Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1867-10-25

rather heavy weight, but knew how valu>
able il would be to me if got ashore. If l
didn't it might sickcn the shark that gobbled
me. which reflection c.mforted me not little.
Don't be shocked, for believe that owe my
life TO this thought. The very ludicrousness
of il amused me and kept me from becoming
frightened and helpless. Think what o CONS
motion five pounds Of Navy would cause
among a sharks internal arrangements
81 don't know how long was in the wateri
but it seemed an age before l reached little
point Of land that ran out into the bay. l
found two Of my comrads already there. and
another joined US q few minutes afterwards
Poor Sparkling never reached the land and
We never found a trace Of him. We were SO
exhausted after our swim, that We lay down
and slept till the sun shining on our faces,
woke us, and we saw the ship sailing away.
A fair wind had risen in the night, and the
captain was doubtless afraid of losing the
benefit of it il he waited long enough to send
q boats crew in search Of us.
'.There was little river that cmptied into
the bay near where we were. We followed
this up until we came to a Kanaka village
consisting of about forty huts. We sought
the chief, gave him pound of tobacco, and
so acquired all the rights, privileges, and i'm
munities of citizenship.
sAnd now it was that my tobacco became
useful. had four pounds left, and it paid
for my board and lodging during the whole
time that was a citizen Of that Island. For
q piece as large as four of my fingers two ma
tives went'to work and put up a very comfort
able hut made of boughs and leaves and grass.
For a similar piece a Kanaka woman carpet
ted it with mating and furnished it with dry
moss. gave b. y one small Chew, and he
brought US fish enough for supper; and for
another built an oven Of fiat stones, fried the
fish and served them up with desert Of wild
fruits
"Soon after our arrival was taken sick,
and before | recovered my comrads went
down to Honolulu to ship again. The chief
took quite fancy to me, gave me hut adj
joining his own and when got well in spite
Of his villainous prescriptions, offered me his
daughter for wife. | declined with thanks.
She was short and squabby and TO much a
widow. She had already been the bonny
bride Of half dozen runaway sailors.
''lt was lazy, quietly jolly, sans souci sort
Of life that led. You have an idea what
dolce far niente means? That was the perfec-
ton of it. And sometimes, when get both>
cred over my pleas and demurrcrs, and my
head aches with studying some kno,ty ques,
ton Of the law Of real property, look back
to t with not a little regret-or did before
was married. There was nothing to do but
to sleep and eat and fish and swim and if
had bad luck fishing, only had to dra W from
my bank piece of tobacco as big as domi-
no and buy all wanted. There were no gas
to dispute, no nees falling due, no distress
for rent no scrimping and scraping to make
both ends meet. We had no servant girls to
smash our crokery, abuse our wives, and
While was there never knew what it was
to feel sinking sensation-a 'goneness'-in
the neighborhood of the heart, caused by
hearing the bowl clink against the bottom Of
the four-barrel about the time my rent was
due, and didn't know how I was going to
raise it,
~ tell you when think of the way taxes
and rents are piling themselves up, of the
la As1,o II, A.
grocer make in q mans income-when
place my bank account before my minds eye
aud think how nearly 'scooped l am, almost
wish that was back among the Kanakas with
my FIVE pounds Of Navy"
"But, John, interrupted Mrs. John.
'sDont be alarmed my dear; am not going
back. Come to think of it, suspect that
would lose more than would gain. In the
first place would be deprived of our socie-
ty for couldn't take you with me. Unless
you could swim like fish and ride half-
wild bull, barebacked and man fashion, with
a ring through his nose for bit, you wouldn' t
shine in Kanaka society. And then Icouldnt
have any Congressional debates to read or
any plan of Reconstruction to advocate, or any
test oath or other plantation Bitters to take.
couldn't hear Anna Dickerson lecture, or
Parepa sing. l couldn' t drop in and smoke
your cigars and drink your cider. Besides,
my kanaka friends have become so civilized
by this time that they would steal my tobacco
as soon as appeared among them. So
think will stand our high prices for while
yet. And that's the end of my story"
But" said my wife. who is not satisfied
with an end that does not end everything,
'.you have not told us how long you were
sandwiched among the islanders (my wife
does better than this sometimes,) land how
you got away"
.About three months, said John. "My
supply Of Tobacco was nearly exhausted, and l
vessel there bound for Boston, shipped on
her and came home, bringing with me the
last ounce Of my tobacco, which l keep in q
little numismatic collection that have got
together"
A lovely girl in Wisconsin, recently re-
covered fourteen hundred dollars damages
in breach of promise against fastidious
lover. Her lawyer congratulated her on the
amount, when she exclaimed with ferocious
glance at the mulched defendant, and ner-