The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1910-11-04

story Of danger and distress. The rival claimant
OF the throne had demanded her hand in mar.
riage, and had promised to spare the life Of her
father II she would consent to become his queen
1t was but matter OF weeks, possibly of days.
till his force would be strong enough to back his
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 II his companions had not been
eager to get away from the island before the civil
war began. They We're traders, and as such they
did not care to take sides in the dispute It
might hurt their business chances in case they
ever made another trip to the island. The anchor
was lifted the brown sails spread and the ugly
little schooner slipped out of the harbor of Mai
keva while Thompson stood on her deck and
waved farewell to the imperous little island
beauty. AT the very last she had reminded him
OF his promise to return to Nakeva
IL was weeks after the departure of the ship
from Naikeva that Thompson was dramatically
reminded of his promise to the Princess Laka-
nlta The sun had just set one night and Thomp.
son was lying on deck smoking and watching the
swift trop1c dark come up out of the east A ma.
tive canoe scraped against the schooner's side
and native was heard calling for "the white
man with the blue eyes," He was brought aboard
and proved to be the faithful messenger of the
distressed princess. He had followed the scboon.
er across leagues of unknown seas in his omen
canoe searching for the only man upon whom she
could rely for aid
The end was at hand in Naikeva, and Laka.
mia and her father were about to be put to death
heip must come quickly, and it was more than
possible that 1t was now too late That night the
little
toward Naikeva In the final melee along the
sands the old king and his rival were both slain
and thompson was stunned by blow from
war cruz IN the hands Of savage fighting man
When ne revived he and his men began hunt
OF determination for all the reyolters They were
wiped out and their villages fred before the partv
returned TO the kings village where the schooner
lay anchored. Then the white hero was stricken
ny one OF the malignant island feyers. brought
on by his injury on the beach.
IT was many days before he was able to rec
osnlze his free-trading companions. The nrinces,
had been his devoted nurse through his danger.
Gus attack of tropical fever Now that he was ahou,
10 leave the island forever she grew sorrowfrl
and hstless. She dropped like diving flower q.
the shlps preparations for sailing were being
MADE All MS promises to return brought on fts
Vi passionate weeping on the part of the little
princess. She wanted him to stay.
1 fought that fever when It tried to t.k. uo,
away from me, and it was all for nothing" was
her constant reply, "and now that Won arc woIl
the white men are taking you away where Laka.
nlta can never hope to see you again"
IN the end her pleadings won. After all there
was nothing in the outer world to which he cared
to go back. o"teu
Inc good news spread quickly over the little
kingdom' The Child of the Sun" was to we'd
their princess and rule them in the wise ways OF
the white man. VI
After twenty-five years of idv,Ifc bonn,no,.
thompson, the iove-lorn youth who fed fron,
the covert jeers of the town of his birth died
KING in faroff Naikeva. The princess still uvea
and MS two sons will reign in his place. The
silence OF twenty-five years has been broken nv
the news of his passing away surrounded to the
last by his dusky retainers.