The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-07-17
THEBEACHOF FALESA
Narrative OF South Sea rrsdsr.
BIZ sosEKr LOUIS STEVENSON.
Copyright, 1877, By Robert Louis Stevenson.
CHAPTER III.-Continrsd.
rrr HrgGfHxApY

THE NfssIosARY-
So we ran him up bit of q
meal. / was bound to let the old lady
have hand in il, 10 show Off; 80 l depu-
tised her TO brew the tea. don't think
ever met such tea as she turned out. But
that was not the worst. for she got round
with the salt box, which she considered an
extra European touch, and turned my
stew into sea-water. Altogether, Mr.. Tar
Teton had devil of dinner of It: but he
had plenty entertainment by the way, for
all the while that we were cooking, and
afterwards, when he was making believe
TO eat, kept posting him up on Master
Case and the beach of Falesa, and he put
ting questions that showed he was follow
ing close.
well, >" said he at last, 81 am afraid you
have a dangerous enemy. This man Case
Is very clever and seems really wicked.
must tell you have had my eye on him
for nearly year. and have rather had the
worst Of our encounters. About the time
when the last representative Of your firm
ran SO suddenly away, I had letter from
Manu-, the native pastor. begging me 10
come to Falesa az my earliest convenience,
as his flock were all adopting Catholic
practices / had great confidence in
Manu-; I fear it only shows how
easily we are deceived. No one could
hear him preach and not be persuaded
he was man Of extraordinary parts. Ali
our islanders easily acquire kind OF
eIoquence, and can roll out and illustrate
with a great deal of vigor and fancy
secondhand sermons; but Namu's
sermons are his own, and / cannot
deny that have found them means Of
grace. Moreover, he has a keen curiosity
in secular things, does not fear work, is
clever at carpentering. and has made him.
self so much respected among the neighbor-
ing pastors that We call him, in jest
which is half serious, the Bishop of the
East. In short. | was proud of the man;
all the more puzzled by his letter, and
took an occasion TO come this
way. the morning before my arrival
Figours had been sent on board the Lion,
and Manu- was perfectly at his ease, ap-
parently ashamed of his letter, and quite
unwilling 10 explain II. This. of course, l
could not allow. and he ended by confess
ing that he had been much concerned TO
find his people using the sign of the cross,
but since he had learned the explanation
his mind was satisfied. For Nigours had the
evil eve. q common thing in country of
Europe called Italy, where men were often
struck dead by that kind of devil, and it
appeared the sign of the cross was a charm
against its power.
land explain it, Misi,' said Manu-,
in this way: The country in Europe is a
popey country, and the devil of the Evil
Eye may be Catholic devil. or, at least.
used TO Catholic ways. So, then, / rea-
soned thus: If this sign of the cross
were used IN a popey manner it would be
sinful, but when 1t IS used only to pro-
tect men from devil, which is thing
harmless IN itself, the sign, too, must be
harmless. For the sign is neither good
nor bad, even as bottle is neither good
nor bad. But If the bottle be iull of gin,
the gin is bad and if the sign be made in
idCiatry bad. so is the idolatry.' And,
very like native pastor, he had text
opposite about the casting out of devils.
And who has been telling you about
the Evil Eyer" l asked.
''He admitted II was Case. Now. am
afraid you will think rae very narrow, Mr..
Wiltshire, but must tell you / was dis
pleased and cannot think trader at all a
good man to advise or have an influence
upon my pastors. And besides there had
been some flying talk in the country of
old Adams and his being poisoned, to
which | had paid no great heed; but it
came back TO me at the moment.
And is this Case a man of q sanctified
life?' asked
"He admitted he was not: for. though
he did not drink. he was profiigate with
women and had no religion.
% Then said l, Il think the less YOU
have TO do with him the better
But IL is not easy TO have the last
word with man like Manu- He was
ready in q moment with an illustration.
'Misi, said he, you have told me there
were wise men, not pastors, not even hoiy
d. T.
about trees. for instance. and beasts, and
TO print books. and about the stones that
are burned to make knives of. Such men
teach you in your college, and you learn
from them, but take care not to learn TO
be unholy. Misi, Case is my college
81 knew not what 10 say. Mr.. Vigours
had evidently been driven out of Falesa
by the Vaccinations of Case and with
something not very unlike the collision
of my pastor. | called to mind it was
Manu- who had treasured me about Adams
and traced the rumor 10 the ill-will OF the
priest. And / saw l must inform myself
more thoroughly from an impartial
source. There is an old rascal of a chief
here. Faiaso. whom daresay you saw to-
day at the council; he has been all his life
turbulent and shy. q great fomenter of
rebellions. and thorn in the side of the
mission and the island. For all that
he is very shrewd. and, except in politics
or about his own misdemeanors, teller of
the truth. went TO his house. told him
what had heard. and besought him 10 be
frank. l do not think ! had ever a more
painful Interview. Perhaps you will I'M
Cerstand me. Mr.. Wiltshire, if | tell Won
that am perfectly Serious in these old
wives tales with which you reproached
me. and As anxious 10 do well for these
Islands as you can be TO please and protect
your pretty wife. And You are 10 re-
member that | thought Mann a para
gon, and was proud of the man
a. one of the first ripe fruits OF
the mission. And now I was informed
that he had fallen IN a sort OF dependence
upon Case. The beginning of It was not
corrupt; 10 began, doubtless. in fear and
respect. produced by trickery and pre-
tense; but | was shocked 10 find that an
other element had been lately added, that
Manu- helped himself in the store, ami was
believed ~ be deep in Cases debt. What
ever the trader said, that Manu- believed
with trembling. He was not alone in this ;
many IN the village lived in SINH
lar suolection; but Namu's case
was she most influential, it was
through Manu- Case had wrought mos,
eyii; and with 8 certain following among
the chiefs. and the pastor in his pocket.
the man was IS good rs master of the
village. IOu know something of Nigours
and Adams. but perhaps Won have never
heard OF old Underhili. Adams predeces-
scr. lie was quiet. mild old fellow. re-
member, and We were told he had died
suddenly; white men die very suddenly
IN Faiess. The truth, IS | now heard II,
made my blood ,un cold. Ii seems
he was struck with general
palsy, all of him dead hut one
eve. which he continually wInked. Word
was started tina, the helpless old man Was
now devil, and this vie fellow Case