Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1901-10-29

evidently made with the diamond ring
which they found near the 6eshless
hand that had made use Of 1t. The In.
scription was in English and easily de-
cipherable. 1t read:
August, l7Is doubt much II this be Read by
Hum'n eyes. So be, then Know who Reads
that /, in Smonds. once Of London. discovered
this Island ITO, and. being weary Of tn World.
Returned alone I'LL. Since then Have remained.
] am now above so Years, Too feeble To return
To The World. which ! fain Would see again. To
Him who Reads bequeath This Isle. with All 1t
contains, Resisting Only that He bury Ny bones
With q Prayer to God for my Salvation. There
be Gold here In Full abundance. and Precious
stones Put here by the Hand OF God when tn
mountain Was alive With FIRE. It be my Empire.
IN Empire Island Have named It Have 1t SO,
then, II Ye Revere my Mem'y.
JOHN SrxoSps.
BY the Grace Of God. Near Heaven. Amenl
More than century had passed since
that Inscription was made. since John
Simonds ceased to breathe, yet every
where the sbipwrecked twain discover
ed evidences Of his habitation and his
Industry. There was no heed to search
for gold or precious stones. John ST.
monds had performed that task for
them. There were nuggets sufficient
for a kings ransom piled In conelike
heaps around the house beneath the
royal palms which shaded 1t from the
reflected rays of the sun. and within
the adjoining room Of the ruin they
found diamonds and emeralds in the
rough which even their uneducated
eyes were capable Of recognizing.
The bones of John Simonds were
buried with due reverence. as he bad
requested, and Craddock prayed most
earnestly for the repose Of his soul.
After that they returned to the wreck
of the Mascot and by rigging tackle
succeeded In hoisting through the
strange aperture everything that might
be valuable to them In their unheard OF
retreat. Even the small boat that they
had repaired was hoisted into the
mountain in the same manner, and
then, bit by bit, they broke up the
schooner, saving the timbers and such
of the brass and iron work as they
deemed might prove available at fu-
ture time.
Afterward the stone house was re-
paired, and thus months passed almost
unheeded by them. For n time they
kept watch Of the sea through their
doorway to the world, but they were
far out of the beaten track Of vessels,
and ut last they deslsted, convinced
that the only way Of escape for them
was across the open sea In the small
boat they had saved from the wreck or
in such craft as they might be able to
construct from the timbers they had
preserved.
Often they contemplated such an at
tempt, but It was each time postponed,
for there was certain kind OF enjoy
ment in the life they led. and there
was drear uncertainty in trusting them
selves again to the treacherous sea In a
craft so frail as the one at their dis
posal. But the construction Of another
was begun at last out on the solitary
reef where the Mascot had stranded.
One year passed away and then an
other. Twice the boat which they were
constructing was nearly swept away by
storms. but the good fortune that had
preserved them through all their yicis.
situdes spared that also, and one day
nearly three years after they were cast
upon the reef Craddock and Thorgen-
sen bade adleu to Empire island and
sailed away to the northward in lug
sailed craft laden with gold and pre-
cious stones enough to render them
both rich for the balance Of their lives.
Before the sail was holsted and while
they tloated beneath the opening In the
side of the mountain Craddock pointed
with his right hand toward the huge
pile of obsldan and said solemnly:
"Ralph, before we set sail let us make
one promise each to the other and
swear sacredly to keep 1t for all time"
agreed. Grad. What Is It? You
could not ask a promise Of me that l
would not grant,"
"Let us promise each to the other
that neither of us will ever return to
this island unless In company with the
other or with the express permission Of
the absent one."
agreed; promise"
Four months later the shipwrecked
mariners arrived In San Francisco safe.
sound, well and with the fortunes they
had discovered intact.