Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1898-10-13
A Self=ISolated CruSoe.

Robinson Crusoe and he likes it so much
that he won't come home. He is DR..
F. G. Powers, of San Diego. He. was
sent down to- the island to:retaini pos
session of it in the name of mining
company claiming concession upon
it. The life was pleasant to him, and
after:some mont spent. here he Con
sented to remain. His mother desir-
ing to go down to the island, the lonely
man consented to. have her do so, and
they have been there eyer since, APP
!parently without a, desire to see: civ
liza ton. They are heard from occa-
sionally, through the visits of passing
'schooners, aud the, report from ,the
island Invariably is that CDR. Powers
and his mother are we'll and happy
and don't care to leave the island.
1t is now almost four years since'thel
jcouple chose that lonely spot for a
home. The :lonesomeness, they say,
soon passed away Dr.Powers, it must
be confessed, has streak of laziness
in his make, up. .,.,, -.
Il take it easy" he told the skipper
(of the schooner. Alta. II have plenty
of time on my lands, but + am not idle
las much as you would think. There is
wood to get for mother, helping her
with the Homework, the: killing of
goat occasionally, the catching ofHsh,
the repairs to our house, and so on.
ramble. over the island and get speci-
mems of plants and flowers and trees,
and pick up mineral specimens, too.
We have books to read and nature to-
content plate. 1t is the ideal life.'' =: |
Judging from this it may be con-
iectured that DR.. Powers is somewhat
of philosopher, as we'll as well-edu-
Gated man. The chances are that he is
a natural philosopher--everyl lazy man
is said to be. Perhaps heis right. At
any rate, he declines every: offer to
transport him back to ,civilization, and
his mother says that She too, is per-
fectly contented.
Some months ago schooner was
wrecked on the mainland opposite
Ccdros island, and three of the crew,
jumping into a small boat, rowed and
sailed to Cedres, where they were
cared for by DR.. Powers and his moth
err The men were more dead than
'alive w hen they staggered from the
boat upon the beach. They had been
without water for two days and with
out food for four days. One of the men
was i'll for six weeks. The others,
hardy Swedes, rapidly recovered.
schooner going up from the guano
islands to San Diego stopped for water,
and one of the Swedes and the sick man
eagerly took passage for home: The
third man, known as Suffering Pete,
refused to leave the island. In the
few weeks he had been there a spell
had been woven around him by Dr..
Powers that was too strong to break.
While the sight of sail in the offing
brought a thrill of happiness to his
heart, the chains Of Robinson Crusoe's
life pleased him still better. He saw
the sail fade away on the horizon with
out much regret. From that day to
this Suffering Pete, from all that can
be learned, is as happy a castaway as
was ever seen. He and DR.. Powers are
companions and enjoy their long walks
over the island. They hunt goats on
the precipitous sides of the mountains
and seek out the strange growths to
be found in the messy canons and on
the higher hills. ..,.. -.4 49,
DR.. Powers is more fortunate than
Crusoe in one respect, and that is, he
has communication with the main
land, infrequent though it be. A coast
ing steamer: calls at the island about
every six weeks and leaves provisions
for the islanders. A store of illustrat-
ed papers and magazines, books and
other reading matter is also left. Thus
the trio live in comfort.
When we. were there last week..
said the, pursere of this steamer, t.Dr..
Powers rowed out to see us. He rarely
visits our vessel, prefering to remain
on the island. He has a fierce black
beard, and his hair is verylong. But
otherwise his appearance is civilized.
He has none of the wild light that is
seen in the eyes OF. mencwho have been
cast away or lnarooned to starve, such
as we saw in the crew of the Minna
when we picked them up at Black War
rior lagoon. DR.. Powers is very quiet,
however, and seems to grow more re-.
firing and taciturn every time we go.
to the island. He replies to questions
pleasantly enough, but volunteers no
information.
II was curious to know if he kept a
garden to supply himself and his moth
er with fresh vegetables. No, he said,
he didn't bother with keeping a gar
den. They had canned yegetabl and
when cooked nicely they were just as
good as fresh. Now the fact is that
nr Powers ic too lo1vf1 boo So :,