Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1899-06-30
Copyright, by RoDERr BoNSER's soxs.I
CHAPTER *.


q uniform, and become an officer, but
with peace at hand 1 did not care fol
empty military honor. Moreover,
wanted all my time to be free, that
l might be untrammeled in my now
seemingly hopeless investigation into
the mysteries of my beautiful sisters
disappearance. 1t was understood,
however, that if at any time my SER
vices were needed, or the army was to
be Increased, commission should be
mine.
L took very little interest in any
thing save the one great object of my
existence to find my sister Winnie.
Yet mingling daily, as 1 did, with men
whose minds were full of the revolu-
tion, could not be blind to the needs
of the hour. When Gordon's duties
took him away from Honolulu I ac-
companied him, if I was not working
up a clue that might lead to the dis
covery of Winnie.
At the town of Hilo, on the island
of Hawaii, Gordon had a fortress
built which commanded the situation
in the harbor-the only good one at
that island. And at Lahaina, small
settlement on the island of Maui, an
other fortress was built. There
seemed to me no need for this, but
Gordon pointed out the excellence of
the place as a stragetic point in case
OF invasion.
Hilo was not far from the great vol
cano of Mauna Loa, aud it seemed
probable that if the old mountain kept
on vomiting lava many years longer as
fiercely as it had in times past, the
town would be destroyed As it was
located in beautiful spot, particular
ly healthful, it was deemed a foolish
carelessness to allow the destruction,
if it could be avoided. Gordon made
q note of his observations, aud pro-
posed, when we returned to Honolulu,
to suggest to the government that
something be done to protect the town
from the molten flow, if it everreached
that far.
We also visited the island of Molo-
kai, and went to the leper colony.
The horrors of this disease had
never before been known to me. /
knew it was terrible. 1 knew that
words could hardly express its terrors.
But when saw it in all its putrefying,
death-dealing reality, 1 shuddered
and turned sick.
The poor creatures who were far on
their torturing road to death looked at
us piteously. A wall, prayer, plea
for some kind of help seemed to be in
every glance and every gesture. Yet
there was no help to give. All they
could do was to wait there, growing
more hideous in their infrmity, day
by day, until death came to release
them from their awful sufferings.
I thought of Doctor Warren and his
noble efforts in behalf of these poor
accursed wretches. But in vain would
he work while he lived. There was
no help, no cure. Yet Warren hoped
and worked aud prayed. This was
the curse and, now that the rule of
evil was over, the only blot on the
beauty of Hawaii.
Gordon and visited Kauai, another
OF the larger islands, and instituted
most careful search and inquiry among
the people. Now and then our hopes
being aroused by what we would think
was clue, only to have them dashed
to pieces in the deepening darkness
of the mystery. Then we returned to
Honolulu.
All this, of course, took some time.
Things had gone well in Oahu during
our absence, and every industry of
the island seemed developing and i'm
proving. From time to time friendly
messages had been received from the
United States, and the future seemed
secure and bright.
Then the news came OF a change OF
administration.
The Republicans, we knew, had
been defeated in the election in Nov
ember, aud, of course, we understood
that on March 4th the Democratic
President would be inaugurated. But
we did not look upon this as inimical
to our interests. To us in Honolulu,
the word American meant everything.
Party names meant nothing. A Re-
publican was an American, so was a
Democrat. Therefore, the policy of
America in Honolulu having been in
dorsed by one party of Americans at
home would naturally find favor with
another party of the same sort.
What was our chagrin and fear when
We learned that President Cleveland
had declared against us.
Captain Wiltse, of the Boston, died.
Commissioner Blount with letters of
power from Cleveland and Secretary
Gresham arrived on the Rush, and
Admiral Skerrit assumed command of
the American forces in Hawaiian
waters.
Minister Stevens was recalled and
censured by Cleveland's administra-
tion for "unwarrantable intervention"
and ''an abuse of power as the repre-
sentative OF the United States"
Commissioner Blount at once as
sumed hostile attitude toward Dole's
government, and began collecting evil
dencs in favor of the queen. Certain
men, who had been powerful under
She ex-4ueen's rule, and who hal
hoped to gain by her ascendancy,
poured their poisoned words into
Blount's ear until their opinions as
sumed, in the mind of the commits
sioner, the dimensions of the will of
the majority. So between Blount and
his advisers. President Cleveland was
still further misled, and Li.iuokalani'S
stock went up,
Then Blouut went home, Minister
Willis came, aud Admiral Irwin as
sumed command of the American
forces. Disorder came with them.
was sitting on the porch one day,
smoking aud talking to Uncle Tom,
having Just returned from fruitless
search after slight clew of Winnie's
whereabouts, when Gordon dashed
mp. Leaving his horse in the care of
an attendant, he joined us.
There's the deuce to paym he said.
"What's up now?" | asked.