The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-01-20
CHAPTER XIII
AT THE LIvERroOL ~

hao extracted from West Africa very
cOnside rHble sums or money. lie was
shreWd. he was popular. he had tho
knack OF resisting sickly climates. and
lie knew tho possibilities or the OF
Of kernels
According TO his own account he had
started life ships purscr Pco-
pie VINO were more fond OF accuracy
mentioned that as a matter OF history
ne mao nrst gone as cabin boy IN
he had been associated with Coast from
his earliest days. and at the age OF
nve and twenty was trading there on
his own account
At first he stuck 10 an old trading
hulk with mooringz in the muddy Monk
River and battled with its swaruls OF
coCkrOAches and got together a bust
ness: but by degrees he gained IN,
confidence Of the native riparian mag
mates. and BY the time no was thirty
no had built on piles a fine set OF FAC
tory buildings on the bank. had bought
treaty with tho then King Of Okky.
and had built another factory at Malta
YUMA IN spite or inc TACT that the
beach there was one OF the most turf
smltten on the Coast After that he
ieN tnnt his Liverpool correspO n dents
were getting more than their due share
OF his hard wruns profits. and 80 ~
put the Coast factories under managers
and came back 10 tho Mersev And
thereafter. with occasional visits 10
the Coast and the Islands he made
Liverpool his headquarters
He had ONCE in Water Street "A
wareho use near Huskisson Dock and a
house furnished with mid victorian
sOlidity and ugifness out At Prfuc cess
Park = sister. Mrs. Craven. whose un
satisfactory husband had conveniently
died on the Coast, kept house for him.
Godfrey professed himself as quite
ready 70 take her verdict and was not
anxious to dabble in dangerous expert
ments.
Finally. as Godfrew O'Neiu 6lseov-
cred after two years trial OF the
style OF living that suited him at Prin
cess Park. that Il cost linn just 81
year. he saw very little Use IN be
stirring himself TO earn moro. He quite
admitted that there were other lu1u-
rfes in the world that he did not in
dulge in. he might have kept horses.
FOR instance. but he happened TO dis
Ike them He might have had
French chef. only plain roast beef and
plain roast mutton appealed more To
his appetite. and a plain British cook
at t2O a year produced these exactly
20 his taste lie might have had a
larger house. but frankly he did not
So he went down to the ONCE in Wa
ter Street every other day. and ceased
20 stir the business there when a.
showed any signs or averaging a more
than 500 profit for any one year. not
because he objected to additional
wealth. but because he far preferred
to play whist TO pursuing money. one
may here own freely that Godfrey
ONiell WIS an active member OF no
less than five whist quartettes which
met at clubs and houses. and there WIS
the amusement which after long search
he had discovered pleased him best.
In the comfortable ugly house In
Princess Park. besides Godfrey aud
Mrs. Craven. and the two servants
there was a child who Afterwards de
VelOped into the Kate O'NeiH OF these
memoirs. Godfrey ONaiIl brought her
home on the last visit he made 10 West
Africa She was then aged. at a theo-
rehcal reckoning. three years and she
was more fluent in the Okky tongue
than in English She had never worn
shoes till Godfrey bought her a pair
in Las Palmas on the vOya age home
rs she white?" Mrs. Craven had
White. clean through" Godfrey had
assured her.
Then who are her people,"
That I shall not tell even you Her
mother Is dead. Her father has gone
under. He was very clever man once
though / must say he used to be more
high and mighty than I cared about
on the rare occasions that 1 met him.
But as say. he's gone under. hope
And presently" said Mrs. Craven.
when we get this little wild thing
tanned. and clothed. and teach her to
speak English and go 20 church. up
VIII come some drunken reprobate 70
take her away again"
No. ne won't I've fixed that He'll
never claim her again. To start with
he doesn't know If she's in England or
changed the name he called her bv
called her Kate from the day ! left
him, and had her christened by that
name in Sierra Leone on the on chance
she hadn't been christened before. And
to go on with. he gave me his word
OF honor that II took her away. he'd
her again. You see. hc was living as
native. and the child was running
about with the other pickaninnies In
the village. and I guess made him
what 7 said The mothers dead, yoB
knOUT-