Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1899-05-19

CHAPTER /.

neaded Tor the romantic, and now ms
toric port of Honolulu. The day wa
fine one in September, and most O
the passengers stood on the decl
watching the maneuvers of gettinl
under way and, later, gazing at tn
receding shores Of California.
On board the 1Ionowai, nv prett,
sister, Winifred, aud myself, Thoma
Warringford, were bound for Homo
lulu, to make our home with ou
paternal uncle whose name was thl
same as my own. Wiuifred, as hav,
said, was pretty She was at this tim,
eighteen years Of age, tall and grace
full, and her name ftted her we'll. Sh,
was winning. She possessed charm
OF manner of which heard many
friends speak highly. Twas very fond
and very proud of my lovely sister
There was nothing remarkable about
Inc. l was a few years older than
Winnie, tall enough aud strong enough
to take care of myself among ordinary
men, not SO ugly in appearance as to
attract attention nor handsome
enough to attract attention either.
Our father and mother were dead.
Mother had been from US good many
years, and father had, short time be-
fore our taxing ship, succumbed to an
attack of fever. He had been q sue
cessful merchant in New York, aud
had left us fairly well provided for in
the matter of fortune. Further, he
had placed us under the care Of his
brother, to whose home we were now
going.
We knew but little of Uncle Thomas
Warriugford He had not been in
America in good many years. We
knew, however, from what our father
had frequently told us, that Uncle
Tom was a bachelor, very rich, and
lived on large sugar plantation in
the island Of Oahu, upon which the
town of Honolulu is situated.
Upon receiving news of my fathers
death, with the facts 1 have already
given, Uncle Tom Immediately wrote
us a long and very si1ectionate letter,
urging us to come at once to his home.
and make it our own.
He portrayed wildly the beauties
of the climate aad the luxury of the
life in Oahu, and under his urgent
invitation it was not n difficult matter
Tor US to decide to accept his invita-
tion and obey our fathar's us;si.
~ Hinged our plans, packed what goods
we wished to retain, sold the rest of
the household belongings. and crossed
the continent to San Francisco, to
embark on our five days ocean voyage.
We, like the others on board, were
on deck, actively interested in every
thing that was going on. We stood
near the rail. I smoked, Winnie
talked, and chains ratified. Sailors
shouted, passengers kissed friends
good-by, and other friends waved
adiens from the dock head.
There was no one to see us off, so
we amused ourselves watching the
the leaye-taking of others.
We had not been long on board
when tall, powerful figure among
the passengers attracted my attention.
"Jover' l said to Winnie. There's 5
Arthur Gordon.
"And who is Arthur Gordon, Tom?"
she asked.
''That tall fellow over there, lean
ing against the pipe, looking utterly
disconsolate.
"But who is he?"
"a good old Harvard chum. Best
fellow you ever knew. Now, won
der what brings him on board the
Monowai. 1 am going over to speak to
him"
| crossed to where Gordon stood,
aud slapped him on the back before
he knew who it was.
He turned, and witha smile greeted
me.
"Whatl You here, Warringfordi
Whittier bouud?"
We shook hands heartily, and told
him why we were there.
'iAnd you? What are you driving
at?" l asked.
mot blessed thing replied Cor,
don. Been in the worst kind o
luck ever since we left Harvard. Yor
know l tried medicine. Well, tn.
money gave ont and / had to give i
up. Tried the road for a wholesale
drug house, bat they failed. Dom
know whether / caused the failure ol
not, but at any rate it threw me on
again. Then [ boxel around from
one thing to another, managed t
scrape few hundred dollars togeth
er, but could settle on nothing tina
held out future. Then | got feyel
for a change of country in my head
and l read so much about Honolulu
that thought | would pull up stake
and tackle the old lava-bed and see i
there was any chance to do basines
there"
"Goodl / am downright glad of il
We shall have some fine times there
Come, 1 will introduce you to my sis
ter Winifred."
We three got along splendidly Gol
don was famous good company, playe
good game of chess, draughts 0
cards, and we whiled away many a
hour that would have been tediou
but for him. l think Winnie like
Gordon from the start. I did nc
wonder at it. He had been the chan
pion at college games, and had wo
friends all through his life. kne-
that no one could help liking Winnie
So it seemed but natural that afrient
ship should spring up between th
two.
The fourth day ont the passenger
began to show that nervous acsivii
which is always to be seen on a shi
about to make a port. There was ii
bustle and anxiety of the nervous W
man who fears that something wi
happen TO interfere with the prop
discharge of her luggage. Then the
was the man in a hurry, who wake
the deck impatiently, as if he thougl
he could have driven the steamer at
greater speed il he had been asked