Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-02-04
itER NAVALCAPTURE.

iii the outskirts of tho li,tlo city of
Horta, on the isla''I Of Eayal, i'll tho
Azores. TO the donkey boy who
pulled along behind, rs we'll as to
tho astonished beast himself, this
lively paoe was IA foreign as their
fair haired mistress.
Dorothy Scott had boon to the top
of neighboring hill to watch tho
sun rise over sea, valley, mountain
and volcano peaks, and beautiful
thoy were, bathed in n glory Of col
or. Nature has given mon fow fairor
sights than that to DO had from this
very hill on this dot of an island in
the mid Atlantic.
Dorothy S father, an American nat
turalist, had como to tho Azores for
summers collecting, and had left
his invalid vito and his 16-yoar- old
daughter at the little hotel at Uorta
whilo he explored other islands Of the
Azores. So Dorothy, left to go about
roads with all tho enthusiasm and
freedom of a wide awake American
girl, little dreaming with what
breathless wonder her independent
movements were studied by tho i'm
prisoned Portuguese girls who peep
ed at her through balcony lattices or
ovor garden gates.
1t was still early morning, and
drowsy Horta had hardly walked
when Dorothy clattered up on hor
donkey to the gate of an old con-
vent, dismounted and entered. In
ruins now, and abandoned by its
former occupants, the Crumbling
structure still sheltered a score or so
of old women, tho city's poor. Dor
othy, who had spent many hours
sketohing the picturesque ruins,
made her way through Stono arohod
passages to the square, open court
within, passed down an untcnantod
| corridor and reached q corner whore
she had boon skotching tho day be-
| fore. Gathering her materials to-
gether, she turned q little, when q
| hutter of something white in one of
the cells caught her eye.
She stepped ouriously up to the
door and peered into tho darkness,
but quickly drew back, startled and
breathless. There, staring back at
her, with eyes as big and frightened
as her own, was the faco of boy.
The stranger was tall and slight
and woro u white suit, sailors,
evidently, with an open throat tied
with blue knot. A white cap push
ed back from the forehead disclosed
a crop of curly hair. Something ia
miliar about his face made Dorothy
falter out, after tho first frightened
gasp: "Why-e e, do believe you are
an American! Or-or don't you I'M
derstand En2lish?" she added faint
ly, as at her first words the boy
backed farther into the dark oell
For moment there was no an
swer. The boy still seemed thor
oughly scared and glanced about as
though seeking some chance of es-
cape, but Dorothy's position in the
doorway blocked the only exit. AS
there seemed to DO no alternative, he
said sulleniy, Yes, do"
But how did you ever get here?"
she questioned eagerly.
How did your" said the boy.
"Oh, my mother and l arc spending
the summer here, Dorothy explain
cd shortly. But you are in sailor S
clothes, and no American ship has
been here for u month.
Yes, there has," he replied.
lone put in this morning"
'Trulyp It's queer l didn t see it
from the hill! But perhaps it's just
a whaling vessel?"
mo, "grinned the boy. mo whal-
or togs out in this shape" He glanc-
cd down at his jaunty suit. Then his
face relapsed into its former sullen-
ness as he went on:
II may as we'll mako a clean
breast of it, now you've seen me
here. It's the American schoolship
Victory that has put into port for a
couple of days. Eighty of US fellows
have just come ashore for today, and
as many are allowed off tomorrow.
My name is Theodore Blake. l am a
first year cadet, and r.
What are you doing here in the
convent then?" interrupted Dorothy.
"Oh, l crowded in through break
in the wall behind a hedge; thought
1t was garden, and l could hide
here till night and then get away.
But I'm blessed if want to stay in
this spookerish, rotten old place all
day"
But why are you hiding? Are
you in some scrape?"
No. I've just got out of the big
gest sorape was ever in-that is,
guess I've got out, if you don't &c
and toll. / won't go back to that
abominable old hulk again if | die
for it! It's nothing but grind all day
and half tho night, whether you re
sick or not -
Tie boys thin checks seemed &c
show that his sickness had boon nc
sham.
Mother wa@ set on having 100 in
the navy. " ho went on. Got my
appointment all right, and l entered
III May. We had oily a few weeks
of urlll before starting On tic sum.
mcr.s Cr..!.", nI,d We first year ca.
| DIT C..y ~. ,.'aj az, H.. fi,,. thn,. ,T,p