The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1904-09-29

nE hight, Suiu Oncle Jerry,
|SET5S coming in from the shed
kSeSsS1 and duANping an armful of
wood in the box behind the kitchen
stove, ''an' the conbers is just a-hump-
in over White Hoss ledge, an the
sprays flynn halfway up the light
house,
''The Lord-a-massy help any poor
soul that goes ashore tonightv' re-
sponded a portly, white haired woman
beside the stove as a monster wave
made the little dwelling tremble.
Uncle Terry took off his dripping
sou'wester and coat and, hanging them
over the wood box, went to the sink
and began pumping basin of water
"Better have some warm, Silas," said
the woman, taking the steaming kettle
from the stove and following him.
Its more comfortin'."
When he had washed and combed
his scanty gray locks and beard at
small mirror he stood for a moment
beside the stove. His weather beaten
face that evinced character, so pro-
nOunced were it's features, wore
smile, and his deep set gray eyes emit
ted twinkle.
Supper most ready, Lissy?" he ask
ed, eying pot on the stove that gave
out an appetizing odor. 'I'm hungry
'nough to eat mule with the harness
on"
"'Twill be in a minit," was the re-
ply. Better go into tother room
where Telly's settin' the table,"
Uncle Terry obeyed, and, finding a
bright fire burning there. stood back
to it, smiling affectionately at young
girl busy beside the table. She had an
oval face, a rather thin and delicate
nose, small, sweet mouth and eyes that
were big, blue and appealing. A wealth
of light hair was coiled on the back Of
her head, and her form was full and
rounded.
Its blowing hard tonight, father,
isn't itY' she observed. II can feel
the waves shake the house." Then,
not waiting for an answer, she STEP
ped to a closet and, bringing a short
gray coat and felt slippers, pushed an
armchair to the fire and, placing the
slippers beside it, held the coat ready
for him to put it on.
"You might as well be comfortable"
she added "You haven't got to go out
again, have your
The man seated himself and, draw
ing off his wet boots and putting on his
slippers, opened his hands toward the
blaze and observed, "You and Lissy's
bound to cosset me, SO bimeby won't
stir out 'cept the sun Shines"
Silas Terry, or Uncle Terry, as every
body on Southport island called him,
was and for thirty years had been the
keeper of the Cape light, situated on
the outermost point of the island. 10
this he added the daily duty of mail
carrier to the head of the island, eight
miles distant, and there connecting
with small steamer plying between
the Maine coast islands and a shore
port. He also, in common with other
of the islanders, TILED a little land and
kept a few traps set for Holsters. He
was an honest, kind hearted and fairly
we'll read man whose odd sayings and
quaint phrases were proverbial. With
his wife, whom everybody called Aunt
Lissy, and adopted daughter Telly, he
lived in neat white house close to the
Cape light, and, as he put it, "his latch
string was allus OUT
Uncle Terry had a history, and not
the least interesting episode in it was
the entrance into his life of this same
fair and blue eyed girl. Perhaps his
own graphic description will best tell
the tale:
1T was bout the last O. March, more
than eighteen year ago an durin' one
O the worst blows I ever rec-clect since
I KEEP the light, that one mornin' I
spied vessel hard an fast on White
Hoss ledge, bout half a mile off the
pint. 1t had been snowin' some an
froze on the windows O. the light, so
mebbe she didn't see it fore she fetch
ed up all standin'. The seas was pound
In her like great guns, an in her rig
gin l could see the poor devils half
hid In snow an ice. Thar want no
hope for 'em, for no dory could "a lived
moment in that awful gale, an thar
want no lifeboat here. Lissy an me
made haste to build fire on the pint
to show the poor critturs we had feelin'
Tor 'em, an then we just stood an
waited an watched for 'em to 20 down.
1t might "a been an hour-there's no
tellin'-when saw big bundle tossin'
light an comm ashore I ran over to
the cove where keep my boats an
grabbed piece O. rope an boat hook
an made ready. The Lord must a.
steered that bundle, for it kept workin'
along, headin' for bit O. beach just
by the pint. 1 had rope round my
waist, an Lissy held on to the end, an
when the bundle struck I made fast
with the boat hook, an the next comb
er tumbled me end over, bundle an all,
up on to the sand. I grabbed at it an
fore the next one come had it high an
dry out O the way.
ITS allus been a puzzle to me just
why I did it, for was wet through
an most frOZe an what I'd nullod o,,+