The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-08-10
THE LIGHTHOUSE
BY MILDRED WHITE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Copyright, 1922, Western Newspaper Union

@'ANN hNHN lNG iihhts AAabh ~ 'AN
shining tower day after day he sat.
1T was very still there and uninter-
rupted. He could work on the booG,
which was the effort Of his life. The
urge to write hadNbeen with the light
house keepers son while he was
lad at school. Even then bright
dreams persisted, fostered by the lone
" life he led, when reading was his
only pastlme.
Sandy, his Scotch father, would
smile whlmsically as he read the titles
of the books that Bruce rode so far
to obtain Unlike boys reading were
these classics and tales Of yore.
you'll have to follow me at the
lights Laddy," the old man remind
ed; but the son who had come late
to gladden. his fathers departing days,
listened absently from his place be-
fore the fire and read on.
Now, the father was forever gone
and Bruce 1t seemed, was, indeed.
fated to carry on the lights. In his
stilted environment he had learned
no other trade-and the perpetrating
of his dream kept him content.
Dark nights when the light Ike a
great pointing hand sent It's warning
across the seething water. Bruce, his
dark hair rumped, his fine brows
drawn In thought, sat absorbed In the
tower, his flying fingers writing, writ
Ing. Far down at a fashionable sum
mer hotel girl one night glimpsed
the high tower as Its great sllyeEy
finger caressed her hair, showing her
for q moment white vision, lovely
and wIstful. IL would like said this
girl to a man beside her, ITO ride out
across the sea some day and touch
my boat to the shores Of the light.
Maybe she smiled up at him, I'D
like TO stay there until should find
myself"
The man returned her smile lazily.
Are we so distractlngI Or is 1t
that you are weary Of my lmp0rtun-
ity? AS for finding yourself ! think
tual IL sou NOuiu h'A Au'bHNA ~
ton but yield to wisdom and the love
unconsclously pleading within. our
happiness need not walt
rs It. pleadlng2" her tone was rue
full. 81 do not know. alone realize
discomfort"
She aarose lmpatiently. GOOD
night"
With an angry scowl the man
looked after her. James Ivor was IN
accustomed to the thwarting Of his
win. and he had willed that Camelia
Carroll should be his wife.
The morning sun was shining when
CamelIa steerdd Der little boat dc.
llberately across the dancing waters.
Bruce was busy, pyer his book. He
did not hear the tap Of Camella'S slip
pered feet as she climbed the spiral
stairs. So his first sight of her was
as she stood In the tower doorway.
"Oh, did not expect murmured
Camella, distressed TO find anyone
here. An old man used to keep the
light years ago when l was little
girl. II was all so still then and rest
| full. used to come, sometimes, alone
up this stair. I'll go down now she
1 added hastily.
But Bruce came slowly toward her.
please he said wonderlngly, and
that was all. But Camelia promptly
and properly translated the request
/ He wanted her TO remain. 1t was
strange. Stranger still. that he SO
teticent, should unasked, pour out to
her the story Of his ambition neces-
sarily restrained, should show to her
the book itself. She seemed to have
known that It would be that kind of
a book, strong and fine.
He rode back with her in the noon
hour She was comparing the direct
appeal of Bruce MacDonalds eyes
against the shrewd CLINT of james
/ Iyors.
81 am glad I came" she said sud
denly. at has helped me in q de-
clslon." Camella's smile was per-
I L
what way" she added,
Bruce lifted her gently, yet with an
air of possession over the side OF the
boat to shore. you will come again,
he said. His words were nor ques-
ton but joyous assurance. She stood
looking up at him.
Tonight" she remarked irrelevant
ly, 81 will watch your signal across
the sea, and win think of you there
behind the light. You will be writing
your book. You are near the end
wonder how it will end. Perhaps
sometime, you will tell me-
~ will tell you now,' the young
man answered grayely, 81 did not
realize until today that the story OF
love must always end happily. Hap
plness is loves natural right. Love
finds it's own Bruce Macdonald
put out his hand. Camella chung to 1t
"And T." he said, "will come to you
when my book finds success
She watched her little boat until II
showed like shell on the ocean
Watching she smiled.
He has forgotten, unused Camelia
that 1t is my boat and that he vii
have to bring it back in the morning
Turning, she looked up into another
face calm, confident; but to the girl