Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1905-05-01
CHARLES CLARK MUM
CHAPTER /.

goln to be nasty
i night" said Uncle Terry,
81 coming in from the shed
- and dumping an armful Of
In the box behind the kitchen
an the combers is just a-hump-
er White Hoss ledge, an the
S flynn halfway up the light
Lord-a-massy help any poor
that goes ashore tonight" re-
ed portly, white haired woman
the stove as a monster wave
the little dwelling tremble.
lie Terry took off his dripping
ester and coat and, hanging them
the wood box, went to the sink
began pumping a basin Of water.
ftter have some warm, Silas." said
Ioman, taking the steaming kettle
the stove and following him.
more comfortin'."
en- he had washed and combed
canty gray locks and beard at a
mirror he stood for moment
the stove His weather beaten
that evinced character, so pro-
ced were its features, wore a
and his deep set gray eyes emit
twinkle.
PIPER most ready, Lissy?" he ask
wing a pot on the stove that gave
IN appetizing odor. I'm hungry
ID to eat a mule with the harness
will be in a mint" was the re-
Better go into tother room
e Telly's settin' the table"
Gle Terry obeyed, and, finding
t fire burning there, stood back
smiling affectionately at a young
)usy beside the table. She had an
face, a rather thin and delicate
small. sweet mouth and eyes that
big, blue and appealing. a wealth
INT hair was cOiled on the back Of
head, and her form was full and
1ed.
s blowing hard tonight, father,
it?' she observed. Il can feel
waves shake the house." Then,
waiting for an answer, she step
to a closet and, bringing a short
coat and felt slippers, pushed an
hair to the fire and, placing the
ers beside it. held the coat ready
i'm to put it on.
on might as well be comfortable"
added. "You haven't got to go out
n. have you?
3 man seated himself and, draw
If his wet boots and putting on his
sers. opened his hands toward the
and observed, You and Lissy' S
ID to cosset me, so bimeby | won't
out 'cept the sun shines"
as Terry, or Uncle Terry, as every
on Southport island called him,
and for thirty years had been the
er of the Cape light, situated on
outermost point of the island. TO
he added the daily duty of mail
Ter to the head of the island, eight
distant, and there connecting
small steamer plying between
Maine coast islands and a shore
He also, in common with Other
ne islanders. titled a little land anC
a few traps set for Holsters. He
an honest. kind hearted and fairly
read man whose odd sayings anC
mt phrases were proverbial. Witt
wife. whom everybody called Aun
<. and adopted daughter Telly, HI
in a neat white house close to tn
light. and, as he put it, his latch
ne was allus out"
acIe Terry had a history, and no
least interesting episode in it wa
entrance into his life of this sam
and blue eyed girl. Perhaps III
graphic description will best tel
tale:
t was bout the last O March, NOR
eighteen year ago an durin' on
10 worst blows l ever rec-clect sine
pm the light. that one mOrnin'
a a vessel hard an fast on Whlt
ledge. bout half a mile off ia
I. 1t had been snowin' some al
@ on the windows o. the light, S
he she didn't see it fore she fetcl
rp all standin'. The seas was pound
her like great guns, an in her ri:
/ could see the poor devils ha
in snow an ice. Thar want n
o for 'em, for no dory could "a live
oment in that awful gale. an ths
MT no lifeboat here. Lissy an N
Be haste to build fire on the pin
how the poor critturs we had feelil
'em. an then we just stood a.
ted an watched for 'em to go dow
might "a been an hour-there's I
n'-when l saw q big bundle fossil
an comm ashore. l ran over
cove where keep my boats a
bbed a piece O. rope an boat hoe
made ready. The Lord must :
red that bundle, for it kept works.
no headin' for bit O beach jul
the pint / had rope round n
st an Lissy held on To the end, a
On the bundle struck I made IA
the boat hook, an the next conf
umbled me end over. bundle an al
on TO the sand. | grabbed at it a
e the next one come had it high a
out o. the way.
is allus been a puzzle to me jul
did il. for | was wet throug
MT fr.nZn N, -,-hnt Ia nnllnd n1