The wind slapped at Jane's face as they headed down towards the water's edge. Dark clouds rolled across the horizon and Jane could definately smell rain coming. She was surprised at how much the wind had picked up since this afternoon. Pete ran ahead and down the path to the dock.
Jane looked back at the small keeper's cottage and the Tower which stood near by. Each evening since she had arrived she and Pete would take a walk early in the evening. Pete would do what needed to be done and Jane would make a brief walking round of the tower, checking that the light was lit and all was secure. She had no idea what she could do if the light went out, other than phone in the problem to the parks department, but somehow she felt as if she was keeping a tradition alive.
She was anxious to
get back to the book. The story was interesting and
something was nagging at her as she read it, but she
could not put her finger on it. She knew inside, she
would stay awake until she had finshed the book
tonight. It was not a thick book and she probably
had already read a third of it.
Jane was about
to call for Pete, when she heard a low pitched howl.
The sound had no real direction, it just seemed to
eminate around her.
Nervously she glanced in all directions, She called out to Pete as the sound drifted away, then appeared again. This time she could tell the sound was coming from the tower. Standing there looking at the Light, she listened intently as the sound rose and fell again. Gooseflesh poped up on her neck as the howling increased and faded once again. Pete came bounding up behind her and startled her.
Thunder rumbled in the distance across the lake and the howling rose again. Pete positioned himself at his mistress's side and cocked his head as he also listened to the sound. Jane gathered her courage and walked towards the tower. Having Pete at her side was comforting. The sound continued to rise and fall in no set pattern. Jane and Pete circled the area around the ower and she saw no signs of anything amiss. They reached the door that led into the tower and the sound rose again , louder, more distint and most definately coming from within the Light! Pete whined and then positioned himself in front of Jane, and looked up at her.
Jane listened again to the odd quality of the sound, there was no pattern, no discernable direction, other than the tower. The lock was secured on the door, but within herself, Jane knew she had to investigate. She took the keyring out of her pocket and slowly walked towards the door. As she turned the key and opened the lock Pete stood erect, hair raised on his back, muscles tensed. ready to spring at whatever danger might threaten his beloved mistress.
Jane grabbed the handle of the door and opened it forcefully. The darkness inside the tower unnerved her but she listened intently, the sound was gone. Jane stood there for a moment more listening and then reached inside and flipped the switch inside the doorfame. The lights came on revealing nothing, but the stairs that led up the tower. The sound was gone, and Jane walked inside the tower and glanced up the stairs. Again she noticed how cool it was in here, compared to the mild evening outside the tower. Feeling a bit foolish and more relaxed, Jane stepped outside and started to close the door. As the door closed, the sound again rose. Jane was startled, but forced herself to yank the door open, ready to confont whoever was playing tricks. Pete barked loudly and looked up at Jane. As the Door opened, the sound stopped abruptly. Jane paused, then laughed openly. She closed the door, and the sound came again, softer, but with the same odd quality. Opening the door, the sound stopped again. Laughing to herself she realized the howling was nothing but the wind, finding it's way through the cracks around the door, and then amplified and twisted somehow by the empty tower. So much for Ghosts, or strange occurences. Pete relaxed as he saw Jane laugh. She closed the door, locked the lock and patted Pete on the head. "Come on old friend, mystery solved."
Walking back towards the cottage, the sound rose greatly in volume as the wind picked up in a massive gust. Just as she turned to look over the lake before entering the cottage, a new sound mixed with the howl. Soft, barely discerable, and brief, Jane thought she heard what sounded like a sigh, or better put a sob. Rejecting this as nothing but her imagination running wild, Jane headed back inside to read more of Amanda Grey's Story.
Another cup of tea, and Jane was back on the daybed, afgan across her legs, and the book in her hands. She was now on the second chapter of this small book.
Randy Grey did in fact graduate from the training of the U.S. Lighhouse Service in the spring of 1881. His very first assignment was a 4 month introduction to lighthouse keeping at the mouth of the Detroit River. It was in the Fall of that year that he was sent to Eagles Point to help in the preparations needed to make the light functional. He officially asked for Amanda's hand in marriage in June of 1882. Amanda beamed wih pride as Randy, in his handsome dark blue Keepers uniform, met with the family one Sunday evening.
Randy and Amanda became man & wife on October 15th 1882. A Huge wedding was held on the grounds of the new lighthouse. The new couple basked in both family's love and pride at their new life together.
Randy and Amanda moved into the keeper's cottage on October 30th 1882. Randy as a new member of the U.S. Lighthouse Service was to be trained by Gerald McFlet, an old seasoned keeper of 20 yrs service. Although the Keeper's Cottage was big enough for all 3 of them to live in, Gerald chose to live in the Tower. He was used to such sparse living conditions and wanted to give the young couple their much needed privacy.
After only 1 week of training, Gerald McFlet became gravely ill and was hospitalized. The young couple would have to oversee the light with minimal training.
November is the cruelest month on the Great Lakes yet also one of the busiest, as the ships make constant runs supplying the factories near Chicago and other industries, with the needed supplies to see them through the long winter.
Dawn of November 10 1882 was cold and windy. The horizon was comletely illuminated in crimson, a sign any mariner can tell you is an omen of foul weather ahead. Randy sat at the small table that overlooked the lake from the kitchen and sipped his coffee. He knew all too well that heavy weather was coming.
Randy and Amanda both spent the daylight house shuttering up the windows, and making sure everthing was tied down that could either blow away or be washed away if the lake rose any higher than it already was. Lastly just before dusk Randy fastened a guide rope to the tower and led it to the cottage. With everthing battoned down they were ready to ride the storm out.
Sometime during that night, Randy Grey was washed away from the results of a storm surge that pushed the lake over the rocky point. Amanda was found several days later at the base of the tower stairs. Without any witnesses, all that was ever concluded was that Amanda fell during the night tring to keep the light lit. The couple were doomed, the cottage was washed away during the storm as well. Gerald McFlet recovered, but refused to have a new cottage built. He chose to serve his years as keeper living in the tower. He claimed it was out of respect for the fallen young lovers........
Jane set the book down and listened to the howl of the wind outside. The surf crashed in the background as well and she looked out the window at the tower. The thing that had troubled her all night surfaced in her mind. The State manual she studied about this lighthouse made no mention of the Greys, or the original cottage. Gerald McFlet was listed as the first keeper of Eagle's Point. Why were these 2 brave people forgotten by history?
Jane suddenly thought of the chill that always greeted you at the base of the stairs......Where Amanda died, and a shiver ran through her. Then clearly, over the wind and waves she heard a woman's soft sobs. Staring out the window, Jane searched for any movement, but there was nothing or no one there, but softly, carried on the night wind, the sobs continued..........
To be CONTINUED on Nov. 15th
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