The Lighthouse | Page 8

so old that
people sometimes wondered how it was possible that she could be the
mother of such a stalwart son. She was one of those kind, gentle,
uncomplaining, and unselfish beings, who do not secure much
popularity or admiration in this world, but who secure obedient
children, also steadfast and loving friends. Her favourite book was the
Bible; her favourite hope in regard to earthly matters, that men should
give up fighting and drinking, and live in peace; her favourite theory
that the study of truth was the object for which man was created, and
her favourite meal--tea.
Ruby was her only child. Minnie was the daughter of a distant relation,
and, having been left an orphan, she was adopted by her. Mrs. Brand's
husband was a sailor. He commanded a small coasting sloop, of which
Ruby had been the mate for several years. As we have said, Ruby had
been prevailed on to remain at home for some months in order to please
his mother, whose delicacy of health was such that his refusal would
have injured her seriously; at least the doctor said so, therefore Ruby
agreed to stay.
The sloop Penguin, commanded by Ruby's father, was on a voyage to
Newcastle at that time, and was expected in Arbroath every day. But it
was fated never more to cast anchor in that port. The great storm, to
which reference has been made in a previous chapter, caused many

wrecks on the shores of Britain. The Penguin was one of the many.
In those days telegraphs, railroads, and penny papers did not exist.
Murders were committed then, as now, but little was said, and less was
known about them. Wrecks occurred then, as now, but few, except the
persons immediately concerned, heard of them. "Destructive fires",
"terrible accidents", and the familiar round of "appalling catastrophes"
occurred then, as now, but their influence was limited, and their
occurrence soon forgotten.
We would not be understood to mean that "now" (as compared with
"then",) all is right and well; that telegraphs and railways and daily
papers are all-potent and perfect. By no means. We have still much to
learn and to do in these improved times; and, especially, there is
wanting to a large extent among us a sympathetic telegraphy, so to
speak, between the interior of our land and the sea-coast, which, if it
existed in full and vigorous play, would go far to improve our condition,
and raise us in the esteem of Christian nations. Nevertheless, as
compared with now, the state of things then was lamentably imperfect.
The great storm came and went, having swept thousands of souls into
eternity, and hundreds of thousands of pounds into nonentity. Lifeboats
had not been invented. Harbours of refuge were almost unknown, and
although our coasts bristled with dangerous reefs and headlands,
lighthouses were few and far between. The consequence was, that
wrecks were numerous; and so also were wreckers,--a class of men,
who, in the absence of an efficient coastguard, subsisted to a large
extent on what they picked up from the wrecks that were cast in their
way, and who did not scruple, sometimes, to cause wrecks, by showing
false lights in order to decoy vessels to destruction.
We do not say that all wreckers were guilty of such crimes, but many of
them were so, and their style of life, at the best, had naturally a
demoralizing influence upon all of them.
The famous Bell Rock, lying twelve miles off the coast of Forfarshire,
was a prolific source of destruction to shipping. Not only did numbers
of vessels get upon it, but many others ran upon the neighbouring

coasts in attempting to avoid it.
Ruby's father knew the navigation well, but, in the confusion and
darkness of the furious storm, he miscalculated his position and ran
upon the rock, where, as we have seen, his body was afterwards found
by the two fishermen. It was conveyed by them to the cottage of Mrs.
Brand, and when Ruby entered he found his mother on her knees by the
bedside, pressing the cold hand of his father to her breast, and gazing
with wild, tearless eyes into the dead face.
We will not dwell upon the sad scenes that followed.
Ruby was now under the necessity of leaving home, because his mother
being deprived of her husband's support naturally turned in distress to
her son. But Ruby had no employment, and work could not be easily
obtained at that time in the town, so there was no other resource left
him but to go to sea. This he did in a small coasting sloop belonging to
an old friend, who gave him part of his wages in advance to enable him
to leave his mother a small provision, at least