Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1872-05-16

GlOplc WOrlQ awake before me along
the road to the harbor wagon after
wagon, laden with sugar hogsheads and
drawn by rough, savage-leoking bulls
or unkept oxen, were passing on their
way to the wharf.
Etiquette in the West Indies does not
allow lady to be seen abroad unatten-
ded, so, hastily clambering up the hill
side bordering the road, 1 sought a
narrow, sheltered path 1 knew of,
which, crawling among the scraggy
bushes, kept its difficult way to the |
river.
Weary with my exertions, I eat down
q moment~to rest. just here, at the |
turn of the path, an opening through |
wood and rising hill gave glimpse of the
ocean, with here and there the faint |
far outer world an occasional ship |
sought harbor.
AS l sat there, leaning my head on |
my hands 1 believe 1 felt the first |
touch of homesickness I had ever |
known. At least my little room at |
home was shaded and quiet; at least its
poverty and nakedness were not dis |
played on the roadside. Here was l
with my dream all ended, even in the |
midst of my dreaming. Above me
palm and tamarind feathered the sky,
the jewel shine:of tropic leaf and flower,
splendor, color every where, and alone
gray. solitary, and cold.
Absorbed in thought, I know not how
long sat. A quick step startled me. 1t
was not a native step; no native sets
his foot down as if it were of the slight
est importance when he lifted it again.
There was meaning and energy in this
football, and hastily rose to face the
intruder. 1t was my gray, sturdy, faith
full captain.
"Well, my little grill" cried the
hearty, familiar voice, "how's this2
Out here alone this time O. day7 The
women folks will all be down upon you
for breaking rules"
"I-I thought you had sailed" WAS
my reply, as 1 burst into tears in spite
OF myself.
Whereat the captain burst into that
honest, friendly laugh OF his, which
seemed 80 thoroughly to set aside trou-
BILE and difficulty, shredding them like
so many cobwebs.
dwell, we'll |" he said; "well, well,
well ~
Which was his sole comment.
Taking my hand under his arm, he
drew me away from the path, up toward
the level of the hill, where little
breeze stirred slumbrously, and soli-
tary lake, shut in with foliage of bam-
boo and olannbering vine, cooled the
air.
"Rest here bit, and wipe your eyes,"
said the captain, spreading his red hand
| kerchief on the ground for me to sit on.
I" am on my way to Sonora Marie's to
| breakfast, but there's no hurry. Neither
she nor all her lazy slaves can get it
ready before twelve o'clock, you know"
| He looked at his watch with seaman's
exactitude, and sitting down beside me,
opened his great umbrella over my head
to shut out the sun. [ felt sheltered
and comforted.
$50 you thought....I..had sailed, Lis
beth p he said. I" You must have a
high opinion of your poor old captains s
| good mannersT
The tears welled to my eyes again.
| could not answer.
"Tut, tutr' said my companion,
cheerily. "You must not be SO down
hearted, Lisbeth, when Mrs. Marie has
taken SO kindly to you. But you'll get
on better when the ships fairly out OF
sight. You'll feel more settled"
"If you were here" broke forth.
"Oh, what do you want of me? You'll
be with the young senior and senoritas,
and all the rest of it. They will treat
you like princess. I'm no company
for such. They don't want an old sea-
dog like me-"
Always from my childhood the cap
tain had come and gone out of my life
like myth his ship waited in the har.
Dor; he had wings; he was not like any
one else. And for this reason his going
from me now seemed to shut me away
forever out of sight into living death
Something of this 1 muttered incehe
rently, clinqing to him as though he
might vanish while l wept.
The captain stopped and looked into
my excited face; his gray scintillatirg
eye shot a strange ray into mine;
"Umph - he said, tanning himself
with his great sombrero. "It's hot
there's not breath stirring, and it only
ten in the morning"
There was silence for moment
tropic silence, unbroken by chirp of bird
or fall of leaf. My eyes followed the
far glimpse of the ocean, with the occa
sional sail heading toward the harbor.
"You like ships, Lisbeth ?" said the
captain.
81 love themr' cried, with enthu
siasm.
1 "Just so, just so. You like things
with a will; but, my little girl, if yol
expend so much feeling on everything
i. what will you have for some good maj
when he asks you to like him?"
"That would be different" My voic'
shook.
, "What would be different P'' said tn
captain, turning suddenly and harshl,
, upon me. Lisbeth," he said, NOR
Y softly, laying his great brown hand OF
my arm, "you know mean to be you
2 friend. I want you to remember tina
1 after am gone. If any trouble come
f to you, you know where to write; YET
t after all, it will be strange to sail ava
: without my little girl"
[ could make no reply.
q g 1 wish the wife was here" said tn
Y captain, with troubled voice; "sk
:, | would tell me what to do.'
4 "There is nothing to do, captain
g you have done all you could for me-"
!, You must hunt up that enginee,
4 Lisbeth." The captain was feeling i
the depths of his fathomless pockets fc
e an extra handkerchief as he uttere
t this jest; but saw a tear wander dow
: over the bridge of his nose before h
/ could find it.
/ al don't want 10 hear that jok
r again ~ cried, angrily, 81 mean t