The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1878-04-26
Select Story.
THE MAN IN ARMOR.
AN INTERESTING SKETCH OF LIFE IN THE
WEST INDIES.

eve as night in the tropics. The suddenness
of nightfall; the instantaneous beaming
forth of those wondrous stais, go apparently
near the feeling that earth and moon and
stars are floating together in lambent ether
all is new, wonderful and beautiful.
Such were my delicious emotions as l
arrived after wearisome voyage, in the
harbor of st. Thomas, West Indies.
The town, with its many lights, always
welcome sight to the traveller; the hilltop
crowned with the Buccaneer's tower the
light graceful boats of negroes crowding
round the shpstheir songs in the melancholy
minor key the warm and tranquil atmos'
phere, altogether carried me away into the
land of reverie and dreams, and pleasant
lapguor and indistinctness took possession
of me.
sAn enchanting picture said voice be
behind me. 1t was my friend, the silen
Englishman, as we called him on board.
You are familiar with this part OF tn
world p suggested.
Yes; there are romantic places. l hay
an estate on one of them. i come down
see it now and then. They give the estat
, very queer names Diamond and Ruby'
one of them, Prosperity Mary's Hope
etc. Mine is called the Man in Armor.'
, sAh then yours has the queerest nan
yet
, Yes, and the queerest story-a story
crime, of misfortune, of retribution
: melodramatic story, for West Indian life
all melodrama.'
{ In the hustle of landing lost my irie
= and forgot him, his estate and his story.
til the next evening l met him pacing I
e piazza of the hotel and smoking his Gig
:, We ioined company and smoked togeth
. lazily watching the negresses poising tn
&c burdens on the head, and walking un'
/ them with the majesty of dark Cleopatr
r chanting as they walked their wild, melt
" choly songs.
es BY the way l remarked, you spoke
" " your estate last night, and its history as
:, we're no secret. Might a stranger ask
er hear it, or is it of a private nature|
ss oh by no means. Everybody knows
)" In its own island it is the favorite after {
ner topic and if you will take passage v
me on the little schooner, which to-mor
night will take me over to the neighbol
ols ons island, will tell it to you by the witct
light of these stars
accepted with alacrity. The next n
HIN (for they do everything in the night in
West Indies) we embarked on a very C
little schooner; and almost repented, v
| saw our crew, that a foolish idea to
ios a story had caused me to intrust myself
captain who seemed descended from
- African Hecuba, and whose assistants
s. as black and weird as himself. How
their my friend seemed satisfied, and ! tri
'l e'- be.
you know my friend began, that
planters generally send their sons to EN-
6eRRnSS' or the United States to be educated, an
q dis have probably some West Indian b
end Is your memory who was the brigard, tn
III mr. perado of your class at school, Two
- of the true type of ungoyerned tro
Y. left this island we are now approa
many years ago for England. The,
placed at school, and were endured
sake of their money, which was suppo
public he inexhaustible. Philip, the eldes
somewhat amepsble to law and order
II, time but William, the youngest,
Street street authority at defiance, and at length,
ehs Q most 81 of passion, stabbed one of the boys.
IN Iois CASH 4 Before the yourg murderer co
caught he and his brother had efe
escaped, and the only trace of them
lbllc pat a neighboring seaport, where they We
posed to have embarked for home,