Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1900-07-10
LIFE ON ISLAND OF ST. HELENA
Inhabitants Happy and Contented and
 Crime Almost Unknown.

Crime Almost Unknown.
 From the New York Times: Few people ever think of St. Helena except as a rock in the sea on which Napoleon lived a while miserably and then more mlserably died. That the greatest of ant1-climaxes was not the end Of the little islands history is hard to realize, . possibly because a poet or romancer would have made it the end, and 2 continuation is therefore more or less uni's tural and absurd. Be that as 1t may, St Helena has remained the abid. ing place of ordinary human beings who concern themselves very lfttla about the colossal ghost generally SUD- posed to be the islands only inhabi- tant, and the report to the English government just made by their goy- ernor shows that they have joys and sorrows exactly like those of the folks dwelling in places less tragieally ia nous. For instance, the revenues of the island last year were &9,152, a de- eldediy comfortable sum. but alas! the expenditures amounted to G12, ,349, and that is an excess of outgo not comfort able at all. The governor says how ever, that the bad balance was 9ae to some extraordinary drains upon the Islands resources, and that he antici- pates substantial surplus for the cur sent year. A recent increase of tha garrison and extensive improvements now making by the colonial and inn perial authorities assure the imme- diate prosperity of the islanders St. Helena Las no pubic debt, but is pay ing off by small annual installments noninterest-b grant of Z 1000 made by parliament in 1871 The i'm ports, chiefly foodstuffs and building materials, amounted last year to g 62,- 985, and the exports, almost wholly po- tatees to $ 1, ,391. Laeemaking has been introduced among the girls of the is- land with great success, and the goy- ernor is experimenting with the manu- facture of brick and tile. The Whal- CTS have now entirely deserted St. Helena, the few ships engaged in that industry keeping far to the porth or south. The total population of the is land is 4,ft43. The governor hopes that winter visitors from England may ba tempted by the salubrity Of the eli mate to try St Helena, which is su- perior he says, in seme respects to that of Madeira and (h Canary islands. He says he people as a whole compare favorably with the English agrieul- tural population; with few exceptions all can read and write, and the Ian guage is spoken with greater purity than in many districts at home. AS a rule the people are happy and con tented, with little crime among them and much kindness in helping each other. Strangers are greatly impressed with the general eiyility shown by them to old and young.
 AMERICAS FIRST GEORGE.
 How He Sometimes Tried to Run Away
 from His Admirers.
 Washington was not churlish, but he had that prefernce for being unob served that develops at times into a longing in man whose life is spent in public. He quilted the Macomb house on the morning of Aug. 30, 1790. The servants were instructed to steal away at dawn, to have the carriage and lug gage over the ferry at Paulus Hook by sunrise. By eandielight, Mrs. Washington, the children and the sec retaries assembled in the morning room. The president appeared pleased with his stratagem. He was enjoying his prospect of concealed departure Immediately under the window sud denly struck up on the still morning air the b1aring, vigorous notes of an artillery band. From the highways and byways scurrying people ap- peared To witness his first step out side the door thousand goggling af- fectionate eyes watched. "There!" cried the general, in half-comic de- spair-I cannot think altogether dis pleased-"it's all oyer; we are found out. Well! we'll! they must have their own way" It was the "genefaP' they waited to see, not the president, They lined the roadway from house to barge. recording every movement in obseryant brains. GA distinguished man can never know which of his au' djence is to be his biographer. It may be one of the "supers" on the stage rolling off the carpets) The thunder of artillery could not drown the living shout that rose from the throats of the people as Washington was borne off with the rise and fall of the oars gleaming in the cheerful sun. His voice trembled as he bade the as semhled crowd farewell. Though chary of appealing to it, the love of the peo- ple never failed to move him deeply --Harper's Magazine.