy
| height, and watch the sails, wondering
| where they were bound and whence they
| hailed. While others gave the menacinE
rock wide berth she learned TO recognize
! many of the coasters that sailed up anc
| down from Portland and beyond, and by
consulting the shipping lists of Boston
papers, which the lighthouse vessel left
| every few weeks. and by means of many
| compute tionS she came to know the yes
/ sells by name, and would say to Capt
| Sam that tomorrow she expected Henry
| D. Grinnell, and that possibly Carrie
| Webster from Bath would pass with him
! and when the day came, this very vessel
| a trip fore and after" would sail by,
! the sun cleaning brightly on her white
! sails. and not far behind, loaded to her
! scuppers with coal and lumber, came the
| heavy middle-aged Carrie Webster, lit
! tie light forard as the Captain said, with
a big, ungainly patch in the bonnet of her
| jib.
Capt. Sam entered into and INDUCED all
! these vagaries. and they talked of the
vessels as they passed as of friends and
| acquaintance. She enjoyed bringing the
Captain out, leading him to talk of the
sea, the island and its beauties, and he,
in turn. was delighted to find some one
who saw in nature all that he did.
For some reason the government paint
ers failed to arrive, and the tall tower
remained implanted. To the Captains sur
prise and delight, Miss Lapham answered
his many apologies with the remark that
its colors were beautiful as they were,
and that the white and gray caused by
the beating of the waves made it blend
with the rocks.
When Capt. Sam offered to send to the
mainland for paint for the boulders, she
laughingly answered him that she could
not make up her mind what color to have.
When the fog came in, or the clouds were
low, she would point to the rocks as they
stood in the light, and say that If they
were painted today it would have to be
in gray; but before the Captain could mix
his paints, which if it must be told, he
had ordered secretly, she would change
like the wind, and as the blue sky, in ten
derest tints, asserted itself, would have
the boulders painted a peculiar shade of
blue that Capt Sam had never heard of.
The companionship became more and
more delightful to the keeper, and Nancy
noticed that he did not sleep so long, and
that he often spent the afternoon with
them or in showing Miss Lapham his kelp
garden and its wonders, and the aquarium
in the rocks, with its sea urchins, star
fishes and other strange inhabitants.
Sam has quite spruced up since you
came" said Nancy, one Sunday, as the
Captain sat down to the table In very
much starched shirt. at which Capt. Sam
looked embarrassed and Nancy glanced
at Miss Lapham significantly.
When the bird migrations began, the
new bOarder was sorely troubled, as every
thick night scores of birds, from delicate
would rush at the bright light that blazed
aimly through the fog, and, crushed and
killed, would drop from the terrible
height upon the rocks below. On foggy,
stormy nights she would sometimes stand
on the outer walk of the light. clinging
to Capt. Sam. who feared that she might
be blown away. The light would CULVER
and almost reel in the wind yet the
strange sight of myriads of birds whirling
about was fascinating; now disappearing
in the awful darkness, then rushing into
the glare like spirits to become lost again
in the abyss of flying clouds.
The days passed too rapidly for Capt.
Sam, who dreaded the expected announce
ment that their boarder had wearied of
the ledge. In the month that had passed
he had never seen her attempt TO paint
the local colors, and he finally concluded
that either she was disappointed in the
lack of color or was waiting until her
return home, as she was continually writ
ing and taking notes; yet it never oc-
Cured to him to ask her.
One day, when in gay humor, she said:
Capt. Sam. do you know that there are
ten coasters due off here tomorrow? Sup
pose we give them a tea party. We will
go up in the light, and wave our hands to
them 10 invite them. then eat our feast
and toast the absent-s5ippers."
Nancy readily fell into the plan, but
Capt. Sam said that he feared the fleet
would fight shy of Loon Rock, as the
barometer was going down.
He proved a true prophet, as the next
morning 1t was blowing gale. and the
outer door of the light was barred to keep
out the flying scud. Yet the preparations
for the party were continued. as Miss La
pham said that the harder It blew the
more their imaginary company would
need a good supper.
During the day the gale increased so
that at four in the afternoon Capt Sam
lighted the lamps and when he came down
he said that the worst was to come
Nancy was in the little kitchen, and Miss
Lapham and the Captain were alone.
This will make you want to leave the
LEDGE the latter said. as a fierce gust
struck the light: you could never be
content to live here al we do"
II think under some circumstances !
could" was the reply. When one has
those about them they care for and are
N sympathy with. there is home"
As Capt Sam glanced al the bright face
before him, he felt the blood surging into !
his face. and, rising from his chair. he
walked TO the window and peered out at
the gale; then turning suddenly he look
ed at Miss Lapham. and taking step !
toward her. said. do you mean that?' |
Just then Nancy appeared. bearing the /
smoking dishes for the dinner party
You two don't seem TO be very socia- /
bic she said. glancing from Miss La /
Dham, who looked unusually serious. 10 !
Capt. Sam. who had turned 70 the window /
again at Nancy's approach.
1t is hardly a night for sociability." re- /
turned Miss Lapham. Think Of the yes !
sells out in such a Storm
--
DeIusive Teachings.
The saving that There is reason in all /
isn't, and
THAT industry must nrosper'-it /