The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1878-05-02
THE MAN IN ARMOR.

Few sights are so beautiful to 6 north
erD eye as night in the tropics. The
suddenness of nightfall the iustanta-
neous beaming forth of those wendrous
stars, so apparently near feeling that
earth and moon and stars are floating
together in lambent, all is new, wonder
full and beautiful.
Such were my delirious emotions as
arrived, after a wearisOme voyage, in the
harbOr of st. Thomas, in West Indies.
The town, with its many lights, always
| a welcome sight to the traveller; the
hilltop, crowned with the buccaneers 8
tower; the light, graceful boats of the
negroes crOwding round the ship; their
songs in the melancholy minor key, the
warm and tranquil Iatmospher altogether
carried me away into a land of revery
and dreams, and pleasant languor and
indistinctness took possession of me.
An enchal ting picture" said voice
behind me. 1t was my friend, the silent
Englishman, as we called him on board.
You are familiar with this part of
| the world ?" / suggested.
Yes; these are romantic places [
have an estate in one of them. I come
down to see to it now and then. They
give the estates very queer names 'Dia-
mond and Ruby is one of them, Pros
perity,' Mary's Hope &c, &c Mine is
called the Man in ArmOr.'"
All then yours has the queerest
name yet"
q" Yes, and the queerest story-a story
Of crime, of misfortune, of retribution F.;
a rnelodramatic story, for west Indian
life is all meIodrama."
In the hustle of landing [ lost nv
friend and forgot him, his estate and his
story, until the next evening l met him
pacing the piazza of the hotel and smok-
ing his cigar. We Joined company and
smoked together, Iazily watching the
Degresses poising their burdens on the
head, and walking under them with the
majesty OF dark Cleopatras, chanting as
they walked, their wild, melancholy
songs.
"By the way" l remarked, "you
spoke of your estate last night and its
history as if it were no secret might 8
stranger ask to hear it, or is it of g
private nature "
Oh by all means. Everybody knows
it. In it's own island it is the favorite
after>dinner topic; and if you will take
passage with me on the little schooner
which tomorrow night will take me
u, L
1t to you by the witching light Of these
stars"
/ accepted with alaerity. The next
night (for they do everything in the
night in the West lndies) we embarked
en- very crazy little schooner; and l
! almost repented, when | saw our crew,
that foolish desire to hear a story had
caused NE to intrust my precious self To
! &o5, II IL r
who seemed descended from some Afri
can Hecubs, and whose assistants were
as black and weird as himself However
my friend seemed satisfied, and ! tried
! to be.
"You know" my friend began, " that
| these planters generally send their sons
| TO England or the United States to be
educated, and you have probably some
| West Indian boy in your memory vino
was the brigand, the desperate of your
| class at school. Two boys of the true
| type of ungoverned tropicals left this
island we are now approaching, many
| years ago for England. They were
placed at school, and were endured for
| the sake of their money, which was sup
posed to be inexh8ustible Philip, the
| eldest, was somewhat amenable TO Jaw
and order after time but William, the
| younger, put all authority at defiance,
and at length in fit of passion, stabbed
one of the boys.
" Before the young murderer could be
caught, he and his brother had effectually
escaped, and the only trace of them was
to 2 neighboring seaport, where they
were supposed to have embarked fol
home.
g Meanwhile, the father, whom shall
call Vickars, received from England
intelligence of this transaction, but III
news OF his boys. His distress can bette
be imagined than described. His vile
Spanish woman, died under the agony
of suspense. All that was left to hiH
WAS one daughter, AnnUnciata, chill,
OF twelve years. He sent east and ives
for his lost children, but no tidings cam,
of them.
zone other friend he had, who shareC
his watchings and his sorrows. This wa
the good Father Pedro, the CathoIi
priest, who spent his life in the humpI
but unwearying care of his church an,
his people, and whe dearly loved tn
: wife OF Vickars, one of his most devou
: children. He was one day sitting at
: window which commanded the sea, talk
! ing to the afflicted father, and offering t
90 himself IN Search OF the lost DOV-
. when in the extreme distance he descrie
/. q sail. A ship!' A ship.' Hor
1. anxiously was she watched How il
/ teDtly they had scanned every sail 10
: months! How they sat with s1spende
t breath till she came nearer
, SAT length, after many weary hour
; the ship reached the dock. On her dec
E stood one boy. Only one. Yes, it ws
: ! he: il was William
a Even in this hour of inexpressib
e emotion arose the cry, Where Is th
e brother?'
!. " William told, with many tears ar
sighs, story of great length and gres
interest. They had escaped to Madeira
4 thence had started for home had bee
d taken against their will TO Lisbon ha
e been inhospitsbly put ashore, as the
u money was gone; had Teireated into tt
d interior; Joined a party OF robbers,
: been taken up by them, and Phiii
= having offended the chief, had been mu
!. dered, or at least was dragged insensib
d from his brothers sight, and William
e tied and wounded, was carried in anoth
direction by the robber troop.
r Escaping st last. he reached the sci
= found a ship bound for the West Indie
The captain, more hespitable than Il
3 last. took him on board and restored hi
e to mis- father.
: HOtd Father Pedro was an attepti-