守塔人

此外，还有一个相同之处，那就是都有守塔人，通常是守塔人全家。

They also had something else in common : a keeper and , usually , the keeper 's family .

守塔人的基本工作就是修剪灯芯，以便火焰明亮而稳定。

The keeper 's essential task was trimming the lantern wick in order to maintain a steady , bright flame .

但在1852年后，财政部下属的美国灯塔管理委员会接管了所有灯塔，守塔人这支队伍也逐渐趋向专业化了。

After the administration of lighthouses was taken over in1852 by the United States Lighthouse Board , an agency of the Treasury Department , the keeper corps gradually became highly professional .

最早的守塔人来自各种行业：海员、农民、技工和干粗活的。这个职位通常是作为政治回报由地方海关官员决定任命。

The earliest keepers came from every walk of life-they were seamen , farmers , mechanics , rough mill hands-and appointments were often handed out by local customs commissioners as political plums .

我的朋友奥勒，老守塔人，一个有趣爱唠叨，好像甚么都藏不住可是却又极严肃认真地把许多东西都藏在心底的人，他在塔上就是这样讲的。

Such was the speech of Ole ， my friend ， the old tower-keeper ， a strange ， talkative old fellow ， who seemed to speak out everything that came into his head ， and who for all that had many a serious thought deep in his heart .