A Grim Lighthouse Story.

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 39, 1 March 1884, Page 5

A Grim Lighthouse Story.

While rendering all honour to heroes of great enterprises, such as Winstanley, Rudyerd, and Smeaton, we must not forget that they were only three men, while hundreds of men were engaged in the hazardous work, and had daily to exhibit the heroism of dangerous labour. It was a grand and heroic conception to build a lighthouse on the Eddystone, but what shall be said of the men who first of all tried the experiment of dwelling in the horrible isolation of that storm-beaten edifice, cut off from rest of the world, uncertain whether the building would stand the test of storm, deafened by the roar of the waters, which sometimes would shoot right over the lantern or dash headlong against the lighthouse with fearful voilence, causing every part to vibrate as though the whole fabric were instantaneously going to pieces ? It is recorded that only two men attended the lighthouse built by Rudyerd, and that one if them was seized with sudden illness and died. It was in the roughest time in the year, and although the siu'vivor hoisted a signal of distress no boat could reach the rock. What to do with the dead body he did not know. At first he thought lie would throw it into the sea, but he was hindered by the fear lest the friends of the deceased might charge him with the ci'ime of murder. For a whole month the weather continued boisterous, and for that whole month the solitary survivor kept the light all night not what his comrade could no longer share the duty, watch by watch, with him, and for that whole month he kept the body of the dead man, although it had fallen into horrible corruption. Can any more terrible strait be conceived than that in which the brave fellow was placed? Yet we do not even know his name. All we know is that in almost every great work of public utility involving hazardous labour, if one or two men have come to the front and left their names for the admiration of posterity, there have always been a hundred obscure heroes who had lived and died and left no sign, but without whose strong nerves and great hearts those works would never have cteen accomplished. — From "Heroes oj Britain in Peace and War."

A woman who remembers last Sunday's text, but is unable to speak understandingly of the trimmings on the bonnet of the lady in the pew next in front. A married man who does not think all the girls envy his wife the prize she has captured. A woman who when caught in her secondbest dress will make no apology for her dreadful appearance.