Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-08-14

on Eleuthera three years ago."
The situation dawned. My fair
friend was the wife, daughter or sister
of Bahama wrecker-perhaps pirate.
whats the natter9 You seem
disturbed.
murmured in rambling way
something about wrecking being q
pleasant occupation.
sob, I see, I" and she laughed, and
o wonderfully musical laugh it was,
too. "You are shocked at Johns be-
ing wrecker. John doesn't really
wreck ships. He merely helps to
strip them when they are wrecked"
I felt relieved, but dire memories of
childhood tales of false lights and
murdered crews would come in my
mind.
"And who is John?" asked.
"Ah, John is the dearest, sweetest,
noblest fellow living-that's John.
I'm sure you'd like him."
I tried again.
"Were you born on Watlings?"
"Oh, dear, no. 1 was wrecked
there. Wasn't it romantic to be
wrecked on the island Columbus first
landed on?"
mildly remarked that I had been
taught Columbus first landed on San
Salvador or Cat Island.
"Oh, my, no. You're quite wrong.
It's been proved he first came ashore
at Watlings. Why, 1 often, on fine
mornings, get John to drive me over
to the southeastern point of the island
where it is thought he came ashore
There's the loveliest white beach
there, and the broad blue ocean
stretches out and away before you as
you look eastward. T make John go
away, for John isn't romantic, you
know, and then I sit down and close
my eyes and see the queer ole.
fashioned ships with their worn sails,
their high stern and the royal ban
ners waving, tossing at anchor be-
yond the reef; I see the line of boats
with flashing oars advancing; 1 see
the dusky Indian forms standing at
the edge of the wood, and just above
where the surf breaks on the beach
see the old mariner kneel under the
banner of Spain, his sword uplifted
and his eyes raised to heaven.
ooh, it's a glorious picture, and
never tire of calling it forth. Life on
Watlings, you see, has its compensa-
tons"
AS the woman told this story, she
unconsciously acted it out, rose from
her chair, and with flaming eyes and
cheeks, a new and fair Columbus led a
fancied band. I had grown deeply
interested and I determined to know
her history.
"Tell me about YOURSELF" I said,
"and how it comes that you, with
your evident education and accom-
plishments, choose to live on q place
so remote and lonely as Watlings
Island"
She blushed little, was silent a
moment, and then in q low voice
said:
"Well, I don't mind telling you.
It's not long story. 1 see I've given
you wrong impression, for, indeed,
although it is lonely at times, I'm
really very happy and I wouldn't
change places with any woman. I am
an English woman, and 1 was born
near London. My father was civil
engineer in good circumstances, and
with twin sister had every possible
advantage of education. My mother
died when was about fifteen, and as
we had no near relatives we were much
with our father. We were near
enough to London to run in of an
evening to the theatres and the opera
we had pleasant society of our own
We read much, sang and played good
deal, and rode continually.
''len years ago last autumn my
father met with sudden business re-
verse. He was offered remunerative
post in California, and decided to &c
there. A ship belonging to a friend
of his was just about to sail for the
Isthmus; we were offered a passage on
her at low rate, and in three days
time found ourselves at sea. / needn't
tell you of the voyage. 1t was all new
and strange to us, of course, and we
two girls were the pets of the ship.
81 saw with relief my father, who
had broken much under his losses, i'm.
prove in health and spirits, and as We
neared the tropics the glowing sunset
skies were emblematic of our hopes oi
life in the new world.
"We had been out some thirty days
. when one afternoon as the sun set in
a dark bank of clouds and the air was
close and sultry, 1 noticed the captain
looked anxious and heard him say
something about the Bahama reefs
to the mate.
"That night hurricane struck us.
and for hours we were in what seemed
a dull gray cavern of water and sky
The ship plunged madly before the
gale, and with our father we sat in the
cabin, clasped in each others arms.
"The morning broke scarce less
dark than the night Suddenly the