The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1878-04-26

Meanwhile the father, whom | shall call |
Vickars received from England intelligence
of this transaction, but no news of his boys. |
His distress can be better imagined than de-
scribed. His wife, Spanish woman, died
under the agony of suspense. All that was
left to him was one daughter, Annunciata,
child of ~ years. He sent East and West
for his lost children, but no tidings came of
them.
'One other friend he had, who shared his
watchings and his sorrows. This was the
good Father Pedro, the Catholic priest, who
spent his life in the humble but unwearyng
care of his church and his people, and who
dearly loved the wife of Vickars. one of his
most devout children. He was one day
sitting at window which commanded the sea,
talking to the afflicted father and offering to
go himself in search of the lost boys, when
in the extreme distance he described sail.
"A ship "a ship! How anxiously was she
watched How intently they had scanned
every sail for months How they sat with
suspended breath till she came nearer
AT length, after many weary hours, the
ship reached the dock. On her deck stood
one boy. Only one. Yes, it was he; it was
William.
Even in this hour of inexpressible emo
ton arose the cry. Where is thy broth
er?'
william told, with many tears and sighs,
a story of great length and great interest.
They had escaped to Madeira thence had
started for home had been taken against
their will to lisbon had been inhosppita-
bly, put ashore, as their money was gone
had retreated into the interior joined
party of robbers or been taken up by them,
and Philip, having offended the chief, had
been murdered, or at least was dragged in
sensible from his brothers sight, and Will
liam, tied and wounded, was carried in an
other direction by the robher troop.
Escaping at last, he reached The sea
found a ship bound for the West Indies. The
captain, more hospitable than the last, 'ooA
ther.
odd Father Pedro was an attentive listen
er to this story. He had never liked Wm'
and he thought there were some discrepancies
in this story
you say, my son that the robbers took
you past the Convent of Santa Mara, apou'
three leagues from Lisbon !? said Father
Pedro.
William turned very pale, but that might
be caused by painful recollections'
Yes, good father, said he'
I know that country well, and was borr
= not far from that convent said the old man
musingly. -,
sTbe events in the history of his iamil
had been so shocking that Vickars sank IN
iE to a state of incapacty. Although ma
in the vigor of life two years BEFORE he wa
now sunken and apparently aged.
.His estate was large, and came very muc
,rp '-,.i-~-beJ -
ess proved himself an excellent man of busines
Ing His slaves worked more hours than al
tly gang on the island, and his sugar and cofi
'nd brought high prices. He led life OF
her paralleled license and dissipation, al
seemed to fear neither God nor man. 1t
s L there was one man who made him tremb
the and that was Father Pedro,
AT length it occurred that this che
VS. a should be removed. Father Pedro had To-
top since determined to go to Spain, and to ma
the search for the unfortunate Philip, but ma
ling things detained him. The Catholic prize
molly are very dominant men on these islands,a
nos very important, particularly in the span
the islands, to the government; so he must W
.sant until some successor arrived to take
,sion place. At length, all difficulties be
smoothed away, Father Pedro departed
g be- lently, not communicating the purpose
ilent his Journey to any save one, and this
d. old Santa, an African slave.
f the AN African slave means one brou
from Africa Immediately, having still
,o original brand on the forehead giving by
- SLAYER. OF these the islands of Cuba
o.a.os Porto Rico are full, and wild, fierce
H., i they are. The gives haye not yet ent
LOPEZ the'r souis' anu 'nes I90n - 80,
their untamed eyes
haho odd Santa was the commanding spr
the plantation. She had been very in
ory OF ordinate at first, and Father Pedro ha(
m terfered to save her many cruel puI
liiel ment. She was now old, subdued and
tached to the family, and especially to
friend er Pedro.
y. un- The family estates were three in nun
lg the One lying on the seacost was called
cigar Bay :" another more to the inlan /, was
,ether, ed The Sapphire from its command
2 their view of the blue ocean third, and
under the finest, was called the Man in Ar
patras, from fancifu decoration to the faca
melan- the house--an effigy of a man in full I
living beneath each window-the prop
poke of having paid this tribute to his love OF
as if it re England in her feudal days.
ask to 'Vickars drew nigh to death and p
ed to resign all these possessions. \
now. Il. body gave way the mind came back
ter din. summoning his lawyers, he dictated
ye with lows:
o,orrow Il have three estates and l pray
hboring that may sun nave tuiee ."'''''
,;tcbing fine estate called the Man in Armor,
to my son Philip, if he be living and
it to my son William to keep for hin
:. :, b. ty wears If at the expiration of tina
=, a.o-, he is not heard from, it becomes the
;, ro erty of William. My estate of The
20 haar give to my son William. My estate
.oIf 70 , Sapphire give to my daughter An
49,, ,o ta'
on some And other provisions followed wi
u n'S were not affect this story.
,.;s5 This will was signed by Vickars
presence of his son William, his law
one Mr. Agayo, Spanish gentlem
hat these ovnod N ad;o;n;ng estate and u,
England hv on % ,hen, ala Santa who was
and you The room
n boy in ,poor Annunciata whose voutb h
!, the des- wi,ha,oa nv tho these events. after
Two boys the Ia.t sod offices of resnect n the
tropcals 81 hor s.ther denar,ed nr Fro,or
preaching ro,nt;,,o. H., sho haa no,o, e.