The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-09-15
THR BOY mAGIlIAS;
OR.
The Secrets of the Sea.
CHAPTER. 7.
= \ 4 II " L
THE PRISONER OF MD OCEAN.


THE PRISONER OF MID OCEAN.
Late one Summer afternoon, a
dozen years ago, a solitary white man
stood before an idolatrOus temple on
an island In the South Pacific.
lie was of middle age, tall, thin and
gaunt, with rugged features and sor-
rowtul eyes, and with every sign of
goodness and intelligence.
Beside him was grim stoae idol,
IN grotesque human form, more than
| twice as tail as himself, which he had
just finished, as was indicated by the
mallet and chisel in his hands
1t is done, he muttered. And
these heather little suspect that l
/ have cut my name and story into the
base of this idol"
lie ran his eye rapidly over the IN
scrlptlon In question. 1t was as fol-
| lows:
1.-THE 8th of May, 1852, 1, David Lester, of
| the firm of Lester & Nichols. of Norfolk.
1 Va, sailed as q passenger from Charleston
| ship 'Hecla.' a cyclone struck US in mid
ocean, To @ ship foundered, and we took to
the boats which all filled, with the excep-
tlon 81 the one was in. After drifting
/ several days, during which my compan-
| IONS ID erisheo, reached this island. The
/ 1dola Crous inhabitants made me slave
/ in their temple, and for more than four
| years have been doing mental offices and
| Carving images. L have been chained
/ day, but nave nevertheless made three at
tempts at escape, and shall soon make an
other-doubtless my last, as am resolved
| to succeed or die, preferring death to a
| longer captivity. 1 therefore write these
| words upon this idol, praying any one who
may see them to report my rate, if posi-
bic, to my family, at Norfolk, Va. Fin
1877 --'9'' '-0- 'Aii' IL o''S u . '''S
Fo,. eovoroI ,,,-vrto, H. ,,,;--,, a =.
contemplated these lines in silence,
and then aroused himself, looking
wardy around.
Three times / have tried to es-
cape In canoe" he muttered, and
every time l was caught and visited
with fortunes. TO be caught again in
such an attempt will be certain death.
Yet 1 will risk all the first opportu-
nifty that offers. This longing for
freedom and my family is becoming a
positive madness. Oh, my God what
Is that?"
lie gazed IN perfect stupefaction to
the eastward, far out upon the ocean.
There, miles and leagues away, was
ship, her white sails cleaning as
she lay beealmed upon the waters.
A shipl ship cried Lester,
sobbingly. At last, oh Heaven!
At last my prayer Is answered!
TIE PRISONERS HOME.
; On the east bank of the Elizabeth
River, just out OF Norfolk, and over
looking Hampton Roads, stood beau
tiful cottage, the home of the wife
and daughter Of David Lester, the
prisoner of the lone island In the far
Pacific.
Near the close of lovely afternoon
IN May, Mrs. Lester and her daugh-
ter sat together upon their front YER
andah.
The mother was a lovely, sweet
faced, sad eyed woman of two and
thirty years.
The daughter, Amy Lester, not yet
fifteen, was a strange compound OF
child and woman.
r You are thinking Of father. dear
motherP murmured the maiden, as
she marked the lady's longing gaze.
Yes, child. Your father, my hus-
band where is hep Somewhere under
the sea waves, wrecked on a desert
island, or languishing on a hostile
shore? 1t is five years since he left
US on that fatal voyage to China. My
reason assures me that he is dead
yet, Amy, can only think of him as
living"
1t is so with me, mother, said
Amy, with tremulous culver OF her
lips. : dream often that he Is living
that he is coming home
+" We need him in a hundred ways,
t, said Mrs. Lester, signing. 1t any
:. thing were to happen to me, Amy, l
shudder to think what would become
of you. You have been brought up
In luxury, and would feel keenly any
change to poverty"
Are we not rich, then, mother?'
asked Amy, in surprise.
supposed so, dear, until three
years age" replied the mother, sadly
:" Your father was a merchant and
ship-owner, a partner of Col. Nichols
But two years ago Colonel Mich
OILS informed me that the outstanding
debts Of the firm more than balanced
70 the assets; In short, Amy, that he was
GA the verge of bankruptcy, his for
tune and ours alike wrecked
II don't like Col. Nichols!" sale
Amy, thoughtfully. If he lest all hi
money with ours, how does he live il
such grand style? TIE whom do hi
ships and great house belongY
40 his nephew, Ally Bell. Cslone
Nichols Is Ally's guardian. The Col
onel has nothing Of his own, except
ing a farm or two up-country Whlcl
were not risked In the business.
Amy contracted her little brows re
feetively, and was about to repl,
when the garden gate swung on 1T
hinges, and a boyish figure cam
lightly up the walk.
Its Ally, mother-it's Ally BellI
en- exclaimed Amy, all smiles and blush
es. III bring him to YOU"
The young girl ran lightly down tn
veTandah steps and met the new com
er, linking her arm in his and drawini
= him gently towards the house.
He was a lad of seventeen. an or
d phan, the nephew and ward of Colone
Nichols. Bright and gay and hand
some, Allen Bell was also impetuous
ardent, and intelligent-one Of thos
noble. manly boys who mature earl
into grand and noble men. Boy a
be was, he loved Amy Lester with
pure and chivalrous love, which bad
fair to deepen Ia time into the grei
on. love of his life.
He was the bearer of letter frol
res his uncle to Mrs. Lester, and havin
delivered it, he strolled with An
down the wide garden walks into til
cool shadows of a grove at the bottol
of the garden.