The herald., 1897-02-21

ldutoiilllne tnat tney WlSneu nSr TO ac-
company them. she was at once ready.
Her possessions were packed into the
baskets, which the men carried, she
taking burning brand from the fire
and following the rest to tho shore.
Without hesitation she stepped into the
boat and then into the schooner.
Brown, wishing to save ler dress Of
birdskin, made her a petticoat of n
piece of canvas. gave her a mans cot
ton shirt. and colorcd neck cloth. Dur
ing Browns dressmaking efforts she OBJ
served him closely. and was amused al
the way lie operated his needle. Then
she showed him how she first punched
the holes with the bone needle and then
drew the thread through them. Real
iZing, however. that Browns method
was spee6ier, she expressed the wish to
sew in like manner. whereupon he gave
her his needle. instructing her how to
thread Her first efforts were very
clumsy While sewing she told various
episodes from her lonely life on the is
land, as well as she coud without the aid
of speech. The poor lone woman had
from time to time seen vessels sailing by,
had hoped and prayed they would come
and take her with them, then when she
saw them disappear in the far distance
she had despaired and thrown herself
on the ground screaming in the agony OF
her abandonment. but in time had be-
come more resigned. On a few Coco
in her fear she had always hid away
until they were gone, though then she
was sorry. If Brown had not surprised
her, it would have been the same way
but now shc was glad to set back to her
tribe that had gone away With the white
people. Crossing her arms on her breast
and sucking her thumb, with Il sad lcok
in her eyes and a pathetic hush move
ment Of her arms, she gave them to un
derstand that she had baby at that
time, but when she swan TO the shore
after leaping from the vessel she could
not find il, seek it where she would. For
days she had lain on the ground, weep
ing and wallng in her hopeless grief.
Her food eli this time was few leaves
of a wild species OF cabbage that grew
there. When more composed. she had
managed by rubbing pointed stick
along narrow rut in a fiat piece of
wood. after many unsuccessful at
tempts to start a fire, which che was
most careful to keep alive. On all her
tramps she had always taken burning
brand with her. and had never failed to
cover the fire in her hut with ashes. She
had lived on fish. sealfat. shell-meat
and roots. The birds. the skins of
which furnished her the material for
her dress. she had caught at night in
the crevices of the rocks. Her principal
dwelling place was q roomy cave at the
northern end of the island. but she also
had at different places built enclosures,
where she spent the night secure from
storms and wild beasts. At these places
she had provided supply of dried meat,
hung on poles beyond the reach of the
wild dogs.
During the voyage home a severe
storm came up. The woman signihed
that she wished to calm the inclement
weather Turning her face to windward
she mumbled some words, and her JOY.
when the sky cleared. demonstrated that
she ascribed II to the power of her
charm. Just as the schooner dropped an
chor in Santa Barbara, wagon drawn
by a team of oxen rolled by. sight
that quite frightened the poor woman.
On the other hand horse and rider
were a source of delight to her. She af-
fectionately stroked the horse, and pro-
oaeded to satisfy herself that the rider
was not grown to the horse. Beckon-
ing to her late shipmates, she described
to them the wonderful spectacle. en-
0eavoring to illustrate it by placing two
fingers of her right hand over the thumb
Of her left, and giving to them swing
ing motion. Captain Nidiver's residence
was the center of attraction for the
many curious and interested people who
wished to see the stranger reclaimed
from the dead. Even two speculative
showmen proposed to the captain to
lease the woman to them in order to
exhibit her.in San Francisco. But Cap
tain Nidiver was too honorable to wish
10 profit through the misfortune OF his
guest. and refused all offers.
A remarkable affection the poor wo-
man manifested for Nidivers children.
She caressed and played with them for
hours. Occasionally visitors gave her
small presents, which, the instant the
givers were gone, she distributed among
the children. laughing and supremely
happy if they were only pleased.
Through the efforts of the fathers Of
Santa Barbara numbers Of Indians were
brought from different missions, with
the hope that there might be one among
them that could understand her Ian
guage; but this hope was in vain. The
Inhabitants of San Nicolas, brought
over eighteen years before. had been
sent to numerous missions, and not
trace of one could now be found. The
poor, helpless woman. lonelier than ever
among friends, was sorely disappointed
and heartbroken when she realized that
none of her tribe were left.
The change of living also affected her
health seriously, and in few months
she was so weak that she was unable
to walk without assistance. Every day
she was carried in chair in front of the
door. where. sitting in the warm sun,
she scanned every passerby closely, as
if expecting to see friend. Nothing
was spared for her comfort Even seal
fat was obtained and prepared in the
ashes as she had done, thinking the ac-
customed food might DO her good She
feebly showed her gratitude, but could
not eat it. One day she fell unconscious
from her chair. and although she re-
Vived, it was beyond a doubt that her
last hour was approaching. The good
Madam Nidiver hastily sent for priest,
that her protege might be baptized. In
her dying hour, with the dull gray of
death mantling her sunken cheek this
first ceremony was sadly performed.
Juana Maria, as she was called, need
ed not this passport for the kingdom
Of heaven, for the keen anguish and
endless sorrow of desolation this poor,
suffering exile endured in her unwilling
hanishment surely purged her of all
sin. Underneath a plain, simple mound
in the graveyard at Santa Barbara in
eternl rest sleeps the lst of her race in
peace. OLIVER PAUL.
Snobbery In the Church
Though the snobbish church be the
exception and not the rule. its influence
goes far to create and sustain the feel
ing that only the well-to-do are wanted
in hand eor1e wpIl- -eity9ted places OF W0r-