Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1889-01-16

:" 3 ID WIN three ragged
children, negro or two and
narbaps a sallow-fa faced scrawny white
man. iounging on their decks or chew.
ina sugar cane, came to one, cleaner
looking than the rest, on which there
we're no signs of life. She was built as
ore all the Bahama schooners, with fine
clipper bows, rounded stern and small
masts and spars. She was neatly paint
d. and on her stern were the words
Gillian, with her home port, "Wat-
lpps Island" As l stood looking at
her, suddenly young woman came up
the companion way and said, "Good
dsy" "Good day, l answered. "You've
come some distance, have you not?"
ayes" she replied, 'from the furthest
Of the out islands l suppose you're
from New York;" To my affirmative
reply, she to my surprise said, "and
how was Irvings Faust? l should so
dearly love to see Ellen Terry as Mar
geIitg.'
SlitSf moments pause, during which
time vainly sought to fathom in my
mind how a woman on Bahama island
schooner could have followed New York
theatrical matters SO closely, / gave her
nv unbiased opinion of the matter. She
was then silent and / meanwhile had IN
opportunity to study this Bahama
curiosity. She was about twenty-six
years old and was neatly dressed in an
inexpensive light material. Her lux
ursnt hair, of dark brown color, was
hsteiully arranged, and she wore
kce-brimmed, but not unbeooming,
straw hat, which had evidently seen bet
ter days. Although much burned, l
could see her skin was fair and her
hands delicately formed. Her expires
sion was one Of demure sadness, and
after my study / came TO the conclu-
sion that she was more than an ordinari-
" handsome woman. / decided to ling
er and continue the conversation. "May
/ come aboard Z" / ventured to say.
Certainly" was the reply, "John's
gone out to the steamer and I'm keeping
watch for him. / should be glad
10 have you tell me something of
the news. We get little except when
We come to Nassau" "Who is John 2"
Wondered, and how much news can
people get who only RELY on Nassau for
tt | stepped on board, and my fair
hostess excnsing herself for moment,
stepped down into the cabin and re-
turned moment nfter, with two small
chairs, which she placed under q small
awning, which shaded half the cockpit.
She motioned for me to be seated, and
lobeyed. There was silence for a mo-
nent after we sat down and then my
hostess said, speaking very slowly and
With evident effort, You must not
think it very strange that l spoke to
you and have allowed you TO talk to me,
but saw you were gentleman, and |
dogow SO lonely and so anxious to see
and talk with some one from the great
world now and then. The ladies up at
ne hotel, if go up there, do not
Know, and | suppose / seem queer to
them, for they look askance at me, and
haven't the courage to speak to them.
!sohn is always so busy when we're
lefe, and besides John doesn't seem
care for anything but sponges
Nd salt and wrecks" "Sponges
Nd sat and wrecks" / asked myself.
Mha manner of man may John bel"
les continued my hostess, "Tt's very
hley on Watkins, You see there are
gay 6l5 people on the whole island,
Asa Of these only about 500 are white,
vale don't suppose there are forty /
NOV, We're $50 miles from Nassau,
na although l am always teasing John
@onng me over here, he won't come
Vu Three times year unless there's a
Week "a wreckl /" | asked. eyes"
we went on nonchalantly, 1--WE don't
nave much luck nowadays. We haven't
hsd a good wreck since the big Span
IA steamer went on Eleuthera three
!easago. The situation dawned up
u ne. My fair friend was the wife,
ulshier or sister of Bahama wreck
sa-perhaps pirate. Somehow, in my
slfIof at the discovery, / was dimly
1nsclous Of hope that she was the
@lgater or sister of the aforesaid
Ne'ker. whats the matter? You
ssn disturbed" abe said. / muir
, .sei something about wreeking being
peasant occupation.
Vh, see, " and she laughed, and
sSSlaeriully musical laugh it was too.
loq are shocked at Johns being
selsef. Why, you wreck railroads in
= North, don't Won. and sometimes
s1As, I've heard ? John doesn't really
eelA ships. He merely helps to strip
Zen when they are wrecked aud gets
= I snare for the cargo he saves.
leu relieved, but dire memories of
SS..aaood tales of false lights and muir
az crews, somehow connected with
- - Islands, would come in my mind,
-, ~ me ,i sky looked less blue, the sur
v-1aing water less clear and-yes,
\ ~ not mistaken. bird in a tree near
"a ceased to sing. determined to
Issked. - anu !" ~ - 'Onu'
,,,iAh, John is the dearest. sweetest
s sr.'esi fellow living-that's John. I'm
ne you'd like him"
a, ~ r'ed another tack "Were Won born
= as,lincsi'
NJ, dear; no. was wrecked there.
B,:Sh II romantic to be wrecked on
I~5,,a,d Columbus first landed on Z"
'''y remarked that I thought and