The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1891-08-22

WAITING. FOR SICCOR
After years and years gold was found
in California and ships began to sail by
in great numbers. One ship after an
other reported seeing IA lone figure like
hat of human being standing on Il
little pyramid of heaped up stones and
looking out after the ship till lost To
sight.
Finally inquiry in and around San
Francisco o revived the story about the
many years on the island and the cir
as ! have set them down,
so far aS the facts We're known at Santa
Barbara.
But everybody was busy getting gold.
We had no lighthouse or government
stations then aS now. Our acquisition
of the vast seaShOre out here was new.
We had not yet explored or set foot on
the half of our possessions. And so
time still swept on and the lone woman
was still left with her wild dogs in the
drsoate little island off the SaubriouS
harbor of Santa Barbara.
And now one of the great steamers
carrying gold and passengers, the
General Scott, was wrecked on II still
smaller island not far off
The wreckers and others saw the
woman not infrequently now. And
the story went about that the little
pyramid of rocks was gradually grow
ing higher and the lone and desoate
figure that mounted il taller and taller
rs time went by.
Finally the American spirit could
endure this idea of lone and endless
captivity no longer. Two men from
Boston and some others from know
not where hired small ship and sailed
straight tor the relief of the poor desc
late prisoner. She stood high and lone
on the heap of stones and waited for
their coming.
And what could have been her
thoughts? Would they, too, pass on
and away to the left and to the right
as a thousand other ships had passed ?
Would they come to her? Could they
come? And what if they should come ?
Would they devOur her; as the wild
dogs that gathered about her were
waiting to deyour her? Landing with
out trouble, for the ocean here is still
and rcstful rs Il rule, they walked away
over the sea birds eggs and through
the swarms of seals straight up towards
the feather clad figure on the high heap
of stones. II did not attempt /" run
away.
HER PITIABLE PLIGHT.
And here is the grimmest and most
pathetic part of il all: she could not
run away without danger of being de,
voured by the horde of wild dogs that
literally sat in circle around her,
waiting, watching for her to como
down.
She had been years building hcl
little fortress, and she had been years
building il with all the care and skill
of a trained engineer. Here was 4;
stone house for her provisions: there :
cell for water, and here one worn ant
crooked pass where she could possibly
beat back the dogs with her club II,
long as she had strength. But whel
strength failed her? She had not beer
unmindful of failing strength in tn,
end, however, and SO had built II little
tower on top, where she could ut the
last lie down and die.
One of the rescuing party told IN,
that she surely could have held out bu
Il little time longer.
Strange as il may seem she laughc,
at the pity offered her. She would no
come down to them, but when the,
came up into her little retreat sh'
laughed outright and hid her face il
her rich robe of feathers In fact. n
this same man told me, she laughed
almost continually, perhaps the poo
creatures only form of expression
For, of course, she could not under
stand one word that any one spoke t.
her. And one of the interesting thing
about it all is when they got her t.
Santa Barbara not one of her tribe wa
left alive to talk with her.
DIR. Brinkerhoff, who was then tn
principal citizen in Santa Barbara ant
whose widow is still there to verify al
that has been said, told me that h
took her from the boat himself whel
the party got back from the islam,
: with her and that she began to laug
as soon as he took hold of her hand t.
help her ashore. And he further toll
me that rs he walked up town with he
toward his house they met man III h
street on horseback, and that on tn
sight of this man on horseback she sa
. right Hat down in the dust and laughe
and laughed as if she could never Sto
laughing.
BARNI'M WANTED HER.
of course the strange story and TIL
news of the rescuing from the islam
soon spread all over the world. Bal