The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1898-11-12
ALIGHTHOUSE ROMANCE
HOW THE KEEPER OF TIT MAN IN
MAINE CHOSE A WIFE.

Petit Manan lighthouse, or "Tit
Man," as the natives call it, is one of
those spidery-looking affairs which
rise from the water among some dan
gerous shoals off Winter Harbor, Me-,
and is supported by four iron tubes
securely fastened into holes drilled
into the solid rock. About thirty feet
above high tide, but not entirely out
of reach of the waves when q gale is
blowing, is a house built Of corrugat-
ed iron. The lower story is for stor-
age purposes. Here three months
provisions and stock of fresh water
are always Hept in case the light
keeper should be cut off from the
shore, and stock of oil sufficient to
keep the. lamp burning all winter.
There is little machine shop, too,
where necessary repairs can be made
when necessary. Above these are the
living apartments, two rooms, about
20 feet by IA in size. One of them is
drawing room, sitting-room, library
and chamber combined; the other IS
kitchen, dining-room, etc, etc. Out
side, on all four sides of the building,
is o gallery, or piazza, where the
lightkeeper can sit in his leisure hours
and enjoy the changing scenery OF the
sea, or drop hook over the railing
and catch fish for dinner or breakfast.
Above is the tower with an enor-
nous lamp, whose rays can be seen
for several miles. 1t revolyes 80
many times an hour and winks regu-
larly twice minute at the mariners
that haunt this coast. During the
winter the lenses are often crusted
with salt from the spray that spatters
them.
A lonesome place is "Tit Nan"
lighthouse, thirty miles from shore,
and the only means of communication
q rowboat. There are no nelghbors
any nearer and no visitors disturb the
solitude of the lightkeeper except
once or twice year, when the inspec-
tor comes around or curious people
from pleasure yacht climb the iron
ladder from curiosity.
Amos Rice has kept "'Tit Nan"
| light for more than quarter OF a
century and his wife lived with him
all this time. Their children were
grown and married off or engaged in
employment elsewhere, so that they
had nothing to trouble them and were
able to put by the greater part of the
salary of $65 month which the gov
eminent has paid Amos for protecting
commerce against disaster upon the
shoals.
A few weeks ago Mrs. Rice peace
fully terminated along and lonesome
life and went to join the choir in
visible. Amos had to keep her body
four days before he could fulfill hi'
promise to bury her with her folks
at Winter Harbor, for the sea was
high. 1t is no easy job for man un
aided to remove body from tower
like that into a rowboat that is toss
ing furiously upon the waves, bu
Amos finally did it. The first quie
morning he left his bereaved hom
the very minute it was lawful to pu
his light out, rowed thirty miles ove1
a rough sea, and upon his arrival a
Winter Harbor called up the sextol
and the minister and what friend
could be summoned, and after brie
and impressive service the body o
Mrs. Rice was committed to the dus
and her soul to the God who gave it.
! After they came from the cemeter
) one of the neighbors asked Amos an
the friends to have a little refresh
ment. Of course they all accepted
and among others a "likely" wido'
whose husband had been dead tw
years and who was ''boardin' round
among her relatives for want of
home and income. Amos grief wa
l not greater than his sense of lionel
: ness, and, finding sympatheti
: chord in the heart of the widow, h
y proposed to her in the pres
y ence Of the whole company, ant
. the parson being present, they wer
T Immediately married. The bird
! hurried over to her sisters to put u
y her "things, while Amos continue
~ to receive mingled condolences an
= congratulations.
~ It was four o'clock in the afternoo
when he started back to his water
eyrie with bis bride with thirty mile
Of rowing before him. If any shil
j were out that night they must hay
- wondered why, for the first time in
quarter Of a century, the CLEANS of tt
"'Tit Nan" were not visible for tv
hours after sunset. Amos reache
= home at last, after performing VIII
he considers good days work for
man who is more than sixty. T
y rowed sixty miles in a dory, burie
~ one wife and married another, and, {
. in the case of the King of Denmar
y, the funeral baked meats set forth Il
: wedding dinner. William E. Curt
in Chicago Record.