The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1908-08-15

Eight or ten short, sharp blasts 9
a discordant whistle, instead OF TIL
three solemn notes of salute he ex
pected. made Alec jump from his chail
to the window. Its the Newport
Tom he said. Lets get the boa
out"
Outside the little lighthouse suller
sky and a purring, sluggish sea gavs
promise Of bad weather. Close DS
passed a freighter, from the deck o.
which fell q package to the water oe'
low. The kindly captain was sending
a present Of some kind to the light
keeper and his assistant
The two men swiftly lowered theil
small boat, picked up the package
gave a friendly wave Of the hand tc
the departing vessel, and returned
Cob's Point Light, commonly called a
"bug-light," or, more properly, screw
pile light, was nothing but tiny two
story house, with eight sides, mount
ed on eight iron legs sticking up out
Of the water. 1t marked the limits OF
the eastern channel and the entrance
OF the river from the bay. It was
particularly lonely bug-light. because
1t was four miles from the shore
where the town of WintOn stood. and
on the other shore, Cob's Point. was
nothing but q lonely fisherman's hut.
And to row four miles Is no joke even
in smooth waters.
Papers and q piece Of beef-yester-
days paper, too Now II the weather Is
favorable, I'm going ashore today or
bust!" It was Tom, the keeper. speak
ing. He had sickly wife and two
children ashore, whom he had not
seen for q week. And the weather
man says colder he announced.
gleefully. mo ice will come for day
or 80, then, and II you will just take
an extra trick for me, I'll 60 now. and
get back at midnight tonight or to-
morrow morning."
''Of course" answered Alec. Bet
ter keep q sharp lookout. though; drift
ing ice Is nasty to row through" But
Tom was already making preparations,
and did not hear.
In q few minutes, In the little row.
boat which was their only means of
with shore, Tom had
put OF for his long row, leaving Alec
alone to tend the light.
Alec looked incuriously at the sea
and sky, and entered the house. Storms
be did not fear. But ice-the ice which
right break mp and come down from
the river-tha& was another matter.
The little screw-pile lighthouses are
built ON piles, their steel framework
screwed tightly down and no sea or
wind can do much to them.
But ice collects among the spider
like legs and cross-beams, which give
The light its name, and pushes upward,
up and to the side with irresistible
'orce- and when the light tips and goes
The keeper is usually drowned. But.
worse than all, the light goes out.
And for light to 60 out, particularly
n bad night, Is Ike signing the death |
warrant of who knows how many ships
md men?
Cob's Point Light was revolving
light Of the fourth order. It showed |
red for ten seconds, a blank for ten,
md q white for twenty seconds-then |
! blank = twenty and repeat. A cage,
nth four Lenses and prism sets. re
vclved about the burner. and alternate |
lenses were red and white, and faced |
inward. 90 that they acted as reflectArs |
md threw the light back acros the
lame.
The whole was worked BY clockwork,
nut had to be watched all night, for
ear Of some accident. like . melted
or bit Of dust In the mechan-
am.
Now 1t happened that this was one Of
he times when the weather prediction
rs wrong. It turned warmer
Il also rained. And by
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