A simple nightly ritual has an unusual ending....it's story number fifeen
in Tales Unleashed and can be read below.
The Lantern
Jacob Frawley had lived on Baker Road for almost 80 years. His father and grandfather had lived there before him. Their home was a modest two-story framed farm house that looked worse for wear, but it was home to Jacob and his late wife Elizabeth. The house was lonely now, but the reminders of Elizabeth still stood: her picture on the wall, the kitchen kept tidy as she had always requested, and two places set at the table. Jacob kept that setting for himself and Elizabeth in loving memory. It has always been that way and he would not abandon it.
Jacob lived a simple life, doing odd jobs around town, digging a few graves when needed, and tending to his small herd of eight to ten beef cattle. The barn on the property was a good hundred yards from the house, and each morning and night Jacob would light his kerosene lantern and walk at a snail’s pace down the winding road to the barn to feed his animals and check on their condition. They waited for him with great anticipation and patience, knowing that before too long Jacob would be striking the metal feed pan with his scoop, signaling that the feed was there and ready to be enjoyed. Jacob loved taking care of his animals. They had a special bond. He fed and cared for them; they, in turn, rubbed their heads on him to show their appreciation.
This night was like any other night. At twilight, Jacob lit his lantern, put on his well-worn barn coat and headed down the road to tend to his lovely little herd of cattle. But tonight Jacob would not arrive. Within a couple of hours of his not arriving, the cattle started bellowing, calling for their master.
A few hours later, Jacob’s neighbor Bill who checked on him daily, drove his old pickup to Jacob’s house, jumped out and ran up the porch steps. There was a light on in the house. Bill called for Jacob but heard no response, and Bill assumed that he was still at the barn. It being a pleasant fall evening, Bill decided to walk the hundred yards down to the barn and surprise his friend.
As Bill meandered down the old dirt road, his eyes caught a light halfway down the roadway. As he got closer he recognized it as Jacob’s lantern. Getting close and finally stopping within a few feet of it, he saw the lantern along the roadway, upright, still lit and giving a soft glow to those who approached. A quick search did not yield Jacob’s location. A search of both the house and barn were unsuccessful. Several days of searching by the local sheriff and volunteers were fruitless. There were no signs of Jacob, anywhere. He had simply vanished into the night, leaving nothing behind but his trusty lantern.
For several seasons after, the townspeople whispered about Jacob and his sudden loss from their midst. His information went into the state’s missing persons file and the case remains cold today. Jacob had moved on, but where? Jacob slipped into the shadows that evening. Many in town felt the shadows hid the spirit of his late wife Elizabeth, who begged him to rejoin her.
The barn and the house are gone now. But as a tribute to Jacob and Elizabeth, the lantern was hung on an oak tree just yards from where it was found along the roadway. If you drive or walk along that road today, you’ll see the rusted-out lantern, maybe waiting for its owner to reclaim it and complete his daily ritual of tending to his herd.
