Mary Walker's Light House: Hello History!

By Kathy Warnes

Mary Walker and her parents and brother Jacob are moving into a lighthouse in New York Harbor. Mary's mother Katie isn't happy living in the light house, but Mary and her brother Jacob think living there and rowing to the mainland to school every day is an adventure. Until their father dies. Can they survive and continue to keep the light burning?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kathy Warnes
• Release date: Feb 2, 2016
• ISBN: 9781524235017

Kathy Warnes

Kathy Warnes loves to write history, children's stories, and fiction and non-fiction and poetry.  She lives in Michigan with her family and three cats with personality!

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Table of Contents

Chapter One

Mama Doesn’t Like Robbins Reef Lighthouse

Chapter Two

Mama and Papa Keep the Light and Papa Gets Sick

Chapter Three

Papa Goes to the Smith Infirmary and Mary Helps Mama

Chapter Four

Nosey Comes to Visit and Mary, Mama, and Jacob Keep the Light

Chapter Five

Mary, Mama and Jacob Buy Overalls

Chapter Six

Mary, Mama, and Jacob Rescue Scotty

Chapter One

Mama Doesn’t Like Robbins Reef Lighthouse

File:Robbins Reef Light NY.JPG

Robbins Reef Lighthouse, New York Bay

United States Coast Guard

Mama set down the suitcase with a thud at the foot of the lighthouse stairs.  Her black eyes flashed. She drew herself up to her full four feet ten inches and took a deep breath.  I won’t stay! she told Papa. The sight of water whichever way I look makes me lonesome and blue!

Mary couldn’t hear Papa’s answer, but she leaned toward the low rumble of his voice and smiled.  She loved to hear the stories Papa told. She watched Papa put his arm around Mama and she knew that at least tonight they would stay at the Robbins Reef Lighthouse.

Mary and her brother Jacob raced each other up the circular stairway leading to the lighthouse living quarters. They dashed into the supply room where the kerosene wicks and extra lamp chimneys were stored. Mary stood at the top of the stairs, her flowing brown hair and wide skirts billowing like sheets in the gusty wind.

Hurry, Papa! she shouted into the wind. I want to go up to the room on top.

Papa walked away from Mama and climbed the stairs, but much more slowly than Jacob and Mary had raced up them. There will be time enough for exploring, Mary.

Papa, look!  Jacob jumped up and down and pointed over the iron railing.  Look, Papa, I can see the Statue of Liberty!"

Mary looked where he brother Jacob pointed. By squinting she could make out the torch of the Statue of Liberty gleaming in the rays of the setting sun. The Robbins Reef Light was located between Manhattan and Staten Islands on the West side of the main channel of New York Bay. The tower was anchored firmly on a rocky ledge just off Staten Island about two miles southwest of the Statue of Liberty. Water completely surrounded Mary Walker’s Lighthouse and it surrounded the keeper’s house on the island. The light was located in a circular tower with a white top and a brown bottom with a white base. Papa had told them all of these things about their new home, but Mary thought that seeing them for herself made them more real and more fun.

Let’s explore the tower room, Papa, she begged.

In the tower room Papa showed Jacob and Mary how to light the lanterns. By the time they had finished, darkness had tucked itself in around the lighthouse like a snug quilt. Papa had to light a lantern to lead them safely back down the narrow winding stairs.

Mama stood in the doorway of the keeper’s house waiting for them. She tapped her small foot and her black eyes flashed. Jacob, we will leave in the morning, she told Papa.

Papa patted her on the shoulder. Now, now Katie. When our work is done there will be time enough to leave.

Mama sat down on a step and put her head in her hands. Her voice came out muffled. I don’t want to stay here.

Papa went over and put his arm around her. Mama admired the way the lamplight made Papa’s hair and beard a circle of brown light around his face. She liked the way the lantern light rippled over Mama’s black hair. She tiptoed over and touched Mama’s blue dress.

Mama, you look pretty in the lamplight, Mary said. Mama was so pretty and she did