Wilmington daily commercial., 1873-11-25
THE GOLDEN IDOL;
OR
The Ench anted Tree.
CHAPTER 1. ..
GIRLS DESPAIR.

l. ~ u 4 II
,,ao, lonely shore of Tonga-taboo har
w." The island of Tonga-taboo, two per
DOL uai hidden in dim recess of palms.
sun Tbev we're father and daughter.
TIe former was plain, simple clergyman
& Of middle age ,,. .,., - oa...
.oon wears, scarcely more remarkable Tor hei
to,'lIness than for her sterling good sense
onj worldly wisdom far in advance OF
8 her years. e. - .,,o,t,or 80 .b;s oo,,,,,a
49, al had long been sleeping her last sleep in
sn .o of the lonely hooks of this far Pacific
F island. ,, H.. 1r, 1r......
q nn;nn IN the shores of this lovely harbOr,
,yi,b the intention of passing his days in the
! iohnr of converting to Christianitv their pa
aD' l," Jolators; but the good missionary had,
E"n T. Dome unintentional way, fallen under the
ii,'l"asure of the ruler of the island, and was
now being hunted for his life.
HVT 81 am so tired, father" painted the girl, as
i ,,o aIasned her hand tightly to her heart.
I'VE ought not to have run 50 fast, re-
& ,,onIed Mr. Fortescue. "But am sure the
saynrrs were near us.
''.JT flush! here they are !" breathed the girl
rnsh Of footsteps was heard, and a mo-
& mont later several savages came flying past,
renliur the air with their cries
.I'hey think we have gone in that direc-
,iop" whispered the missionary. "Oh, If
tLey only knew how near we are still to the
aWil they not soon be back, this way,
father 2" asked Miss Fortescue.
s 81 dare say they will, Ellie. All here
comes another band of them
dozen armed warriors traversed the san
f dy bracb Immediately in front of the hiding
+ phcp of the couple.
"llow terrible they are how lost to all
|pip!' ..,,.
#,ois - sirhcd Mr.. Fortcscue. "To see these
#sayare pursuers, and hear their yels, one
zNonll little imagine the sacrifices we have
made ON their account All the benefits they
zmye received from lis are forgotten. They |
In determined to kill us il they can find us !" |
Al this point Ellie started violently, half |
Ar-ing 10 her feet
"Oh, look, father ~ she cried.
This was all that she could say, but she |
hoined far away in the direction from which |
5be fugiyes had come.
II see, murmured Mr.. Fortescue. "They
baye fired our dwelling
A urid flame arose in the air in the dis
Ahrn
II is hard to see our h me pcrishinr,
the daughter "What demons they
sue started again, even more violently Than
Before - This time ut the barking Ot II dog
#laiu len feet Of her,
"TGd cUr will certainly hetray us ~ cried
i missionary springing to his feet.
"llc has betrayed us already" returned
EIlr. "Sce they are coming.
In the last moment at his residence, Mr..
folscac had srllrtun oldsword he chancrd
Il have upon his premises, and he thanked
AtayT for the service this weapon now rem
Htryl him, he being able to Cleayc the dog in
kaiu with single desperate blow
"lEad We better moi plunge into the inte-
ior father :" asked Ellie.
II think not 1t is there that they are
bpNug for us They are beating up every
bull, and--Yrs they are certainly coming
|trcr 10 US. See they have torches! oh,
b, is horrible -
Perhaps we had better throw ourselves
ho II boat, and trust ourselves 10 the winds
b. waves.
Il would have done so, darling, but for the
guinness of the sea-
lis all up with our halt here said the
Visionary, turning back "We must lly
Ehc dog was heard, and the savagcs are has
enH4 in this direction
Breaking from their covert, hand in hand, |
b. father and daughter ran along the beach
#hl gained a temporary shelter behind a
Hhal ledge of rocks which juttei out into the
r. in the form of small promontory,
III We only had a boat now !" sighed the
'hh,r, possibly we could get off in it,"
ln Ellie could reply, solitary savage
1nme bounding from the bushes, brandishing
II, war club
"Ala, alas ! mourncd Mr.. Forescue
He had realized only too well the imi-
htnce Of the pcril-the utter fuiility of all his
aildts at escape - but he met the foremost
'latge with the strength of desperation,
eIGNing him in twain nearly as Cleverly as
\ had dispatched the dog which had discoy-
Ptd the whereabouts of the couple but then
ine The sharp, loud report of musket-
~ HE good missionary lay weltering in his
p"oI wih II bullet through his virals
y am lit ~ he cried. ! cannot go on.
MOI even to the boat, father p
Alas, it is too late" fallering the dying
Plr,Ionary, AS everything recled around him.
40 Thee, God, l commend her -
llilse were the last words of the devoted !
Pssslonary, AS he uttered them, he mmbed
! Ito The boat he had succeeded with his last
7@Helale efforts in reaching, and in that
|tIic Instant his senses left him forever
WI, demons y cried Ellie, st II welding |
password with the strength of despair.
BY The last desperate effort of her exhaust
poWerslhc brave girl succeeded in pushing |
y Inc boat and in breaking clear Of the pur-
|UtrS withl 1t.