Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1904-03-23
The LIGHTHOUSE
KEEPERS PROXY
ToriginaL1

\
a Job at lighthouse. My duties were
| nominal, and at first | was much
pleased at having so little to do, but
before long became tired of the monot.
ony and wished myself anywhere else.
| asked the keeper what he hired me
for. and be said 1t was for company.
He couldn't stay there alone, so he was
willing TO give % per cent of his salary
for a companion. | told him that |
would attend TO the duties and give
him so per cent of the salary. and he
might stay away altogether. To this.
after some consideration. he assented.
When he left he told me he would come
back occasionally, especially immedi
ately after pay days. IL lighthouse Of
fieials came along | was 10 try 10 find
out If they had ever seen the keeper.
Branegan. If they had ! was to say
he had been taken Ill and had gone to
a hospital. If they did not know him,
l was to claim TO be the keeper him
self. With this he departed.
found 1t bigger contract than
had ANTICIPATED. The loneliness was
simply awful. | stood II month and
was about TO resign when boat load
of lighthouse officials and others came
to the steps, and when they came up
noticed several women among them.
Earl, the daughter of the captain of
the life saving station a mile down the
beach. She was very pretty. and we
took a fancy to each other from the
start. | showed them over the prem.
ises, and as the keeper wasn't known
to any of them | assumed to be he.
After they had gone it was ten times
as lonesome as before.
The next day | locked up and went
to the life saving station to see Cora.
I found her mighty well pleased to see
me and didn't get away from her till
It was nearly time to light the lights.
arranged for her to meet me the next
day half way between the light and
the station. che did so, and II wasn't
long before we were betrothed. II &C.
Cured to me to tell her that I was
not the keeper, but didn't dare do IL.
had nothing to marry on except my
salary, and / was fearful she would
make break and I would be relieved
of that. / was surprised that her IA.
ther hadn't seen Branegan, but learned
that the keeper was supposed TO be
solitary man who wouldn't have any
friends. Those I met were astonished
to discover that he was so sociahle.
Brapegan came along once n month
and sometimes oftener. He had infiu-
ence to get information when any OH.
cial would call at the lighthouse and
would usually be on hand. I posted
him how | was playing him with the
life saving people, and he was careful
not to give me away. I married Cora
six weeks after met her Her father
thought Ii too soon, but told him
was so lonesome that l couldn't stand
it any longer. So we got spliced, and
Cora came TO live with me at the light.
One night in fog vessel came
right In to within half a mile of the
light. l was I'm the yawl at the time.
and. as the fog stood few feet above
the water. l could see her. though she
couldn't see me or the lighthouse. |
pulled out to her, shouting as | pulled,
and succeeded In heading her OFF.
When directly under her bows her cap
tain hailed me. and l told him he was
within a few hundred yards of the
rocks. He gave an order to back off,
| but before leaving asked me my name
| etc. l told him I was Branegan. the
lighthouse keeper.
A few days later two men came to
the lighthouse and asked for Branegan
told them ! was Branegan. and they
| clapped pair OF handouts on me.
was taken into the city and charged
with murder. but when my aceusers
came 20 see me they declared was
not Branegan. was obliged TO con
fess how came by my position. and
was returned under guard TO the light.
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