Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1908-05-08

A
Not that one" rasped the officer,
"the other"
The man saluted and moved on.
with your permission, SIR" said
Trendon.
On nod from his superior officer he
opened the ledger and took up Oar
rows record.
Here it is. Entry of June 81
Everything lovely. Schooner lost to
sight. Query--to memory dear? Not ex-
actly. Though shouldn't mind having
her under orders for few days. Queer
glow in the sky last night: II they've been
investigating, they may have got what $
coming to them. Volcano exhibiting fits
OF temper. Spouted out considerable fire
about 9 o'clock. Quite spectacular, but no
harm done. Can foresee short rations of
tobacco. Lava In valley still too hot for
comfort. No sign Of DR.. Schermerhorn.
Still sleep on beach,
"Not much there shifted Trendon.
"Go on said the captain.
"June q. Evening.-Thick and suually
weather again. Local atmospheric con-
ditions seem upset. Volcano still leading
strenuous life. Climbed the headland this
afternoon. Wind very shifty. Got an
occasional Whit of volcanic output. One
In particular would have sent skunk to
the camphor bottle. No living on the
headland. VIII explore cave tomorrow
to an allowance of seven cigarettes per
diem.
June 4.-Explored cave today. Full of
dead seals. Not only dead, but all bitten
and cut to pieces. Must have been lively
doings In Seal Town. Not much choice
between air in the cave and vapors from
the volcano. Barring seals, everything
suitable for light housekeeping, such as
mine. Undertook to clean house. Drag
ged late lanlented out into the water.
Some sank and were swept away by the
sea puss. Others, regret to say, fioated.
Found trickle of fresh water in depth of
cave and little sand ledge to sleep on
30 far. SO good; we may be Apply yet. II
only I had my cigarette supply. Once
heard botanist say that leaves of the
white shore willow made fair substitute
for tobacco. Fair substitute for nux
vomica! Would like to interview said
botanist.
THE fellow is a tobacco maniac
growled Trendon, feeling in his breast
pocket. The deyilw he cried, bringing
forth an empty hand.
Silently the captain handed him a
cigar. THANK you. sir" he said, light.
ed it and continued reading:
"June 6.--Had caller today, Climbed
the headland this morning Found vol
cano taking day off. Looking for sign
of Laughing Lass, noticed something
heliographing to me from the waves be-
yond the reef Seemed to be metal. i
guessed tin can. Caught in the swirl.
1t rounded the cape. and came down to
the shore to meet it. Halfway down the
cliff I had better view. / saw 1t was
not tin can. There was dark body
under 1t. which the waves were tossing
about, and as the metal moved with the
body 1t glinted In the sun. Suddenly II
was borne in upon me that an arm was
doing the signaling. waving to me with
a sprightly, even a jocular, friendliness.
Then i saw what 1t really was. 1t was
Handy Solomon and his steel hook. HI
was riding quite high Every now and
again he would bow and wave. He
grounded gently on the sand beach.
planted him promptly. First. however.
Poor stuff and water soaked but still
tobacco Spent quiet afternoon carving
headstone for the dear departed. Pity
1t were that virtues so shining should be
uncommemorated. Idle as the speculation
Is. wonder who my next visitor will be.
Thrackles. hope. Evidently some OF
them have been playing the part OF Pan
dora. Spent last night in the cave. Air
quite fresh.
June Saw the glow again last night.
The surgeon paused in his reading
THAT would be the night Of the 5th
the night before we picked her up
empty"
YES" agreed Captain Parkinson
"That was the night Billy Edwards
Go on"
Saw the glow again last night. Don't
understand 1t. Once should have been
enough for them. This matter of hoard.
Ing tobacco may be sad error. II Old
Spitfire keeps on the way she has today
! shan't need much more. 1t would be a
raw Jest to be burned or swallowed ur
with months supply of unsmoked ciga-
rettes on one. Cave getting shaky. Still
think I'll stick there. AS between being
burned alive and buried alive. I'm for the
respectable and time honored fashion OF
tnterment. Bombardment was mostly tc
the east today, but no telling when II
may shift.
June This morning found body
rolling in the surf. 1t was the body of 9
young man, large and strongly built
dressed in the uniform of an ensign Of
our navy. Surely strange visitor t.
these shores! There was no mark OF
Identification upon him except cigarette
case craven with an pndecipherahle mono.
gram in Tiffany'a most illegible style Of
arrowheaded inscription. This buried
with him and staked the grave with a
headboard. An officer and gentleman. q
youth of friendly ways and kindly living
II one may judge by the face of the dead
and he comes by the same end to the
same goal as Handy Solomon. Why not
And why should one philosophize In Q
book that will never be read? Hold on
Perhaps-just perhaps-it may be read
The officer was not long dead. Ensign.
OF the United States navy do not wander
about untraversed waters alone. There
must be a wars1lip somewhere In the vi
cinity, But why, then. an unburled office,
floating on the ocean? will smoke upor
this luxuriously and plentifully. Iater.
No use. can't solve It. But one thing
do. put up signal pole on the head
lapd and cache this record under 1t this