Iuka reporter. (Iuka, Miss.) 1888-1894, 1892-05-12
A LITTLE EDEN.
An Americans Odd and Prosperous Lit
tie Kingdom.

| plcuUJ Ou one Oh UDe Isles. Inefe
guano tlour1shes in untold quanti-
ties; there are cocoanuts plentiful
enough for armies Of apes to play
base ball with, and the natives are
absolutely friendly with one another,
knowing not the hideous war club.
The little Eden referred to is known
on every navigators chart of the Pa
cific as Sophia Island, and the mod
ern Adam who holds sway in it is a
former San franciscan named J. II.
Morse. He is rex, chief, lord, or
whatever other title has passed to
him with the island.
The isle is his by purchase and the
royal title, like many Others, was OBJ
tanned for money. When he bought
the island King Morse discovered it
to be absolutely bald. There were no
people, no trees, no houses. But to
the mind ambitious to do the think
Ing for small nation the objections
were very small ones, and within the
probability of removal
So King Morse caused hair to grow
on the bald pate OF his kingdom, and
to-day he yields his scepter of au-
| thority over quite community of
dusky subjects with the ease and as
surance OF an expert club-swinger.
A schooner recently arrived here
from trading voyage to the South
Seas, and from her commander, Capt.
Molstad, quite an interesting account
| OF the white chief and his black
Kingdom was received.
The location of Sophia Island is
considerably farther south than
either the Caroline or Gilbert group,
and the nautical position is in lati-
tude 10 deg. 40 min. south, longitude
l79 deg. 32 min. east.
At one time it was peopled by quite
a colony of natives, who were ruled
by one of their tribe. The encroach-
ments of the whites, however thinned
them out, and number of years ago
the Disguised native chief went into
solvency for the benefit of his credit
ors--principally, however, for the
benefit of himself. He disposed of
the kingdom to some unknown per.
son and his subjects snapped land.
lords The new owner did not prove
a pronounced success as a ruler, and
this time his secondhand subjects
became disguised, and, taking to
their canoes, padded away from So.
phia to some friendly port In the
Gilbert group where they could be
well fed and well ruled at the same
| time.
Having nobody to rule and feeling
the weight and worthlessness of his
ocean estate the boycotted owner
looked about for good "buy."
1t thus occurred that j. III. Morse
happened along in trading schooner
one day and stopped at Sophia. After
u good deal of bartering the tract
changed hands a third time and fell
into the possession of Mr.. Morse in
consideration of the sum of So, 900.
With a laudable view of producing
a new and novel type of race to dis
tinguish his inland kingdom from its
many neighboring rivals, Mr.. Morse
induced medley of whites, half,
breeds, Samoans, and Gilbert Island
ers to take up their habitations in his
colony, himself officiating from time
to time as king, sheriff, clergyman
and employer.
The barren spots in the Island were
covered with growth of banana anC
cocOanut trees in great abundance
and the Island has been subdivideC
into homesteads and plantations
Houses were built and are still being
erected. The Island is rich in guan(
beds, which form one of the chic
profits of its commerce with trading
vessels.
King Morse governs his small EN-
pre- with gentleness. He carries hi
code Of laws in his mind, and does al
the planning, ordering and execut
ing. He does not fear a revolution 0
a German protectorate, for he own
every foot of his territory. He is OF
the best of diplomatic terms with tn
chiefs of Bularlari, Tapdteweal an,
other islands Of note, and is general
regarded as power in South Sc
politics.
Mr.. Morse. who is well known i
uulS Guy, lS COlnpdi doifCiy yum
man, and has for years been engage
in trading in the South Pacific. II
is perfectly contented with his 10
and manifests no desire to mix agai
in the hurry burly of the San Fran
cisco world.
Capt Molstad, who put into Sophi
Island to avoid dangerous gales, 0
his way to this port, states that tn
little Eden is increasing its prosper
ity. The crops are good and the II
sources of the place are great consh
erlng its size and population. -Sa
Francisco Chronicle.
edce Waxem's Political Philosophy.
When deleeted candidate
shakin' hands with the sucksesfuLon'
faint no sine he amt cussln' to hin
self.
Politikle partys air like boys
good thrashin' now an then is powe
full improvin'.
{ The man that gets an offs wlthol
i hustlin' for it is naxident.
= Toomutch money in politicks MAKE
lem smell bad.