The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1901-04-20

REQ.
A Napoleon of Sam Dan Finance.
88888@8@@@9

y ~ SS ~ SSr w. W NP SH
suited, and thinking they had a good
thing subscribed. and bought boat
ION credit from the German firm, CIV
ing a mortgage on piece Of land as
security. Then they presented REQ
with the boat, with many compliment
tary speeches, and sat down to chuckie
at the way they would make the old
fool work." and the "old foor' went
straightway to the American Consul
and declared himself to be a citizen
Of the United States, and demanded
his country's protection, as he feared
his wife's relatives wanted to beat him
out of the boat they had given him.
The Consul wrote out something ter
rifying on big sheet Of paper and
tackled it to the boat, and warned the
surprised relatives that an American
man-of-war would protect REQ with
her guns, and then REQ went inside
his house and beat his wife with a
canoe paddle. and chased her violently
out Of the place. and threatened her
mcle relatives with large knife and
fearful language.
Then he took the boat round the 9TH
er side of the Island, and sold it for
5000 to . trader, and came back to
Apia to Denison, and asked for pass
age to Tutulia; and the German firm
entered into and took possession of the
mortgaged land. while the Infatuated
relatives tore up and down the beach.
demanding Tarreo's blood in a loud
voice. Tarreo, with his 5000 in his
trousers pocket, sat on the schooner
rail and looked at them stolidly and
without i'll feeling.
Denison landed the ancient at Leone
Bay, on Tutuila, for he had taken kind
ly to the old scoundrel, who had many
virtues and could give points to any
one, white or brown. in the noble art
Of deep sea fishing. This latter quail
fication endeared him greatly to young
Tom, who, when he was not employed
in keeping the captain sober, or bring
ing him round after an attack of I'd.
It's" spent all his spare time in fishing.
either at sea or in port.
REQ settled at Leone, and made
good deal Of money buying copra from
the natives. The natives got to like
him, he was such a cons cientious old
fellow. When he hung the baskets of
copra on the iron hook of the steel
yard, which was marked to weigh up
to one hundred and fifty pounds, he
would call their attention to the marks
as he moved the heavy pea" along
the yard. Then. one day, some inter-
fering Tongan visitor examined the
pea. and declared that it had been tax.
en- from a steelyard designed to weigh
up to four hundred pounds. REQ was
so hurt at the insinuation that he i'm
mediately took the whole apparatus
out beyond the reef in his boat and in
dignantly sank 1t in fifty fathoms Of
water. Then he C2turned to his house,
babe him wife Che had married AGAIN.
a sorrowful farewell, and said his
heart was broken by .+he ISLANDERS of a
vile Tongan pig from a mission school.
He would, he said, 60 back to Apia,
where he was respected by all who
knew him. Then he began to back up.
Some Of the natives sided with the
Tongan, some with REQ, and in few
minutes a free fight took place on the
village green, and REQ stood In his
doorway and watched it from his mar
row, piglike eyes: then. being Of q
magnanimous nature, he walked over
and asked three stout youths who had
beaten the Tongan into state of un-
consciousness and were jumping on
his body, not to hurt him.
About midnight 'Reo's house was
seen to be in flames, and the owner,
uttering wild, weird screams of FLA
olaw Fla ola" C'Mercyw "Mercyv)
fed down the beach to his boat. fol-
lowed by his wife. large fat woman,
named appropriately enough Taumafa
| (abundance). They dashed into the
water, clambored into the boat, and be-
gan pulling seward for their lives.
The villagers. thinking they had both
gone mad. gazed at them in astonish-
ment, and then went back and helped
| themselves to the few goods saved
from the burning house.
AS soon as REQ and the good wife
were out of sight Of the village they
put about, ran the boat into little bay
further down the coast, planted a bag
| containing $500, with the best of the
trade goods (salved before the fire
was discovered), and then set sail for
Apia to "get justice from the Consul
The Consul said it was a shocking
| outrage; the captain of the United
States ship Adirondack concurred; and
| so the cruiser. with the injured, stolid
| faced REQ on board. steamed off to
Leone Bay and gave the astonished
natives twelve hours to make up their
minds as to which they would do-pay
REQ $1,000 in cash or have their town
burp-d They paid SOCIAL they could
raise-and then in dazed sort of way
sat- down to mediate as they saw the
Adirondack steam off again.
REQ gave his wife a small share Of
the plumber and sent her home to her
| parents. When Tom Denison next saw
him he was keeping boarding house
at Levuka. in Fiji. He told Denisor
he was welcome to free board and
lodging for a year. REQ had his good
points, as l have said.-Louis Becks. II
| the Pail Mall Gazette.
|
| The Wise Man.
| A man can always stave eff q guar
rel with his wife by telling her some