The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1905-02-15
CHAPTER 1.

ttove, AN the combers Is just a-hump-
IN yer White Hoss ledge, an the
sprays flynn halfway up the light
house,
1.-The Lord-a-massy help my poor
soul that goes ashore tonight!" re-
bponded a portly, white haired woman
beside the stove az q monster wave
made the little dwell u tremble.
Uncle Terry took OF his dripping
sou'wester and coat and, hanging them
over the wood box. went to the sink
and began pumping a basin of water.
Better have some warm, Silus," said
the woman, taking the steaming kettle
from the stove and following him.
Its more comfortln'."
When he had washed and combed
his scanty gray locks and beard ut n
small mirror he stood for Il moment
beside the stove. HE weather beaten
face that evinced character, so pro-
nounced were Its features, wore a
smile, and his deep set gray eyes emit
ted q twinkle.
Supper most ready, LissyI" he ask
ed, eying a pot on the stove that gave
out an appetizing odor. "I'm hungry
'nough to eat a mule with the harness
on"
Twill be in Il mint" 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 1t, smiling offectlonately at n young
girl busy beside the table. She had m
oval face, a rather thin and delicate
nose, small, sweet mouth and eyes that
were big, blue and appealing. n wealth
OF light hair was ooIled on the back Of
her head, and her form was full and
rounded.
Its blowing hard tonight, father,
isn't it," she observed. ~ can feel
the waves shake the house," Then,
not waiting for an answer, she step
ped to q closet and. bringing q short
gray coat and felt slippers, pushed an
armchair to the fire and, placing the
slippers beside 1t, held the coat ready
for him to put II on.
"You might as well be comfortable"
she added. you haven't got to go out
again. have youf"
The man seated himself and, draw
ing Off his wet boots and putting OH 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. TO
| thiu I,n nIlnI thn lotly 1,tfy Of n,nil
carrier to the head Of the island, eight
miles distant, and there connecting
with n small steamer plying between
the Maine coast islands and a shore
port. He also, In common with other
of the islanders, titled n little land and
kept n few traps set for Holsters. He
was an honest, kind hearted and fairly
well 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 q neat white house close to the
Cape light, and, as he put 1t, "his latch
string was allus out"
Uncle Terry had q history, and not
the least interesting episode in 1t was
the entrance into Ills life Of this same
fair and blue eyed girl. Perhaps his
own graphic description Will best tell
the tale:
ut 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 n vessel hard an fast ON White
Hoss ledge, bout half n mile off the
pint. 1t had been snowln' some an
froze on the windows O. the light, 30
mebbe she didn't see 1t fore she fetch
ed up all standin'. The seas was pound
in her like great guns, an In her rig
GIN l could sec the poor devils half
hid In snow an ice. Thar want no
hope for 'em, for no dory could "a lived
a moment in that awful gale, an thar
want no lifeboat here. Mssy an me
made haste to build n fire on the pint
to show the poor ~crltturs we had feelin'
for 'em, an then We just stood an
waited an watched for 'em to go down.
1t might "a been IN hour-there's no
tellin'-when 1 saw n big bundle tossin'
light an comm ashore. I ran fover to
the cove where L keep my boats an
grabbed n piece o. rope an boat hook
an made ready. Tho Lord must "a
steered that bundle, for It kept workin'
along, headin' for a bit O beach just
by the pint. I had n rope round my
whist, am 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. / grabbed Mt 1t 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 1t, for I was wet through
an most froze, an what I'd pulled out
looked like q feather bed tied round
with a cord, but 1 out with my knife
an cut the cords, an thar In the mid
die o. two feather beds was a box an
In the box n baby alive an squallin'.
81 didn't stop to take the rope off my
waist, but grabbed the box an ran FOL
the house, with Llssy after me. We
had q fire In the stove, an Lissy
warmed q blanket an wrapped the
poor thing up an held 1t over the stove
an kissed 1t an took on just as Win.
min will. When 1 see IL was safe / cut
for the pint, thinkin' to wave my hat
an show EN- we had saved the baby,
but a squall o. snow had struck in, an
when 1t let up the vessel was gone.
Thar was bits o. wreck cum ashore,
pieces o. spars, a boat all stove In an
tbn like nm N wondnn obno Tn fha hnx