The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-10-01

the bar and made her fast; but there
were no signs of life, except for a few
scared sea fowl, which flew up scream
ing as the men waded ashore. The
odorous trade winds were roaring in
the treetops overhead; the never-paus-
ing thunder of the surf lulled the lis
tener's senses, and these sounds and
the deep solitude brought back the past
10 Allison. He walked up 10 the high
CT ground and turned 10 look at the
breakers, which rolled i'm with the
weight of the Pacific behind them
Seems like old times" he said to
the other man. Holmes. 'Many's the
hour I've laid here and watched that
everlasting old water line wondering
whether there might be a shin behind
il. Wooh LONELY! I'd go almost wild
sometimes" He gazed down upon the
bya and the little boat at her moor
ings, \ bit of dingy bunting fluttered
from the bow; and although it was
dingy, and the view insignificant il
had now "a kind of naughty meaning,
as if 10 proclaim that an American
craft lay there and that a new flag
was uDOn the waters of the world.
The weary eyes of Allison bright
ened, his careless figure seemed to
swell. He nut a hand on Holmes
shoulder and pointed out way and the
other.
Look at there. Henry" he said with
a kind of shamed enthusiasm. over
that way. 10 our backs, is San Fran
cisco and the States. And down there
is the Philippines, where Dewey L..
But here ON this side we're the faTthesu
out of any Americans. / tell you il
makes a fellow feel respOnsible"'
Where's your viliage?" asked
Holmes at length
-Cume on: over this way and the
two trudGed heavily inland through the
big brilliant ferns. There had been a
path through these as Allison remem-
bered, and it had disappeared; but the
significance of this fact did not occur
10 him until they. came out before a
huddle of mOldering huts. with rank
grass growing everywhere. Holmes
gave a dry whistle.
This your village
Seems 10 be" REPLIED Allison. rue
fully. He looked around him with "A
feeling of depression at that abandoned
place. Wonder what's become of
'em?" ne said. in a whisper as though
he feared 10 walk among their ghosts.
They were real decent people for mig
gers. and just like children, toO-so
innocent
somebody is comm out Of that
well. now. if that amt old Ben
Harrison" the other said. Hello. Ben
jamin" he added, where are all the
rest Of YOU? Dead
The brown. ancient face expressed
neither surprise nor emotion. Some
of them are Rest down yOnder-Way
around. New village there. Lots of
new things now"
81 declare. / should think So" ALI
son remarked.
Can we make the other village to-
night?" Holmes asked.
mo. let's stay here. Old Ben HaTri-
son will find Us something to eat, and
we can go down 70 the other place I'm
the morning / amt got no relish for
il now. Seems better 10 leave these
people alone. anyway. What good does
il do them for us 10 come around and
try 10 ciViliZe 'emr'
'Oh.. brace up said the other, with
awkward sympathy.
All that night, while they lay i'm the
hut of old Ben Harrison. the rumble OF
the ocean was present 10 their ears. and
the trade winds rOared above them i'm
the treetOps. Allison did moi sleep very
soundly; and when he slept he dreamed
OF a fiuttering bit of flag.
For indeed, he was a dreamer; a
man without much culture but
touch of real imagination. 1t was pos
sibly this which had brought him back
10 the Pacific after three years In a
Sacramento grocery store. this and the
old mysterious craving which keeps
men pushing westward. And on these
far-off waters he had vaguely felt a
touch of the strange new spirit which
was moving over the world. The burn
ing desire of the American was upon
him TO take a hand in great events
and to be "a part of them; but these
MAST few hours had made him doubt
ful. In the morning he and Holmes
took their boat around the coast 10
where the newer village lay.
II Law along the echoing beach. AND
one astonished glance told the new
coners that civilization had arrived.
Gin bottle corks and strips of paper
uttered the firm. white sand. and an
old straw hat decorated the pole IN
front of one house. Before the largest
house of all. with natives loiterins