News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1889-01-10

| it is lonely at times, I'm really very hap
py and l wouldn't change places with
any woman. l am an English woman
and 1 was born near London. My father
was civil engineer in good circumstan-
ces, and with a twin sister l had every
possible advantage of education. My
mother died when was about fifteen,
and as we had no near relatives we were
much with our father. We were near
enough to London to run in at evenings
to the theatres and the opera, we had a
pleasant society of our own, we read
much, sang AMI played good deal, and
rode continually. Ten years ago las.
autumn my father met with sudden
business reverses. He was offered re
| munerative post in California and de-
| cide1 to go there. A ship belonging to
| a friend OF his was just about to sail for
the Isthmus, we were offered passage on
her at low rate, and in three days time
found ourselves at sea. | needn't tell
You of the voyage. 1t was all new and
strange to us, of course, and we two girls
were the pets of the ship. l saw with
relief my father, who had broken much
under his losses, improve in health, and
spirits, and as we neared the tropics, the
glowing sunset skies were emblematic
of our hopes of life in the new
world. We had been out some
thirty days when, one afternoon,
as the sun set in a dark bank of clouds
and the air was close ami sultry, L
noticed the Captain looked anxious and
heard him say something about the
Bahama reefs to the mate. That
night hurricane struck US and for two
hours we were in what seemed dull,
gray cavern of water and sky. The ship
plunged madly before the gale, and
with our father we sat in the cabin,
cIasped in each others arms. The
morning broke scarce less dark than the
night. Su ldenly the wind shifted and
the ship righted and seemed to stand
quivering like an over-driven horse. A
few minutes passed when, with wild
roar the storm was on us once more, and
we drove madly in another direction.
There was a sudden crash, my father
sprang, half dragging us towards the
cOmpaniOn-way; | saw a huge wall of
water rolling down upon us-it fell and
all grew dark. / remember q sensation
of sinking, of being whir ed around,
dull, booming noise in my ears, and |
opened my eyes to find myself lying on
down ON me, while third and younger
one kneeling beside me, was chatting my
hands. Frightened, but too weak to
scream, l feebly sail Where am IT,
'On Watlings Island, Miss, said the
young man. yes said one of the older
men, and a narrow squeak you had for
it, too. Ii 1 hadn't thought it was
mighty queer seaweed washing in over
1Y,'+ +o1ly
ing now. Where's my father? said.
What they wanted to run such a ship on
yon reef in a hurricane, that didn't
leave an inch of her for us poor
been put ashore beautiful in a smooth
sea, l can't make ont. 'Hush!' said the
younger man. can't you see how weak
she is" Then l tainted.
Il woke to find myself on q rude cot
in small cottage, tended by a negress
who only spoke Spanish patois. The
wrcckers, for such they were, had car
ried me there. The sun was shining
brightly and the storm was over. Days
passed, and when l could go about I
learned that / had been the only one
saved of the entire barque's crew. The
wave that had engulfed her and drowned
all but myself had washed me over the
coral reef on which the barque had
struck. The wreckers on the shore had
seen me, and daring the waves, high
even between the reef and the shore,
had rowed out and rescued me just as [
WAS sinking. Utterly crushed as | was,
did not at first realize my position. |
was told / could go to Nassau on
schooner in about month, but felt no
inclination to do ought but to stay
where fate had thrown me. The young
wrecker was very kind to me. Every
day he patrolled the beach in search of
the bodies of my father and sister. At
last one day they came ashore. He told
me of it, but said / mustn't see them. [
wondered then why, but learned after
wards that the sharks had mutilated
them. They wore buried in a little
lonely cemetery, and the next year,
when theBishop of Nassau came in
his yacht on his annual visitation,
he read the burial service over
them. Meanwhile [ grew well and
strong in the soft, warm mir and under
the tropic skies. / learned to like the
half wild life, and the few white people
and all the negroes half worshiped me.
One day a schooner brought some papers
aud l read our barque had been given
up as lost, and my name was among
those drowned. These papers recalled
me to myself and l determined l would
go to NASSAU, and, if / could, thence to
England. / told the young wrecker,
who had become my firm friend and
companion, and whom / had taught to
read, of my decision. 'Well, Miss he
said, IF You feel it is so, [ suppose
you're right, but | hate to think of los
ing you This and his evident sorrow
touched me and made me think whether
in the world to which was ret urning I
would find such simple, loyal devotion
as had here been mine. When the day
came for my departure all the inhabit-
ants turned out to bid me farewell.
A queen could not have had a more
loyal leave taking than the English
Miss as they called me. The young
wrecker went with me. He said he had
business in Nassau. That night-a
night so soft and sweet it seemed as if
storms had never bfooded there, the
Southern Cross blazing low on the hori-
Zon-the wrecker came to where | sat
on the deck of the little schooner
Miss, he said, I'm nothing
but "Conch." a poor, ignorant BAHIA
ma native, but can't bear to have you
go away. We all love you, and 1
more than all. I must tell you.
You know our life is poor and rude,
that we're fnr away from the world, but
if you won't blame me for even daring
TO hope, Miss, you know L have the
handsomest schooner of the Watlings
fleet and the best cottage on the island,
Pm sure I'd do my best to make you
forget your troubles, Miss, and the
sponge fishing is better, Miss, and
there's good many wrecks yet, Miss
and love you, Miss. "
Here she stopped, checked herself, and
blushed rosy red.
"Of course you spoke kindly to him."
[ said, "and told him you we're sorry,
but he mustn't speak again that wayl
"Of course 1 didn't you're like all
men. What's the name of this schooner"
"Lillian," replied wonderingly.
"Well that's my name and here, as
n tall, broad shoulder9d, roughly
dressed young man appeared on the
wharf, bunch of roses in his hand, and
eyed me curiously," here's my wrecker,
and his name is John"
Conu