Tobias o' the Light: A Story of Cape Cod

"Tobias o' the Light: A Story of Cape Cod" by James A. Cooper is a tale set in the early 1900s about Tobias Bassett, a lighthouse keeper, and his sister Hephzibah, who confront the difficulties of living at the Twin Rocks Lighthouse. With Cape Cod as its setting, the story shows both the harshness of nature and the complexities of relationships, especially as they prepare for the reading of Uncle Jethro Potts' will after his death. The narrative begins during a violent winter storm that tests Tobias's skill in keeping the light burning; when he hears a cry, he finds two summer visitors, Ralph Endicott and Lorna Nicholet, stuck in the storm. As they wait out the storm, Lorna reveals her unhappiness with Ralph and the expectations of those in her family. This sets up a story of character contrasts, especially between Tobias's strong and kind demeanor and the struggles of the younger characters, who are caught in a web of family history and societal pressures.