Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1900-02-03
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
CAUGHT BY THE THE ICE ICE /:
BY Charles II. Heustis. =
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

IT WAS the coolest kind,of weather.
The shores of Long Island and Con-
necticut were covered with snow. The
bays and inlets were filed with ice.
Broken by the rise and fall of the tide,
u made great winrows along the beach
and choked the mouths of the streams.
Even Long Island sound was filed
with immense cakes. of floating ice, un-
I'll navigation was seriously impeded.
Rarely had the captains of coasters,
who were familiar with the sound, ex-
perienced such continued cold snap.
They rubbed their tingling ears and
blew upon their frost-bitten fingers as
they kept a lookout for the icy obstruc-
lions.
The freezing weather played fantas-
tic tricks upon the vessels.
Wherever drop of water struck it
CONCEALED. Cordage and standing rig
ging were covered with a coating of
crystal, very beautiful to look at but.
dangerous to the mariners. Even the
great passenger steamers that ran be-
tween New York and Stonington, Fall
River and Newport plowed' along look
Ing like huge icebergs. Their pilots
kept a sharper watch than usual upon
the lights along shore and kept their
ears open for, danger signals.
One of the most dangerous points
along the entire sound was a reef of
rocks making out from the Connecticut
coast. At the very end stood light
house, built upon iron piles driven into
the hard ledge. At low water the reef
was exposed, but at high tide it was
completely covered. Like a giant SEN
try the tower stood out of the water,
appearing for all the world as if ii
rested on nothing more substantial
than the waves which washed its base.
The tall pile of granite was a dismal
sight from sea or shore, but in reality
1t was coy and comfortable within.
There were rooms in it just as there
are in an ordinary house, and Keeper
David Rollins and his wife lived there
.eontentedly all the year round, with
an assistant to help tend the lenses.
Another member of the family was
Raymond Rollins, their son, sturdy
boy, who took 10 the queer habitation
naturally enough and thought it rare
fun to live practically on an island.
In summer life.in the tall tower was
Eotso bad. There.was a cool sea breeze
continually blowing, and if fish were
wanted all that was necessary was to
throw a line off the ledge and a fresh
breakfast was awaiting them. Then
there was n boat always at command,
and half IN hours sturdy pulling would
take the oarsmen into the little harbor
Enclosed by the reef andito the town at
the end of the bay. Whenever possible
Raymond would row ashore and attend
school. There was novelty about this
that pleased him. Besides, he was
looked upon with a certain awe by the
children, and when the great storms
shook their own comfortable houses
fhey would think of the'boy in the gran
lite tower and wonder if ne were fright
ened.
It was seldom that Raymond missed
going ashore in summer or during the
mild months of the spring and fall,
but in winter it was quite different
thing. Then the fierce gales that oc-
easionally swept the coast blew up a
heavy sea and made the attempt dan
gerous. Then life in the confined lin
its of the lighthouse became monot-
onous, for there was nothing to do
hut clean the lamps, see that they were
lighted at shutdown and extinguished
at sunrise and carefullycoyer the lenses
from the rays OF the sun by day.
For three days now Ray had been con-
fined so the tower. He watched the yes
sells in the distance, and was so expert
that he could pick out all the regular
coasters as far as his eyes could reach.
The excessive cold snap fortunately
was not accompanied by gale, so the
sea was comparatively smooth, but the
Ice was thicker than he had ever
seen il.
It was towards the end OF the third
day and the boy was getting restless.
He longed to get ashore to stretch
his legs" as ne termed 1t.
What is the matter, father, are you
ili?" he asked, noticing at length that
the keepers face was paler than usual.
II am afraid your father is going
TO have another one of his bad spells"
said his mother, anxiously. 1.-THE doc
tor told him TO take q dose Of that
medicine" she added, Dodding towards
bottle that stood on a mantle, eff
there were symptoms of another at
tack, but it is all gone and there is no
prospect of getting any more just at
present, I fear"
Well, don't know" said Ray,
delightfully."-. BE walked over TO a win
dow and looked out. On all sides was a
field of ice.
"Job wanted TO try to reach shore,
but wouldn't let him." remarked the
keeper.
" was willing to make the attempt,