The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-12-19
p COoOanUt QU80r.
A Christmas Caprice.
Ry W. E. CHRISTIAN.

"a man overboard! shoute" IN -
&c crew of the little Sloop l5uaH',' ~ ~ -
was making her trip from &C. '',,e,>
nin:o to the port OF San Ju'n' "a ~
Rico. 1 am, an
artist" answered the young man. as IN
- b,orara and dripping on the DECK
=, $40 nos strong swimmer, 1t was
eoually true Tat he coud not NAV
aas7,,i many moments longer.
A.rnss the slimlnering sea could ne
.ean gliding away the lights OF the olS
hIack liner that piled between New AorN
aud Panama. -,
..It was in a second of DESPERATION
aanriuued Iyndhurst, land regretted
a rho next moment after L had leaped
ever the ships side"
That was all the explanation the young
man. even in his dismanted condition,
offered for his present predTcament. But
no had money-that took the place or
any further explanation that might nave
been desired. -.
He gazed for few moments with
buried gaze at the disappearing steamer.
NO; | will not think of her again.
auoth he, to himself. "She loves the
Eutnn-he presses her hand even now,
d-n it, and when my absence from uhe
arowned-and she will marry him-and
.be will he happy-it is better that way
And that last scene between u.s. must
not recall it.
At that moment Kate Bradford sat
Kalf in the shadow on the quarterback
Of the great steamer; beside her, Jose
Gihas. of CastSlian passion and charm.
NE rose suddenly, white-capped with
mge.
sKate," he burst out, ''you cruelty
NE: you love me, you are my own
Kate" Then as quickly his tones melt
A., Forgive mew He took her hand
ek,wingly and would have pressed his
cheek to hers.
Sue drew away. II do not know that
love YOU" she said evenly and firmly.
DO you love himy' The question es-
capped Mechanically, in spite of him
though he knew he was striking false
note.
Il may-I do not know. No; do not
love him. | do not love any man. Let
us say good night. / only know that |
am dazed. Instead of being happy, am
distressed and miserable"
But she was outwardly calm. The
play was going on in her mind as if
his cue. But he had passed mnoticed
from the stage.
The Iguana never reached San Juan.
It was caught in ''the passage" the next
day by gale that swept it back and
into THE caribbean and across that sea.
If there were scenes of horror in the
hold of that little craft, Lyndhurst did
not diynge them. When. after twenty
two days, it was rocking on the coral
reefs that lay in zones about Old Provi-
dence island, st. Andrews and the
countless other islands of that tropical
archipelago, Lyndhurst was lying On
his back down below, helpless, the only
survivor. The boat was naked of all
rigging and masts-a clean hulk.
1t was Christmas day.
It was fully month before Lyndhurst
was able to look about him. He found
himself the one white-skin among semi
savages in appearance, though they
seemed not unkindly in intent. With q
ynde kind of care, and a hardy constitu-
ton, he had somewhat gathered himself
together.
He found that the island was visited
twice a year only, by trading vessel,
which brought provisions enough to last
for the intervening time. In exchange
for these provisions We're given cocoa
nnts--oae only product of the island. /.
But they We're abundant.
Here was something, at least, to inter-
est the artist, though he found willing
and grotesque models for much sketch
work besides. He set to work with sys-
TEN, and made his calculations. What If
/ become a cocoanut king? he half
dreamed. He found it difficult to adapt
himself, but he tried to fall into the
ways of the natives.
I come from the land Of corn and
wine
That was the beginning of a hymn
that was barbarcaly chanted on Church
days, for this much advancement had
been made, after a fashion that was
quite uncivilized, at least. But models
we're plentiful in the place of worship.
1t was literally a study in black and
white. There were nothing but skirts
pure white. misunderstanding was the
great desideratum--so that they stood
forth at greater angle than ballet
skirts-almost as stiff as card board.
Then another style Of adornment con-
sisted of stiffening, with some glutinous
stuff-the hair until it stood straight up,
whereupon it was powdered with flour.
This style Of hair dressing prevailed
among the women, without exception.
But the climate was June all the year
round. So they managed not to catch
cold in the rest of their bodies.
And they had, too, sort Of sense Of
order for aggravated offenses. The pun
ishment consisted of tying the offender
to an immovable log and leaving him
or her there to serve out the sentence.
Lyndhurst did much to straighten out
the church services as well as the penal
statutes of the community, and in time
did all the preaching, law practice, sur
yeying, trading, and other executive
nhoror FOR over GOO subjects For the