Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-12-06
ANNEXATION.


Laura, Hawaii is annexed! ' exclaimed
Tom Worthington as he walked briskly
into Laura Glenn's dooryard.
1t was a fair, brown haired girl who sat
on the low bench under the old tree. Tom
had looked at her with a thrill of exulta-
ton as he came up the path. She had not
heard him, n her brown head was bent
over a book. She looked up with IA smile
as he sprang across the grass and an.
preached the bench.
"Hawaii?' she queried doubtfully, smil-
ing because he was smiling.
Yes, don't you know that Uncle John
had a coffee plantation near Honolulu"
NO" said Laura.
of course | remember now that l
did not tell you about it, because l had
very little idea that it would mean any
thing to lis. You see, mothers brother,
my Uncle John, went out to Honolulu
over 20 years ago. He did not stay long,
but while he was there be befriended some
rich native. We never did understand just
how it was, but when the man died he left
will by which Uncle John was to inherit
d certain tract of land in the Unuanu val
AOJ P1oNl dCo ilOI NSIC III VllCSU llGlIS.
OF course we did not think anything of it,
because Uncle John used to laugh about
his Hawaiian estate and say that there
was no danger but that there would be
plenty of heirs to keep him out of it.
However, the interesting part is this,
and that is why l am SO happy, dear. The
land is ours now. Since the United States
have annexed the islands the property in.
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validity of the title will be settled salts
factorily.
do you know what that means, little
grip And Tom leaned tenderly toward
Laura, who sat looking at him with wide
open, surprised eyes,
There was a quick CLEAN in her eyes as
she looked into his. Then her head droop-
ed, and a blush mounted to her checks.
Eyes, DEAR" exclaimed Tom, pressing
her hand. sit means that you and l can
marry very soon. We will not lave to
work and wait, as we thought. The path
is plain before us. Won't you tell me that
you are glad?" And he drew her within
the circle of his arm.
1T seems too good to be true, " sighed
the happy girl.
Tom was too happy to remain silent.
He was excited and exultant. How much
this news from the capital meant to him
and Laura could not be estimated at once
Tel me about it, " whispered Laura.
You see, we knew several months ago
that the last of the Hawaiian heirs was
gone-that is, that he is as good as dead.
just think, Laura, he had, leprosy and
was sent to the leper colony. You see, the
estate should have been ours then, but the
native agents out there kept the facts away
from us. The agitation about the annex
alton, however, brought all these things
to light. The will of Uncle J~ohn'sfriend
was plain. II his heirs were not able to
inherit, it was to go to Uncle John and
his heirs. Mother and l are the heirs, you
know. So we come in for a good income,
they tell me-"
"And we get this blessing because of
the curse of leprosy upon those poor people
out there?" said Laura in a tender voice.
Eyes, dear" said Tom, sobered sud.
denly. He looked up into the swaying
branches above him. He saw the July
flowers nodding in the breeze, and then he
looked at Laura, fair queen of his heart.
His happiness had been purchased at q
dear price indeed. Hideous leprosy had
robbed another mar of all that was dear
to him-home and wife and friends and
the enjoyment of the commonest things of
life.
1T seems that the old native who was
Uncle Johns friend had a horror of lep-
rosy" said Tom in explanation of the sin
gular will. "In fact, he had it himself
when Uncle John was there, but he kept
it a secret. There was q curse upon his
eor.s1, L. -FA,,, ,..I IL 11,,AI ,,,nI
however, Of this youngest son-the II
who has just been taken into the leper
colony"
Tom was silent for a few moments and
then vent on:
"The old fellow explained to Uncle
John that if the leprosy carried off his en-
tire family, the property would go to some
collateral relative. 1t was to prevent their
obtaining possession that he made the
will. He hated them. Their grandmother
had cursed his father and his fathers
children. You know how queer and SUI
perstitious those people are. Leprosy has
taken the entire family Of these cousins,
too, so that there is no one but one leper
to inherit the property. Now that the
United States government is taking hold
the title will be cleared up. We will prove
our claim, and the income will be paid to
U.S."
but the poor leperP" exclaimed Laura.
'Surely he has q right to the land. Just
think how miserable he must be!'
well, it is pretty hard, y admitted Tom.
You see, he is as good as dead now. In
the eyes of the Hawaiians themselves he is
dead. No one who goes to the leper colony
ever comes back. He will be fed and clothed
and that is all the poor wretch can want"
How old is her" asked Laura suddenly.
Let me see" and Tom drew out some
papers and turned them over. "Puoa
Human must be about "a now"
"Three years younger than you are"
said the plying Laura. Then, turning to
her lover, she exclaimed; "Tom, he ought
to have some of that money. We have no
right to it-that is, of course you and your
mother may do as you think best about 1t,
but l can't take any of it. What have l
ever done that l should enjoy the result Of
that poor fellow 8 misery?'
What q conscientious little thing it is!'
said Tom, caressing her brown hair. "But
don't you see, Laura, he continued argu.
tentatively, 1.-THE property is ours. 1t
does not belong to any one else. The law
gives it to u.s."
Yes replied Laura, still doubtful,
but you said that the annexation altered
the state of affairs"
$50 it docs There will be no difficulty
now about establishing our title, and when