The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1920-07-22

tuGlI spray ONcA tAC WtHuONS VA LIN
lighthouse. A snow-squall threatened
to break before night. Esther Holly
stood at the little round window, so |
like the portfolio Of a ship, and looked !
with fascinated eyes at the hay. +
There will be a storm tonight, l r
know there will. and won't it be glor
ious!" she said to herself as the sleet
dashed the window-pane. Esther had
come from her home in the city anti
cipating many an adventure In the
strange home of her uncle, Joe Willet,
the ighthouse-keeper.
am not wishing for wreck on
the coast, but if there should be one.
should like to be ut Castle Bluff during
the excitement" Esther had said the
night that Uncle Joe had brought her
to the lighthouse
50 We try to prevent wrecks Joe
Willet returned promptly. We keep
the light on the cliff burning bright
as guide to the vessels. This is Il
very dangerous coast. Before the light |
house was built there were many ships
that went ashore. The tides In the |
channel are SO treacherous that too
often they sweep a boat on the rocks.
The quaint lighthouse home nest |
charmed Esther. The round living |
room at the base of tile lighthouse was
Il great contrast to the living room il
the prOsaic city fiat from which she
had just come. Two tiny rooms. dining
room and kitchen, opened into the
round living room and their portfolio
datiOn of the lighthouse. From the
second floor. the stairway. straight and
steep. ran to the top of the four floors,
where in the glass tower, the light re-
volved. The tiny bedrooms were cor
nered off on each side of the straight,
| narrow stairway. And in one Of the
tiny bedrooms, Esther Holly. with the
roar of the surf in her ears. dreamed
of wrecks and Of thrilling scenes.
Esther was alone in the lighthouse
this winter afternoon. Uncle Joe and
| Aunt Judith had gone to the village
up the channel to do their weekly mar
keting. They made the trip in their
motor-boat, promising to return early.
All the afternoon Esther had busted
herself knitting OH her new crimson
sweater, but the threatening storm fsis-
cinated her. The vail Of the wind and
the roar of the sea sent the blood ting
ling through her veins It was certainly
the eve of blizzard.
:. / hope aunty and uncle will leave
the village before the storm breaks. It
will not take them longer than half an
hour to come down the channel. but
the sea looks angry already" murmered
Esther.
Look as she would. she could catch
no glimpse of the craft on the water.
Suddenly Esther realized that dusk
was shutting down OH the bay. and that
the gray, binding snow-storm had now
broken.
Il Where were Aunt Judith and Uncle
Joe Willet? Surely they would have
started for home before dusk. Perhaps
the storm was delaying them. If they
dared not come down the channel in
/ the nlotor-boat, they could come on the
, mainland by the Cliff Road.
Esther slipped on Il heavy sweater
and, climbing the straight, narrow stair
way. searched the sea with anxiou.
eyes. from the round glassed tower. Sh,
could see nothing hut the blind SNOW
, and the spray Of the angry breakers.
Suppose Uncle Joe and Aunt judith
did not get home before dark. VIII
. would light the lighthouse lamp: Tn
Gle Joe was proud Of the fact that tn
!. light on the cliff had never once faile,
to guide the vessels passing that dan
gerous coast. Esther turned to the re
. volving light with It's euriously shapes
q fans and prisnmtic colors. How eagerl
= she had watched the lightkeeper ligh
!, the lamp night after night. AS she ll;i
!. released the lever and sent the ligll
spinning, her eyes followed the ray
sent far cut across the sea. At the bas
Of the lighthouse was the little engine
room, where. under Uncle Joe's skille
= fingers, the machinery kept the revol,
ing light in motion throughout til
night.
Suppose the. engine failed son
night, would there be any light?' +
u Their had questioned.
= $ Yes, there would be light Il
= lighthouse keeper. had promptly a
y swered. :. II the engine failed. wOu
come up here and keep the light turin
with my hands,
:. How dark. the lighthouse tower h;
= grown. Suppose. in the darkness. Z
u loo J,.l;f@, hail ,,,jS,..r,3 ri
lighthouse slip! With little cry
:" determination Esther bent and light,
~ the lamp. She could not tamper wi
- the machinery in the engine-room. b
her hands were strong and willing
spin the revolving light.
Her heart leaped with the cheer til
the@ight sent out. Her right hand sp
e. the fans. and she thrilled as the gle,
,e, OF light shot out across the stormy 81
If only she could keep the light revo
ne Ing until Uncle Joe came hack!
iii Minutes dragged into hours. Thou
of Esther listened hour after hour.
of footsteps came up the steep. narr'
lie, stairway, and 10 reassuring voice call
IT. from the rooms below The only spa
FOf comfort in the wilderness of
night WAS the bright pa til of light ii
of the lamp sent over the black waite
ut Esther's right arm ached duly. ]
10. lighthouse swayed with the onslau,
la of the waves against its rock foun
to ton. Esther shivered and drew
{ a sweater closer about her shoulders.
ted Surely 1fncle Joe and Aunt Jud
VS. will l,t. here before midnight /" she III