Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-09

roundings or which. at all events were
considerably modified by the latter. On
festive occasions. such as public holt
days. liquor was procured in huge earth
enware jugs. and i regret to say that
the fiery fluid was sometimes INDUCED
in to degree and under circumstances
that rendered the amusement highly in
judicious. 1t was often a matter Of
wonder to me that some fatality did
not occur to these disciples Of Racchus.
Sometimes a man would be found lying
almost submerged in the shallow water
Of an inlet into which he had fallen OF
been blown. and in which he had peace
fully Slumbered during al entire night.
1T was In the fall of 1876. when | had
been two years at the station, that one
of the most violent storms ever known
To occur in the region visited Cape Hat
teras. An Inspector, lieutenant in the
signal service had come over a day OF
so previously TO Investigate affairs at I lie
station. and at the time of his arrival
the weather sinsularly fine Indeed
his first remark was concerning the
brightness and calm of the day. and until
the afternoon remember he came early
in the mOrning-he remarked constantly
and with some surprise, at the brightness
of the sky and the calm of the sea. AS
the day wore toward evening. however. /
pointed to the sky and said to him: Do
you see those horse tails up yonder"'
BAH he said, what do you mean by
horse tails: they are not down among
the signs of weather observations We'll.
nevertheless, I says, they mean that
wind is coming up. and that We shall
probably have severe storm before
morning.
The lieutenant pooh poohed the matter,
and was evidently quite deceived by the
beauty and calmness of the afternoon. My
sister in company with some young
folks. was visiting me at the time, and
had then gone off TO a lighthouse in the
vicinity. 1t was in the course of the
night that the lieutenant came into my
room. He was viSibly somewhat scared,
and no wonder. for 1t seemed as If all
the demoniac forces of nature had been
let loose and were raging and bowling
around US. | had put up the thick wooden
shutters to the windows OF my room, for
tunately. but the inspector had not taken
u like precaution. and the glass in his
apartment had been blown in by the first
puff Of the storm. The house itself
threatened to come down. or be blown
away. and il rocked AS II violent earth
quake We're in progress.
!. Do YOU suppose exclaimed the in
spector. that the lines can stay in such
Il gale that?
: No. sir | said. you can return to-
morrow. ii the storm Will permit, and
report that the line has been completely
destroyed
Well. il was just as | said. as We
found the next morning. l was fear
fully anxious concerning the safety OF
my sister ana her friends In the light
house. for had ascertained they had moi
gotten away before the commencement OF
The storm. II was then matter of some
doubt as 10 whether a lighthouse, CON
structed this was, could stand In such
a gale and sea as were then raging. From
the door of the station l could dmly
perceive the height and fury of the waves
that Numbered on the beach stone 5
throw away and sent masses of spray
flying in nv face. The lurid glow of
light was visible in flashes through the
heavins and flying murkiness. however.
and / became happily convinced that the
structure would outlive the storm. The
experience of my sister and her COM
panions, as she afterward described II
10 me dreadful one. The waves
beat completely over the stone walls o.
the lighthouse as they dashed against it,