The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1910-11-11

story of danger and distress. The rival claimant
of the throne had demanded her hand IN mar
rage, and had promised to spare the lie OF hef
father II she would consent to become his queen
It was but matter OF weeks, possibly OF days
till his force would be strong enough to back MS
arrogant demands In the end the white man
knew that the island beauty had fallen in love
with him. She pleaded with him to stay and help
her escape from the clutches Of the oppressor.
1t Is possible that Thompson would have lin
gered for time If his companions had not been
eager to get away from the island before the civil
war began They were traders and as such they
did not care to take sides in the dispute IL
might hurt their business chances in case they
ever made another trip to the island. Inc ahchor
was lifted, the brown sails spread and the ugly
little schooner slipped out of the harbor OF Nal
keva while Thompson stood on her deck and
waved farewell to the imperous little island
beauty At the very last she had reminded MN
Of his promise to return to Naikeva
It was weeks after the departure of the ship
from Naikeva that Thompson was dramatically
reminded of his promise to the Princess Laka-
nita. The sun had just set one night and Thomp-
son was lying on deck smoking and watching the
swift tropic dark up out of the east ma
tive canoe scraped against the scho0ners side
and native heard calling for the white
man with the blue eyes," He brought aboard
and proved to be the faithful messenger of the
distressed princess. He had followed the schoon-
er across leagues of unknown seas in his open
canoe searching for the only upon whom she
could rely for aid.
The end was at hand in Naikeva, and Iaka-
nita and her father were about to be put to death
Help must come quickly, and it was more than
possible that it was now too late. That night the
stanch little trading vessel pointed her prov
toward Naikeva. In the final melee along the
sands the old king and his rival were both slaiI
and Thompson stunned by blow from
war club In the hands of a savage fighting man
When he revived he and his men began hun
of determination for all the revolters. They wer
wiped out and their villages fired before the part
returned to the kings village, where the schoone
lay anchored Then the white hero was strcke
by one of the malignant island fevers, brough
on by his injury on the beach,
1t was many days before he was able to RET
ognize his free-trading companions. The princes
i had been his devoted nurse through his DANCE
attack of tropical fever Now that he was abor
d to leave the island forever she grew sorrowfl
t and listless. She dropped like dying flower
+ the ships preparations for sailing were ben
e made. All his promises to return brought on fl
# of passionate weeping on the part of the lit
It princess She wanted him to stay.
a. 81 fought that fever when it tried to take W
e away from me, and it was all for nothing" WI
" her constant reply, "and now that you are We
IS the white men are taking you away where LAX
N nita can never hope to see you again"
le In the end her pleadings won. After all the
N nothing in the outer world to which he car
Id to go back.
The good news spread quickly over the lit
he kingdom. "The Child of the Sun" was to W
So their princess and rule them in the wise ways
he the white man.
ID After twenty-five years of idyllic happine
sh Thompson, the iovelorn youth who fed FRI
er the covert jeers Of the town of his birth, died
nd king in far-of Naikeva. The princess still liz
of and his two will reign in his place. 7
rio silence Of twenty-five years has been broken
he the news Of his passing away surrounded to
er last by his dusky retainers.