Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-11-27
TEE GOLDEN IDOL:
OR,
The Enchanted Tree.
CHAPTER /.
A GIRLS DESPAIR.

A GIRLS DESPAIR.
Upon lonely shore of Tonga-taboo har-
Dor. in the island of Tonga-taboo, two per-
sons sat hidden in dim recess of palms.
They were father and daughter. aNN
The former was plain, simple clergy
man of middle age. SASH =
The latter was a charming girl of seven
teen years, scarcely more remarkable for
her loneliness than for her sterling good
sense and a worldly wisdom far in advance
of her years. ~
As to the wife and mother of this couple.
she had long been sleeping her last sleep in
one of the lonely hooks of this far Pacific
island.
| Ten years had passed since Mr.. Fortescue
had come to the shores of this lovely har-
Dor, with the intention of passing his DAYS
| in the labor of converting to Christianity
their pagan idolators; but the good mis-
Sionary had, in some unintentional way,
| fallen under the displeasure of the ruler of
the island, and was now being hunted for
his life.
81 am so tired, father" painted the girl, las
she clasped her hand tightly to her heart.
ave ought not to have run so fast,n re-
| sponded Mr. Fortescue. 'sBut / am sure
the sayages were near u.s.
s'Hush! here they arei" breathed the girl.
A rush of footsteps Were heard, and
moment later several savages came flying
| past, rending the air with their cries.
"They think we have gone in that direc-
| tion," whispered the missionary. ooh, if
they only knew how near we are still to the
| settlement"
"Will they not soon be back this way,
| father" asked Miss Fortescue.
81 dare say they will, Ellie. Ali hero comes
another band of them"
A dozen armed warriors trayerSed the
sandy beach Immediately in front of the
hiding-place of the couple.
GLOW terrible they are! how lost to all
pity"
"Alas! for the poor results of all my tolls"
| sighed Mr.. ForteScue. ITO see these saw
age pursuers, and hear their yells, 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 kill us if they can find
u.s."
AT this point Ellie started violently, half
arising to her feet.
''Oh, look father" she cried.
This was all she could say, but she
pointed far away in the direction from
which the fugitives had come.
81 see, murmered Mr.. Fortescue. s'They
have fired our dwelling"
A lurid flame arose in the air in the dis
lance.
1T is hard to see our home perishing,"
sighed the daughter. "What demons they
are"
She started again, even more violently
than before-this time at the barking of
dog within ten feet of her.
"The cur will certainly betray u.s." cried
the missionary, springing to his feet.
"He has BETRAYED us already" returned
Ellie. ''See, they are coming"
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 cleaye
the dog in twain with single desperate
blow.
"Iad we better not plunge into the inte-
rior, father?' asked Ellie.
81 think not. 1t is there that they are
looking for us. They are beating up every
bush, and-Yes! they are certainly coming
nearer to us. See. they have torches. Oh,
this is horrible.7
'.Perhaps we had better throw ourselves
into boat, and trust ourselves to the winds
and waves
81 would have done so, darling, but for
the roughness of the sea-"
ats all up with our halt here said tie
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 a
small ledge of rocks which .jutted out into |
the sea in the form of a small promotory.
'If we only had boat now!' sighed the |
father, possibly we could get off in it,"
Ere Ellie could reply, a solitary savage |
came bounding from the bushes, brandish- |
ing his war-club.
s.Alas alas" mourned Mr.. FoItescue.
He had realized Only too well the immi- |
nence of the peril-the utter futility of all |
his efforts to escape-but he met the fore |
most savage with the strength of despera-
ton, cleaving him in twain nearly as clev |
erly as he had dispatchedthe dog which had |
discovered the whereabouts of the couple; |
but then came the sharp, loud report of a |
musket-and the good missionary lay welt |
ering in his blood, with a bullet through |
his vitalS.
81 am hit!' he cried. II cannot go on"
SNOt even to the boat, father"
.'Alas, it is too late!" faltered the dying |
missionary, as everything reeled around |
him.
ITO Thee, o God. commend her,"
These were the last words of the DEVOTED |
missionary. As he uttered them, he tumb- |
led into the boat he had succeeded with |
his last desperate efforts in reaching, and |
in that same instant his senses left him for |
ever.
''Of, demonsr cried Ellie, still welding |
her SWORD with the strength Of despair.
BY the last desperate effort of her ex-
hausted powers the brave girl succeeded in |
pushing off the boat and in breaking clear
Of the pursuers with it.