VIGIL IN A LIGHTHOUSE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1436, 10 May 1912, Page 9

VIGIL IN A LIGHTHOUSE.

AN HEROIC WOMAN. How Mrs. Peter Borqne, alone with her baby in the Bird Eock Lighthouse, off the "stormiest area of the Nova Scotia coast, kept the light burning and tho i'ogbcll tolling for ton terrible days and nights after her husband died, is related (says tho New York correspondent of tho "Daily Express"), in a thrilling message from the Canadian Government steamship Seal, which rescued the mother and babv in an exhausted condition. Bird Bock islet, in the Magdalene Group, is nine miles from the nearest habitation, and is visited four times a year by tho lighthouse supply vessel. On March 17 tho Seal heard distross signals from the lighthouse, and found Mrs. BorqUo and tho infant nearly dead. After they had been revived, Mrs. Borque related her heroic 6tory, "Eleven days ago," she said, "my hua band slipped while entering the lighthouse during a storm, and plunged into the sea. 1 tried to throw liim a lifebelt, but he was beaten to death on the rocks. Ever since baby and I kept the light and tho fog signals going. For a dav or two I thought I would go mad, but I forced myself to keep up, realisms that tho light must not go out nor the fog-bell bo silent. My poor baby suffered terribly. There was food enough, but I could not tako time to cook it, for the weather was the worst experienced for yeri'rs. The baby cried constantly. I liad to hold her in my arms for warmth It was frightfully cold. Every time L crawled up the tower to attend to Hie lights I carried the baby with mo. For five days I prayed for help. For five days and nights I did not close my eyes, On the sixth day, when I awoke after :i brief sleep, I seemed to hear, a voice whispering, 'H-ave courage.' Every hour I could see the baby's face grow paler and thinner, and when she slept [ feared she was dying. Only the knowledge timt tlis lights were burning kept mo sane. Filially I became so weak that I remained beside the lights constantly, believing that if I went away I would not have the strength to return to them. • I never realised before how much suffering a human being could endure. When I saw the Seal I wept for joy. Summoning my remaining strength I tolled the bell, with the agonising fear that .tho men on the vessel might not hear the'distress signal. When I saw the Seal come towards the lighthouse I fell exhausted."