The Republican journal., 1910-03-10

tropical bird. The slaves on this planta-
ton were happy, and often sang as they
rested from their days labor, in front of
their cabin doors. They had plenty to
eat and were never flogged, and they low
ed and honored their master, who owned
one of the largest tobacco plantations on
this beautiful island in the sea. John
Whitaker, or Massa Whitaker as his
slaves loved to call him, was clean
man in habits, neither using liquor nor
tobacco, because he had learned early
in life, to his satisfaction, that man
is better off to let liquor alone. Meth
er was he Southerner, as might be
expected by his occupation, but a New
Highlander, having been born in the
State of Maine His father and moth
er had been dead number of years, and
both parents had been born in York
county, Maine, and were among the
early settlers in that part Of the Pine
Tree State. Some ten years after King
Phillips war John Whittaker's father,
then young man, emigrated to Bermuda
at time when there was considerable
tobacco raising on the island. Here he
began growing tobacco in rather small
way, as his health was none too good, but
after a time his health improved under
the warm, balmy skies and he added land
to his plantation year by year until at
the time of his death he left his son, who
as have said was born in Maine during
one of his mothers long visits with her
relatives, one of the largest tobacco
plantations in Bermuda.
1t was situated on Great Bermuda
island, which is some fifteen miles in
length and the largest of the group. A
short distance to the north was the beau
tiful island of Somerset and not far away
St. George. These are the largest and
most important Of the Bermuda islands.
Cedar boats glided swiftly along over the
clear waters between these islands,
whose shores are fringed with luxuriant
foliage. John Whittaker's family con-
sisted of his wife and daughter, Maud,
who was very beautiful girl in person
as we'll as in character. She had been
carefully reared, nurtured and educated
with mothers and fathers loving care,
and tonight her fathers large residence
was all aglow with lights and decorated
with flowers in honor of her goth birthday.
There were paintings, bric-a-brac, books,
ETC., in every room, which gave the home
an air of refinement Many servants
were in waiting. A boat filled with
fashionably dressed young men was being
hurriedly rowed from ST. George by a
powerful slave some As years of age, with
traces of bitterness in his face. The oc-
cupants were on their way to attend the
birthday party at John Whittaker's and
We're evidently late. Occasionally a
young man of the party, Carl Prime, the
son of a wealthy tobacco planter, would
utter an oath and hit the powerful slave
and order him to row faster. Once he
hit him so hard that the oars dropped
out of his hands into the water and as he
leaned over the boats side and picked
them out of the sea with a good deal of
difficulty young Prime kicked his father S
slave SO vigorously that he lost his bal
ance and narrowly escaped falling into
the water. The slave never even looked
up to see if the young man had fallen
overheard, nor had he seemingly paid
any atten ton to the blows he received,
but bending his huge strength to the
oars he soon landed the boat at the shore,
a short distance from the Whitaker
mansion.
Now that Carl Prime and his friends
are enjoying themselves at Maud Whit.
takers party let us take good look al
Phillip, the slave, as he stands on little
cliff projecting out into the sea. He is {
tall. powerful man, with muscles harden
ed by years of toll. His head was cover
ed with cap, exposing his countenanct
fully in the moonlight. He had the dis
tinguished features of his race, rather
coarse black hair cut short, hazel eye:
and high cheek bones, while his face bore
traces Of intelligence. This slave was
none other than the son of the great King
Phillip, who with his mother had beer
sold into slavery and sent to Bermuda
soon after the capture and cruel death Of
his father in the summer Of 1876. Over
forty years had passed away since then
The limbs Of his brave sire, which the
white man hung on trees in Massachu
sets, had long since disappeared. The
colonies were rapidly increasing in popu
lation and wealth, but the opposing
claims Of France and England in the
New World were yet unsettled. The
shouts and war dance of the Indians still
rang through our hills and mountains,
while their arrows and deadly toma.
hawks still whistled through the wilder.
ness, and, like the Jewsat the building Of
Temple, our early settlers kept theil
weapons at their side.
As have said the face of the power
full slave bore intelligence, but tonight il
was sad and sullen and his eyes were
bent on the sea with an air of deep mel
ancholy. Philip was thinking sorrowful