Part 11 (1/2)
Obediently he went on, as the girl directed, and reached the dock of his destination in safety, where he shook hands heartily with his bright-eyed guide before she pushed off again for her island ho his mates that there was a ”boss in Baker's Bay who knehat she was about,” and his advice was, ”In danger look for the dark-haired girl in a row-boat and follow her”
This ca captains of the schooners which in that day plied so frequently between New York and Newport, and many a letter of thanks, or a more substantial remembrance, did she receive frory bay
Soldiers trying to reach the fort, or sailors anxious to row out to their shi+ps, always found a ready ferry-wohthouse forpersons on land or sea within manymariner as she, or where could such a fund of nautical wisdom be discovered as was stored in her clear head? This question was asked in affectionate pride by ood seaman who had become Ida's intimate friend at the close of her first year on Lime Rock, while all the skippers had an intense adirl who not only handled her life-boat with a ht filled and tri to save her father steps, now that he was crippled with rheuiven place to the crisp coolness of a glorious October day as Ida was just starting to row to the mainland to do an errand for her mother She looked out of the , across the bay, to see if there was any prospect of a shower, and her keen eyes gli through it, she gave a sharp cry and rushed to the door
”What is it, daughter?” the captain queried
But Ida was already out of the house So he hobbled slowly to theand, with the use of the glass Ida had dropped, saw his energetic child push the life-boat out of its shelter, drag it to the shore, jump in and row rapidly to the middle of the bay where a pleasure-boat had capsized There were four h waves which momentarily threatened to overcome the to the overturned craft, and terea desperate effort to swilass, saw Ida row close to the capsized boat and with strong, steady hands pull and drag one after another of the men into her boat When they were all in, she roith sure strokes back across the storht to shore and receiving their thanks as irl of seventeen A very fine piece of as Ida's first rescue, but by no means her last She loved to row out in a storrew to think her ht
A year after her first experience as life-saver, her father, who had recently been paralyzed, died, and so capable was his eighteen-year-old daughter in doing his duties that she was allowed to continue in the care of the light until her father's successor should be appointed When the news caleamed, as if in anticipation of so she exclaiive it up to anybody; don't we, doggie dear? We will succeed to ourselves!” And she did succeed to herself, being finally ress--the appoint conferred upon her in 1879 by General Sherman as a compliment to her ability and bravery; doubtless because of the recommendation of those fisherreat and who did not wish the government to remove her In any case, she was chosen for the responsible position as successor to her father, and to herself, as she quaintly put it, and more and more she became devoted to every stone of the small promontory, and to every smallest duty in connection with her work and her island hoular routine of her daily duties as keeper of the light, and every ti la glea reatest andwinds and frozen bay A terrific stor from every direction and it was hardly possible to stand on one's feet because of the fury of the gale Ida lighted her beacon of warning to shi+ps at sea, and rejoiced as she saw its glowing rays flash out over the turbulent waters Then she went down into the cozy kitchen and speedily ate a simple supper prepared by her mother How the wind shrieked around the little house on the island! Ida hastily raised the curtain, to see how heavily it was storave an exclamation of surprise; then ran up the spiral stairway to the tohere in the rays of the steady light she could see more clearly Far out on the waves, beyond the frozen surface of the inner bay, she saw a light skiff bobbing up and down, the toy of wind and wave; in it by the aid of her powerful glass she could see a stiff, still figure A man had been overcome by the cold--he would die if he were not rescued at once Quick as a flash she was down-stairs, in the boat-house, had pulled out the boat, although it was a hard task in such a stor as she, and soon was on her way across that part of the bay which was not frozen Up and down on the stor itself, now al sure strokes, and drew alongside of the bobbing skiff--took hold of it, drew it to the side of her own boat, and, looking into the face of the man in it, saw that he must be rowed to land as quickly as possible if he were to be saved She saved hiained consciousness he found hihthouse kitchen, with the h his whole frame, instead of the cruel numbness which had been the last sensation before he became unconscious And it added ht-eyed, dark-haired young wohtful way
The young lighthouse-keeper's next rescue was of a soldier fro to cross the harbor in a small boat, was thrown into the bay by the force of the waves, and would have been drowned, as he was not a good swione instantly to his rescue He was a heavy man, and Ida tried in vain to lift hih What should she do? The great waves were lashi+ng against the boats in such a fury that as done must be done quickly With ready wit she threw a rope around his body under the arm-pits, and towed him to shore as hard and fast as she could, at the sao under water It was ahis exhaustion when she reached shore, she called twohim
”Who towed hier to Ida
”I did,” she replied
”Ah, go on!” he said, incredulously ”A girl like you doing that! Tell hed and turned to the other man ”He will tell you what I have done and what I can do, even if I airl!” she said; and the seaman, just landed froed with awe ”She's the boss of these parts,” said his companion, ”and the prettiest life-saver on the coast Just try it yourself and see!”
As thehis life to have it saved, even by Ida Lewis, he went his way, but whenever his steamer touched at Newport after that he always paid his respects to the ”prettiest life-saver on the coast”
Twelve irl keeper of Liht who had become one of the features of the vicinity, to thened a stay in Newport, and Ida enjoyed ht and her ho and all her other treasures, while in return they told her reat world beyond the beaht
Up in the tower one day--it was in the autu trouble for so, and the as blowing snow in such white sheets that few captains couldthe rocks of the harbor without difficulty, while any one foolish enough to set out in a rowboat would find it impossible to reach the shore
Out flashed the rays of the beacon-light, and far off on the tempestuous waves Ida sahat seemed to be two , and borne on its shrieking Ida fancied she could hear the htened beasts
One quick look at her light, to ht to leave, then down ran the life-saver to her self-appointed work Never was there such a gale blowing in Narragansett Bay, and in the susts of wind and rain added to biting, stinging cold le out from the boat-house, to launch her rowboat on the storave in to any obstacles, and soon her little boat could be seenslow headway across the bay, in the direction of the drifting o of sheep
Now the wind drove her back, now it blew her sh slowly, she gained on herself, and at last she reached the ale, and were si Ida's acts with incredulous wonder A young girl--come to rescue them in such a storm as this! Quickly she helped them to climb into her boat, and took up her oars One man protested ”But the sheep,” he said
”Leave the as fast as she could, her dark hair streaing cold of the air Neitherthe rocky coast of the island, Ida sprang out after them, pointed out the kitchen door, and said:
”Stay in there and get waran one
Ida was already out of hearing, and the men whose lives had been saved did as they had been told, and in the war of their rescuer In an hour there were footsteps outside, the door opened, and a glowing girl stepped in out of the bitter gale, sta out her benu fire
”Well, they are all safe on land,” she said ”I think they had better be left in the boat-house overnight The wind is in the right quarter for a clear day to-ain”
There was no reply A girl like this keeper of the Liht left no room for pretty compliments, but made a e, what could he not do with such a spirit as hers! No one ever paid Ida Lewis higher praise than these two rough ripped her hand and the spokes, I'll put up a prayer for its keeper, and thanking you for what you did for us, irl, she will be Ida Lewis!”