The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1908-06-12

E5ElE5E5E5E7Er
Freddy May was big for his age,
wearing a seven-year suit on six
year-old body. But he thought he
was older, much older than he was,
and big-well, wasn't he almost big
as his father? At least he would be
some day, and meanwhile he was
growing!
The May family-father, mother
and Freddy, six years old, going on
seven-lived on a rock in the middle
of the ocean, or, at least, five miles
from any other land. There was a
tall lighthouse on the rock, and at
the base of this white tower was
tiny house with five rooms. This
house was home, the only home Fred
dy ever knew
The lighting of the great lamp of
the lighthouse had always been
great attraction to Freddy. One day,
when his father carried him up, up
the winding stairs and showed him
how the lamp was lighted and how
its rays spread far out over the toss
ing ocean, Freddy felt that his little
world was the most wonderful that
any boy could imagine. Think of the
hundred steps up the tall tower and
the magnificent view from the top!
But as time added another year to
Freddy's age his little mind scared to
greater achievements. He was ac-
customed to storms and rough wealth
er. He knew that his father often
went out in his little boat to help
strange people who drifted near the
shoals. Sometimes he brought them
back in his boat, half dead and so
white! His mother then worked
hard to give them warm clothing and
hot things to drink and eat.
Freddy at first was content to
watch and help; then he wanted to
do more. He wanted to go with his
father in the lifeboat to pick up the
shipwrecked people.
Some day, lad, when you get big
GER" his father answered his re-
quest.
After that Freddy asked every lit
tie while, Am I big enough now to
go with you in the boat, papa?"
f'Not yet-not quite yet." had al
ways been the response.
So Freddy had been forced to wait
and grow. How he counted the days
and looked at his figure in the glass
to see if he was growing! When he
first donned his seyen-year suit he
felt surely that he was almost big
enough to help save shipwrecked peo-
pie.
AS chance would have it his oppor-
tunity did come few days after this
important event. There had been a
storm at sea, not very heavy storm,
but one which made the sea pretty
rough off the shoals. The day after
the storm the sun came up bright and
warm. The sea was rolling in long
sWells.
Not mile away from the light
house something was drifting heav-
lily, swinging slowly up and down
with the waves. A quick glance
through the telescope showed that it
was dismantled sloop, a small coast
ing vessel abandoned by its crew.
Mr.. May quickly got his boat in the
water, and was preparing to 90 to
the derelict when Freddy's lips falt-
cred:
Papa, am big enough to goi'
There was a smile on the lightkeen-
er's lips, and, after glancing up at the
weather and down at the sea he said:
Eyes, Freddy, you can go to-day.
Jump in the stern"
Now there was no happier boy in
all the world than Freddy May at that
moment He fairly tumbled down
the steps and dropped snugly in the
stern of the lifeDoat. His eyes were
bright and glowing. Wasn't he GO
ing to real wreck?
To row to the dismantled sloop
was not long or rough one, and Mr..
May pulled so Justify at his oars that
they we're alongside in no time.
When they reached the sloop Freddy
gazed at it in awe Would there be
half-drowned people aboard, and
would he be strong enough to help
his father lift them into the lifeboat?
Now, boy, you stay quietly in the