The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-11-26
THE GOLDEN IDOL;
ssA OR,
THE ENCHANTED TREE.
CHAPTER I.
A GIRLS DESPAIR.

Upon lonely shore of Tonga.taboo ha
Dor, in the island Of Tonga-taboo, tw
persons sat hidden in dim recess
palms.
They were father and daughter.
The former was plain, simple clergy
man Of middle age. =
The latter was charming girl of seven
teen years, scarcely more remarkable 70
her loneliness than for her sterling eoot
sense and worldly wisdom far in adyanc
of her years.
AS to the wife and mother of this couple
she had long been sleeping her last sleep il
one of the lonely hooks of this far Paclfi
island.
Ten years had passed since Mr.. Fortes
cue had come to the shores of this love
ly harbor, with the intention of passing
his days in the labor of converting to
Christianity their pagan idolators; but
the good missionary had, in some unin.
territorial way, fallen under the displeas
ure of the ruler of the island, and was
now being hunted for his life.
II am so tired, father" painted the
girl, as she clasped her hand tightly tc
her heart.
"We ought not to have run SO FAST
responded Mr.. Fortescue. "But | am
sure the sayages were near u.s."
"Hush! here they are +" breathed the
girl.
A rush of footsteps was heard, and a
moment later several savages came flying
past, rending the air with their cries.
"They think we have gone in that
direction" whispered the missionary.
"Oh, if they only knew how near we
are still to the settlement"
"Will they not soon be back this way,
father ?n asked Miss Fortescue.
II dare say they will, Ellie. All! here
comes another band of them.
A dozen armed warriors traversed the
sandy beach Immediately in front of the
hiding-place Of the couple.
slow terrible they are (! how lost to all
pityv'
.'Alas! for the poor results of all my
toilsl" sighed Mr.. Fortescue. "To see
these savage pursuers, and hear their wells,
one would little imagine the sacrifices we
have made on their account. All the
benefits they have received from us are
forgotten. They are determined to xii! us
if they can find u.s."
At this point Ellie started violently,
half-arising to her feet.
"Oh, look, fat !" she cried.
This was all she could say, but she
pointed far away in the direction from
which the fugitives had come.
II see," murmured Mr.. Fortescue.
"They have fred our dwelling.''
A lurid fame arose in the air in the
distance.
sit is hard to see our house perishing,n
sighed the daughter. "What demons
they are" :
She started again, even more violently
than before--this time at the barking of q
dog within ten feet of her. as
"The cur will certainly betray us!n
cried the missionary, springing to his feet.
'He has betrayed us already" re-
turned Ellie. "See! they are coming.u
In the last moment at his residence, Mr..
Fortescue had seized an old sword he
CHANGED to have upon his premises, and
he thanked heaven for the service this
weapon now rendered him, he being able
to cleave the dog in twain with single
desperate blow.
.'Had we better not plunge into the in
terror, father ?" asked Ellie.
II think not. 1t is there that they are
looking for us. They are beating up every
bush, and-Yes they are certainly COM
ing nearer to us. See! they have torches
Oh, this is horrible!"
perhaps we had better throw our
selves into boat, and trust ourselves to
the winds and waves.''
81 would have done so, darling, but for
the roughness of the Sea-"
tits all up with our halt here" said
the missionary, turning back. ''We must
fly. The dog was heard, and the savages
are Fastening in this direction"
Breaking from their covert, hand in
hand, the father and daughter ran along
the beach and gained temporary shelter
behind small ledge of rocks which jutted
out into the sea in the form of q small
promontory.
''If we only had boat now |" sighed
the father, "possibly we could get off in
it.n
Ere Ellie could reply, solitary savage
came bounding from the bushes, brandish-
ing his war-club.
ssAlas alasv' rnourned Mr.. Fortescue.
lie had realized only too we'll the
imminence of the peril-the utter futility
of all his efforts at escape--but he met the
foremost savage with the strength of des-
peration, cleaying him in twain nearly as
cleyerly as he had dispatched the dog which
had discovered the whereabouts of the
couple /; but then came the sharp, loud re-
port of musket-and the good missionary
lay weltering in his blood, with bullet
through his vitals.
II am hit!" he cried. ~ cannot go
on"
"Not even to the boat, father 2" g
"Alas, it is too late! :" faltered the
dying missionary, as everything reeled
around him.
"To Thee, O God, commend her!o
These were the last words of the de-
voted missionary. AS he uttered them,
he tumbled into the boat he had succeeded
with his last desperate efforts in reaching,
and in that same instant his senses left
him forever.
"Off, demons cried Ellie, still WELD
ing her sword with the strength of des-
pair.
By the last desperate effort of her ex-
hausted powers the brave girl succeeded
in pushing off the boat and in breakiny
clear of the pursuers with it.
A FIENDIsH REVENGE.
AT the same hour when the preceding
events we're occurring, large top-sail
schooner was standing on and off the
Eastern Passage of Tonga-taboo harbor,