Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-09-20
A FAIR COLUMBUS.

1t was steamer day" at Nassau. If
Nassau, like most other civilized places
in the nineteenth century, had telegraph,
or even daily mail communication with
the rest of the world, steamer day"
would not mean so much as it now does
to its inhabitants and visitors
The passengers land. Waiting friends
rush forth to greet some; others walk
through row of curious faces on either
side and up toward the hotel. Small
darkeys rush around and besiege them
with all manner of requests-"C Garry
your bag, Boss?" "Drive for you, Boss?"
"Does you want boy, lady?"
By noon the excitement had mod
Grated and we strolled down to the wharf
and pitched silver coins into the clear
water 80 feet deep, to see small negroes
dive and bring them from the white sand
bottom where they lay clearly visible. I
strolled away from my companions, and
passing several small schooners laden
with sponges, lying along the wharf,
each with two or three ragged children,
a negro or two, and perhaps a sallow
faced scrawny white man, lounging
or chewing sugar cane, came to one,
cleaner looking than the rest. She was
built as are all the Bahama schooners,
with fine clipper bows, a rounded stern,
and small masts and spars She was
neatly painted, and on her stern were
the words Lillian, with her home port,
"Watlings Island" AS stood looking
at her, suddenly young woman ne
up the companion way and said, Good
day. "Good day, answered. "You've
come some distance, have you not?"
"Yes," 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 Irving's Faust? should so dearly
love to see Ellen Terry as Marguerite.
After moments pause, during which
time vainly sought to fathom in my
mind how a woman on a Bahama Island
schooner could have followed New York
Theatrical matters so closely, gave her
my unbiased opinion of the matter. She
was then silent, and meanwhile had an
opportunity to study this Bahama Curl
osity. She was about 26 years old and
was neatly dressed in an inexpensive
light material. Her luxuriant hair, of
a dark brown color, was tastefully ar
ranged, and she wore a large brimmed
but not unbecoming straw hat, which
had evidently seen better days Although
much burned, could see her skin was
fair and her hands delicately formed.
Her expression was one of demure sad
ness, and after my study came to the
conclusion that she was more than an
ordinarily handsome woman. decided
to linger and continue the conversation.
MAY l come aboard?" l ventured to
say. Certainly, was the reply, Johns
gone out to the steamer and Pm keeping
watch for him. should be glad to have
you tell me the news. We get little ex-
cept when we come to Nassau"
"Who is John?" 1 wondered, "and
how much news can people get who only
rely on Nassau for it?"
stepped on board, and my fair host
ess, excusing herself for moment,
stepped down into the cabin and returned
a moment after with two small chairs,
which she placed under small awning
which shaded half the cockpit. She
motioned for me to be seated, and I
obeyed. There was silence for moment
after we sat down, and then my hostess
said, speaking very slowly and with
evident effort, you must think it very
strange that spoke to you and have al
lowed you to talk to me, but l saw you
were gentleman, and l do grow so
al, %~ FOL IL
with some one from the great world now
and then. The ladies up at the hotel,
if I go up there, I do not know, and I
suppose seem queer to them, for they
look askance at me, and I haven't the
courage to speak to them. John is al
ways so busy when we're here, and be-
sides John doesn't seem to care for any
thing but sponges and salt and wrecks.
"Sponges and salt and wrecks" l asked
myself. "What manner of man may
John be?" "Yes, continued my hostess,
"It's very lonely on Watlings You see
there are only 675 people on the whole
island, and of these only about 300 are
white, while don't suppose there are
40 1 know. We're 1870 miles from Nassau,
and although Pm always teasing John
to bring me over here, he won't come but
three times a year, unless there's a
wreck" "a wreck? l asked. "Yes,
she went on, nonchalantly, 1--WE don't
have much luck nowadays. We haven't
had good wreck since the big Spanish
steamer went on Eleuthera three years
ago." The situation dawned. My fair
friend was the wife, daughter, or sister
of Bahama wrecker-perhaps pirate.
whats the matter2 You seemed dis
turbed.