The Richfield recorder. (Richfield, Idaho) 1909-1931, 1909-06-03

AuSWtItu, yes, " nudltCi 40 Inv a.
t not, with pitiless realities, the tender
D Pigment of a dream No, he said, he
= dared not expose himself to a possible
1 disillusion to play into the hands OF
I, sardonic nature, ever hooking at man.
t No, but he would carry his ship close
in shore and watch from the bridge the
! unfolding bays and tiny settlements of
, that lost paradise, and then, dipping
| his flag to his vanished youth, he
would sink over the horizon. his mem
ory thrilled and his sentiment unim-
! paired, to set his face for England.
Dawn was breaking as he slowed
down to leeward of the island and
watched the shadows melt away. 1t
was Sunday, day of heavenly calm,
fresh yet MINDLESS, with sea so
smooth that the barrier reefs for once
were silent, and one could hear, from
across the hushed and shining water,
the coo of pigeons in the forest. I'm
der bare steerage way, with the leads
man droning in the forechains, the
ship Rugged the shore and steamed at
a snail's pace round the island. On
thC iOAtJ DhAd5Ct ms oOVNS LIZ 49,
dering faces of his command. the
white haired captain, impressive, su-
preme and solitary, gave no sign of
those inner emotions that were de-
vouring him. Along the shore the
sight of the battleship brought out
here and there startled figure or
group. A couple of laughing girls,
astride on ponies, raced the Inhexible
for a mile, and then, their road end
ing in precipice, threw kisses with
their saucy hands. Little children ran
out into the lagoon, shouting with joy; |
old men, in Sunday clothes and with |
black Bibles under their arms, turned |
their solemn eyes to seaward and for
got for a moment the road to church
A white man, in striped pajamas, was
surprised at morning coffee on the We
randa of his little house. He darted
inside and reappeared with a maya
zine rifle, which he emptied in the air
and followed up his courtesies by rails
ing and lowering a union jack the
size Of a handkerchief The battle
ship dipped her stately white ensign
In acknowledgment, as a swan might
salute a gnat and swept on with
majesty
With every mile the bays and
wooded promontories grew increasing
ly familiar as Sir John was borne to-
ward Lihua, the scene of his boyish
folly. He looked ashore in wonder,
at the vividness and exact
ness of his recollection He might
have landed anywhere and found his
way through those tangled, scented
paths, with no other guide but mem {
Try.
There was Papaloloa, with its roar S
ng falls; there, the IL a a Peau, where
lie had shot his first goat; yonder the |
misty heights Of Tiarapu, where Te-
lea and he had camped a night in the {
LIQUIDS in an air of English cold 1t
vas like Homecoming to see all
hese familiar scenes spreading out
efore him. He looked at his hands,
is thin, yeined, wrinkled hands, and
came over him, with a sort Of sur
rise, that he was an old man.
"That was forty years ago. he said
} himself. Forty years agow
AS Lihua opened out and he per
eived with an inexpressible pang,
ne matched houses set deep in the
lade of palms and breadfruit trees,
e felt himself in the throes of Il !
range and painful indecision He |
aced up and down the bridge; he lit |
cigar and threw 1T away again; he |
vice approached Commander Still /
ell as though to give an order, and I
en-, still in doubt, turned shame |
cedly on his heel |
by the deep miner came the hoarse [
urmur of the leadsman.
1t lay with him to stop the ship or
ia word and she would come shiv- |
ing to standstill; word and the
atswain would pipe away his gig l.
d the crew would be running to
cir places. His heart ached with
: desire to land; but something-he
ew not what-withheld the order on
lips. Let him remain silent and
, opportunity would pass away for
er. 1t was passing now with every I
n of the propeller Had he not told
: he would return? Had he not
ispered it that night when they ne
re torn apart? Did he not owe it
her to keep the promise Of forty lab
rs, promise given in the flush of he
18th and hope, and sealed with scald- wit
tears? sky
Us resolution was taken. He or ton
ed Commander Stillwell to stop the acc
, and lower a boat on
am going to treat myself to a der,
ashore" he said by way of ex- glet
nation. fror
be vessel slowly stopped. The Gov b
were whipped off the gig. She was tain
ited ont and lowered. the crew INNS
piping down the ladder into their on
res at the peep-peep-pee of the and
site. Won
leave the Ship" said Sir John, not he b
onvey fact patiently obvious, but won
bedience to naval formula. alou
e was landed at little cove where kiss,
'ygone days he had often whiled with
y an hour in charge of Hadow's coul