Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1906-06-13

CHAPTER 1


CHAPTER l.
LII night long the great bell Of
IA the lighthouse, slung to stout
H beam projecting seaward be-
81 meath the outac platform, had
tolled its warning through the fog.
The monotonous ticking of the clock
work attachment that governed it, the
sharp and livelier click of the occult
ing hoods machinery, We're the only
sounds which alternated with Its deep
boom. The tremendous clang sent
thrill through the giant column itself
and pealed away into the murky void
with trelnolo of profound diminu-
lions.
Overhead the magnificent lantern, Its
eight ringed circle of flame burning at
full pressure, illumined the drifting
vapor with IN intensity that seemed to
be born Of the sturdy granite pillar of
which it was the fitting diadem. Hard
and strong externally US the everlast-
Ing rock Oh which 1t stood, replete
within with FURNISHED steel and polish
ed brass, great cylinders and powerful
pumps, the lighthouse thrust Its glow
Ing torch beyond the reach Of the most
daring wave. Cold, dour, defiant it
looked Yet Its superlluman eye
sought to pierce the very heart of the
fog, and the furnace white glare, con-
centrated ten thousand fold by the en-
circling hive of the dioptric lens, flung
far into the gloom a silvery cloak Of
moonlike majesty.
At last an Irresistible ally sprang to
the assistance of the unconQuerable
light. About the close of the middle
watch gentle breeze from the Atkn-
tic followed the tide and swept the
shiverlng wrath landward to the north
east, while the first beams of q June
sun completed the destruction of the
routed specter.
So once more, as on the dawn of the
third day, the waters under the heaven
were gathered into one place and the
dry land appeared, and, behold, it was
good.
On the horizon the turquoise rim of
the sea lay with the sheen Of folded
silk against the softer canopy Of the
sky. Toward the west group of is
lands, to which drifting banks Of mist
chung in melting despair, We're etched
in shadows of dreamy purple. Over
the nearer sea floor the quickly dying
vapor spread a hazy pail of opal tints.
Across the face of the waters glisten-
ing bands of emerald green and serene
blue quivered in fairy lights. The
slanting rays of the sun threw broad
cast golden mirage and gilded all
things with the dumb gladness of an
English summers day.
A man, pacing the narrow gallery be-
meath the lantern, halted for mo-
ment to flood his soul afresh with a
beauty made enhancing by the knowl-
edge that few brief minutes Would
resolve 1t into maturer and more ia
miliar charms.
He was engaged, it is true, in the
unromantic action Of filling his pipe,
q simple thing. beloved alike of poets
and navvfes yet his eyes drank in the
mute glory Of the scene, and, captive
to the spell of the hour, he murmured
aloud:
''Tloating on waves of music and of light.
Behold the chariot Of the fairy queen!
Celestial eoursers paw the unyielding air;
Their filmy pennons at her word they furl
And stop obedient to the reins of light"
The small door beneath the glass
fame was open. The worker within,
busily cleaning IN eight inch burner
ri
head out.
"Did you hail NEE" he inquired.
The matter OF fact words awoke the
dreamer. He turned with q pleasant
smile.
ITO be exact, Jim, l did hail some
body, but it was Aurora, Spirit Of thu
Dawn, not hard bitten sailormaI
like you"
"Oh, that's all right, cap'n! though
heard you singin' out for a light"
The other man bent his head to SHIELD
match from puff Of wind, thus con
cealing from his companion the CLEAN
Of amusement in his eyes. His mat
shifted the fragrant odor of the tobacco
longingly, but the Elder Brethren o
the Trinity maintain strict discipline
and he vanished to his task withou
a thought of broken rules.
He left piece of good advice he
hind him.
"If was you, cap'n,' he said, az
turn in. Jones is feelin' AL this morn
in. He comes ON at 8. You ought t
be dead beat after your double spe
oP 10 f fxxyo III I.nntN hppu Il
fast back until three bells (9:30 Il. IN.
an there's fresh eggs an haddick."
"Just couple Of whifs, jim. The
I'll go below"
Both men wore the uniform of assist
ant keepers, yet It needed not thei
manner of speech to reveal that on
was a gentleman born and bred an
the other bluff. good natured, horn
handed A. B., to whom new laid egg
and recently erred fish appealed FL
more potently than Shelley and n sun
mer dawn at sea.
He WHO bad involuntarlly quote
"Qucen Nab" turned his gaze scawar
again. Each moment the scene was b'
coming more brilliant, yet nearer
eurlu luz lAEO0 lSIuLNiS SElll SpLiSuS
Of gray. brown aud green through til
purple. The rose flush on the horlzo
was assuming yellower tinge, and til
blue of sky ana water was deepening
Twenty miles away to the southwes
the smoke OF steamer heralded til
advent OF IN Atlantic liner, and the la.
shreds of white mist. We're curling 70
lnrn ~ ohnva the w0ync
The presence Of the steamship, q tin
dull spot on the glowing picture, pc
pied the void With life and banishe
poetry with the thinly sheeted ghos
of the fog In a little more than u
hour she would be abreast Of the Gu
Rock light The watcher Delieved-w;
almost certain, in fact-that she W;
the Princess Royal, homeward bour
from New York to Southampton. Fro
her saloon deck those enthusiasts WI
had risen early enough to catch a fir
glimpse of the English coast were Il
ready scanning the trinity rugged OIL