The Dickinson press., 1896-10-24
She was a daughter of the gods;
Divinely tall and most divinely fair.

the trOptc sunlight which Illuminated
licr eyes and the hlue-black splendor of
her abnormally-long and dusky hair.
With radiant smile this divine
creature advanced toward me, and
emhrac cling me ardently, said. in
English: "A1y dear brother. 1 know
you would come for ME at last"
When l had mastered my surprise
and could observe her more closely, l
saw that the light of reason was en-
tirely eXtinguished in this poor Great
ure's brain.
l gathered, however, from her dis
the island, and her demented fancy
made her imagine that was her
brother who had come to take her
away.
She bound up my wounds with some
mysterious unguents and then pointed
out to me cave, the floor of which,
after a short absence, she strewed with
soft, velvct-like moss snd leaves. This
couch proved very grateful to my
wearied limbs.
After fOndly embracing me again,
Brother" she said, II must leave you
now, as Darga is waiting for me, and
he is very jealous" She ran, with in
credible swiftness, up the beach. and
finally disappeared behind the hill.
Who the deuce, thought I, is Darga?
Can it be that this resplendently hand
some yet helpless girl has husband?
After a long, dreamless sleep l
awoke the next morning, feeling in
fnitel yrefreshed. I walked in the di-
erection of the reef.
The Pacific stretched out placidly
toward the horizon, as though no
storm had ever ruffled it's calm sur
face.
In hideous contrast were the bodies
of the drowned among tie rocks.
turned sadly away, when I per-
ceived my mysterious island maiden
lunning toward me. She regarded me
sorrowfully. Dear brother" said she,
"you must make a raft and escape.
There's danger here" Seeing the va
cant look in the poor girls eyes, con-
cluded this must be some phase Of her
madness. "Yes," said !, Il will see
about it at once" ''There is no time
to be lost" she replied. "Harkv'
Then there arose upon the still air
the most awful sound ever heard.
Roar succeeded roar, which was re-
echoed all over the island. Said the
girl, with heightened color, dilating
SJc anu SOueIulAS Nhc tA oppression
of pride in her face, '"rhat is Darga"
Down slight acclivity, about fifty
yards from us, an enormous lion, with
mighty leaps, cane bounding toward
US. Truly royal brute, a tit mate,
thought, for the :wain that in centu-
ries gone hy guarded the throne OF
Solomon. and selected, perhaps by
Providence to protect this poor, un-
fortunate.
Though no coward, the blood forsook
my face at sight of this personification
of brute strength and ferocity.
To my amazement, my mysterious
beauty approached the lion with II
smile. He rose on his hind legs to
meet her, as playful dog or cat might
:, do. To my horror, the girl put her
arms around his bristling name. and
actually fondled and caressed him.
Up to this moment the lion had not
seen me.
Now he ominously lashed the ground
with his tail. knew my danger, YET
I could not stir. He retreated few
steps to give force to his deadly
spring, but as he did SO the girl quick
ly interposed her lovely figure between
me and impending death.
- AsS OStOkAV VI NuS AOA u lAW was
stantly fatal. Ny brave island beant,
was dead.
The lion silently regarded the corps,
for a moment, and then emitted y low
sobbing wall that was almost huma,
in It's expression of sorrow.
Then his manner changed withou
any preliminary warning; he spran;
on me; my breast and arms were ter
rtbly lacerated by his cruel claws
Nerved by desperation. l bit deepl,
into one OF his paws. He roared witt
rage. The blood was pouring from nj
in a dozen places.
l lespairingly murmured. ''Fannie!
Here am, DEAR" said the cheerful
'& voice of my dear little wife.
& was lying In my stater0om and sh
was holding my hands.
You must have no more of tina
nasty opium," said she. "You hav
been saying the most awful things
and fighting the steward, poor fellow
dreadfully. He heard you groan an
came in to help you, when you, ba,
70 boy, tried to bite his finger off,"
rs looked around wildly. 'Where !
the glri?" said I: "and tie liQnT' Z