The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-04-25


Remained alive. On the beach. hard by.
purnmeiIed cut Of all recognition on the
3axEed peaks Of submerged coral, lay
white And CHASTITY.
Dickson" he said feebly 10 me, the
nearest 10 him, Il don't want 90 live row.
I'm too battered and knocksd about to
care nuch for living. Since my w1s died
at Lsvnka, / haven't loved my life And
| can't bear 10 look a. those poor bodies
lying unburied on the shore. feel as X
" were my fault all this should have coma
upon you twelve good faliows-gor
brought you here only for my own ar5use-
msnt- But there's one thing Id give q
thousand pounds TO do before I die-sixn
that viii had made for ms at Apsa. You
and donaldson could witness f.; you're
aiive enough for that. ] have n in my
pocket here its wet. bat not spollt. All
we want now IL just q pen and Ink But
ssland1''
How strangely things come about IN this
world. 20 be surel Edward 4aorndyks
was very wealthy man. While we were
Al AptA an English lawyer-who had only
lately established himself thers-had
drawn up s will for am, to secure the
only object that was left very near his
heart His wife had niece. Maud Ben
ton By name. as he informed Us. who had
lived with them long ia Sydney, and
whom they had learned TO treat pretty
much as daughter. But unless he made
a VIII In Miss Benton's favor everything
would at mis- death go to his two brothers
who were already too rich-having stuck
20 ships-and who had treated him very
III on account OF some family dispute over
certain wealthy property requests By a
relative or their fathers side.
So he had the will made at samoa-at-
testatlon clause and all-and then. like
many others. thrust II in his pocket un-
signed. meaning 10 execute II In duo form
st his leisure at San Francisco.
And now. as he lay dying on the coral
beach OF a Manihiki at6li. with no mora
chance of getting at pen and ink than IL
he had been alone Ia go milse Of unpeo-
pied ocean. Oh. how bitterly he regretted
his procrastination. IL was hard TO real
ize. indeed. the immensely of the change.
Last night he had been surrounded by
every European comfort and luxury In the
cabin Of the Psramatta this morning no
sat among group Of haif-naksd Kama
kas. removed at one blow a. IL were, from
the advanced civilization OF the nine
teen century TO q peryadIng atmosphere
or prehistoric savagery.
He took the damp will from his pocket.
opened IL. looked at II family. and NUT
~
messuages. tsnsmsnts. stocks, shares and
other property whatsoever that die pos
sessed Of. 10 my wife's niece. Maud Ben
ton. gsntlewoman. absolutely and for her
own sole use and benefit"
He drew a deep sigh: he would never hs
able now 20 sign it. and even II he did.
what chance Of its ever reaching Sydney
at ali7 Donaldson and I were almost as
battered and as MANNED az he himself
was; and, IL we both died there, what
would become OF a will among all those
kanakas7 They would enshrine II Ia
nut. most likely. and worship IL as a fet-
ish. And IL II didn't turn up, hts brothers
would never allow poor Maud Benton one
penny, for he knew those men we'll to
judge from his talk TO me. Oh, how deep
~ he reproached himself for not having
signed the will ut Apla. and sent 1t home
by posu IL was a duty he owed TO Miss
Benton. he moaned. and he had grossly
neglected II.
IF only I had a pen and ink" the dy-
Ing man cried again. with q wild outburst
OF lfnpotent remorse; ''i could sign II even
now. and you. Dickson and Donaldson,
could witness H."
Capt. Watson had a styiograph he
used 10 carry In bis pocket. sir" Donald
son answered. hair dying. yet in the COM
nonsense Aailor fashion. But his body
AZ it now. II may turn up by and by"
He spoke with the stoiid. business-lika
ar or q seafaring man. accustomed to
such Wild scenes Of peril and disaster.
1t almost seemed TO me at the time that
10 him drowning was q matter OF every
day occurrence.
Perhaps the natives may know OF
something 10 write with Thorndyke
suggested feehiy. after n long, irresoiuts
ma kake L.. kaEx ~.
dentures. you know. They may have
something or other they use instead Of
pen and ink among themselves. At any
rate. I'll try them"
With an effort he lifted up his head
and seixinx twig OF broken brsashwood
from the ground IN his right hand rs hs
did so. he went languidiy through the
motions OF signing bis name on a blank
space OF tha paper. The natives watch
ed him close. noddinx and smiling scltl-
escence. AZ he finished two or three
jumped up and nodded harder. "oh, yes:
on. yes. Insus" they answered. II was
ell they had learned In our tongue, ap-
psrentiy: and they dsrted OF Up a steep
path that led by xisxrg curves through
dense grove OF cocoanut palms TO their
village.
Thorndyks smiled family. They know
what I mean. believe" he cried.
and they've got them on the island. Per-
haps they've even missionary here
among them" And he lie. his head fan
YEARLY on the lap of . native woman.
After come little delay the natives re-
appeared. bearing rude iitter. upon
which they placed poor Thorndyke and
carried him 20 q hut en- the village.
Donaldson ard I. VIII, were rot quite 80
badly crippled. were borne on the backs
or couple OF sturdy fellows 20 the same
hat. ara deposited on sumo mating close
ny Thorndyke's side. A venerable old
chief who had been summoned. Informed
Us that a white man. a trader. was usu-
ally living among them, bat was absent
from the island AZ thst time. having gone
~ Auckland. IN company with their mis-
sionary. The old islander could master
English fairly well ard through hts In
strumentality we secured ink--or AZ least
what a. the time appeared 20 me 70 -
such. and With a stick OF split bamboo
as a substitute FOR a Per. Thorntyks was
enabies 20 sign his name 20 ire viii. and
Donaldson and I sffyed cur signatures
as witnesses That evening Tnorndyke
became unconscious - all hts surround.
lnss and rust before dayhreak next morn
mtg re expired. Donaldson sank rapidly.
and sfss week later. Youth and q strong
constitution were IN ny favor and rail-
nod. resolving dursax my recovery al ths
atfentioa the kind hearted natives
were alba 20 eestow upcn me.
Tnsrnayke's ain placed tn-
sisa uttis leather rocketbook
which I found On him ard thls sewesi
up ", a st-osr piece OF cicth and carried
* constantly af-cut my person intending
IN due course 30 time 20 personally placs
q IN Ms pentor's hsrS@ SO hss PROM
ises she dyirx man should survive. The
Bodies % the two acas men were sewed D