The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-04-22

Water Series White Conquerors,' -
''Fur-Seals TOOTH etc.
A milk white beach of coral sand,
on which were strcwn thousands of
exquisite shells and strange sponge
forms. In front the d-ncing blue
waters of a southern sea stretched
away into infinite space and ruffled in
10 flashing white caps by the strong
breath of the trade wind. Back Of the
beach stood a dense grove of cocoanut
palms. starteliest and most graceful OF
trees. The myriad slender tips of their
huge leaves rustled in the warm wind
like the sharp patter Of rain drops in
heavy shower. Down where the white
trunks shot, tall and slender. to the
dim arches of the living roof, all was
in dark cool shadow, flecked, now and
then, by dancing points of golden sun
light Mingled with the salt breath
of the sea was a faint otOr from
spathes of corn-colored blossoms high
up among the leaf crowns. Beneath
these hung clusters of fruit in all
stages of development from the size OF
a marble to that of foot ball. ON
the ground lay scores of the great,
brown. ripened cocoanuts, of so little
value in that tropic land that no one
CdltQ ~ BlIh l4lNlll up 1AACS w.
protected by tough three-cornered
husks so thick as to more than double
their actual size.
On one OF them, turned on end, sat a
boy wearing a broad-brimmed, high
crowned hat Of palmetto braid. He was
clad in a white cotton shirt, and brown
linen trousers turned up at the bottom.
His feet were bare, and his legs, hands
and face We're brown as an Indians.
He presented a.. ideal picture of youth
full strength, and that perfect health
only to be acquired through out-of-door
sunshine.
His face generally bright and happy
was clouded as he sat. with elbows on
his knees. resting his chin in his hands,
and gazing out over the giinting
waters. The object on which his eyes
We're fixed was d small schooner moored
a hundred yards from shore. She was
not more than thirty feet over al in
length, but was broad of beam, and
solidly built.
The month was March and the beach
was that of one OF those low cut fertile
Florida keys that form the southern
most limit Of United States territory.
The boy was John Albury, commonly
called Crit to distinguish him from
the many other John Alburys of that
region.
The schooner was the Polyanthus,
formerly owned by Grit's father who
had been lost at sea the autumn before
in a boat belonging to neighbor
For many years, while he was wild
over. Mr. Albury had only occupied
his home on the key at long intervals,
spending most of his time with his boy
and girl. Grit and Matey. on board the
Polyanthus. wrecking, sponging, fish
ing. while waiting for his cocoanut
grove to come into bearing and, as he
finally hoped, yield him an income.
This life proved a very happy one for
all three, and 1t was a sad day for the
children when it was ended by the APP
pearance of a step-mother, who COM
ing from inland on the mainland, had
no knowledge of, nor love for, boats on
me water. She was not unkind but she
instituted a new order of things strong
ly resented by the sailor boy and girl.
Mr.. Albury was persuaded to clear lana
and put in a crop. Grit Weedad toma-
toes and hated them. Matey was made
to sew and do Ouseworh-while both
children were taught to read and write.
Now they had very little of the sail
Ing that they so dearly loved, and for.
which they longed; for Mrs. Albury
could see no good in boats. She even
advised her husband TO sell the dear
old Polyanthus, and ship his crops by
the regular Key West trading schooner;
but this, to GritS great satisfaction.
he steadily refused TO do, though he
so far yielded to his wife's prejudices
as TO spend most of his time on shore
while the Polly swung idly at her
moorings.
When the father was lost at sea in
THE dreadful hurricane that nearly
swept away their home as well, Mrs.
Albury's aversion TO boats became so
bitter that she declared she would sell
the Polpanthus to the first person who
would offer 500 for her.
mot bay,f ooa b11ufI-a1 dollars is
a ridiculous price for a. fine boat like
The Polly" urged Grit. She can make
that ir a single month
she never has since / have known
anything about her. replied Mrs. Al
bury
No. for she hasn't had a chance.
You just let me take her and I'll show
you how much she can make
And get drowned like your poor IA
ther, and leave only me and Matey to
tend the crop. No, indeed, sir! you
are too valuable to waste that way.
need YOU ashore, and so do the toma-
toes. They'd bring in more money than
any boat that ever was built, you see
if they don't ! shouldn't be a mite
surprised if we made all of two hun
dred dollars off the crop this year. and
twice that much after we get all the
land cleared and planted"
But boats make as much as that
mother, and more too. Why at a
wreck"
"NonsenseI there aren't any wrecks
nowadays, and if there were, what could
a boy like you do at one? No, sir, you
stick to tomatoes. They're safe and
sure, and I'll put temptation out of
your way by selling that boat first
chance 1 get. You'll thank me for it
in the end, see if you DON'T
Now the fatal day had nearly ar
rived a man in Key West had sent
word that he was coming to look at
the Polyanthus, and would probably
buy her if she proved as represented
He might appear at any moment, and
that was the reason why Crit Albury
sat gazing sadly at the dear boat on
that glorious March afternoon, instead
of gathering the last of the tomato
crop that was expected to realize two
hundred dollars.
As the boy slowly rose TO return to
his work there came a sound of flying
feet, and Matey's voice was heard, CALI
ing in joyous tones:
Grit Oh Grit mother wants YOU to
catch her mess Of fish and says 1
can so with you"
Tie lad only answered "All right.
sister, come along" but a Sudden. reso-
luton, that he did not put into words.
flashed into his mind. Two minutes
later a single skillful throw of a cast
net into the school of sariines. ALWAYS
swarming alongshore, had provided a
suficiency of bait and a light skiff
was dancing merrily out over the blue
waters.
why, Grit Where are you goinr?'
demanded Matey, as the skiff was
headed directly for the Polyanthus.
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