The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1911-02-28

bound he had reached the wooden
stairs, raced down them to the waters
edge and then, impatient of delay,
dashed knee high into the waves and
rescued the bobbing bottle.
Empty it was now. and he tossed 1t
down on the pebbles with an angry
laugh.
ence; he longed inexpressibly for the
haunts of men, Days passed and
weeks slipped away In the dreamy ex-
istence on this tropic isle. The work
on his plantation required little super
vision. and the negro hands appeared
to Idle the long days through, and yet
So. how the crops were harvested
and shipped by mule team to the near
est port where the fruit steamers
touched. His one story Office building
was a tiny affair, and one hours day
was ample to keep his business cor
respondence and accounts In perfect
order His field hands lived In scat
tered huts somewhere about, and In
this isolated region he was often call
ed upon to act as physician to the suf-
fering bodies of his childlike neigh
bors when the voodoo doctors failed
to work cure.
Suddenly he was seized with a de-
sire for home-to see cities full of
white men, to feel the hard pavement
under his feet, to be hemmed in by
cliffs of brick and stone. to hear the
din of traffic and to participate in the
light and gayety of scenes Of pleasure.
By travelling all night he could catch
the fruit steamer that in passing might
drop him at San Juan. From there he
could take steamer for HOME. Now
he thought of home in capital letters.
Rodriguez his Portuguese foreman,
might harvest the next crop He would
see to things later. Now he must go
home.
He rushed into his bedroom, locked
up his books and few personal belong
ings and tossed some clothing into a
bag Servants rushed hither and thith-
er at his commands. Rodriguez has
tened from his abode and received his
orders In stolid acquiescence. A mule
team clattered before the door in the
moonlight, and his traps were bundled
into the wagon. and he took his seat
beside the driver
The long whitewashed building
| cleaned white in the moonlight: the
sea was an expanse of molten gold:
tho ctv choxvad ..f.rc y5fY,ax1of1l t,v' . {,
full moon riding high In the heavens.
There was the heavy scent Of luscious
fruits and flowers. the rank smell OF
vegetation, tie peace of the land of
the palm. bur he cold cities of the
north were calling to him. and he was
going-going home.
Exhilarated, he turned and waved a
farewell to his servants. ''Adiosl
Adiosp he called. throwing silver
among them. Then there broke from
among the palms fringing the planta-
ton running dark form. a man
speeding in haste, and Freeman's heart
sank a little. because he knew the
signs. This messenger was from one
in trouble Some one sick or dying
needed him.
~ will not CO." he told himself fierce.
ly, but when the native had thrown
himself at his feet and begged him to
come to his father Freeman found
himself relenting.
who is your father?" he asked to
gain time. not that 1t mattered, for
there was no caste among his people
1.-The old man of OraguaP' cried the
man. IF the master comes not he
will der
why, he is the voodoo mani Well.
no physician can cure himself. I'll
go. Drive on. Dominique. to Oraguag r.
They plunged into the forest road.
the messenger running beside the cart.
one hand resting on the shaft. Free
man sank into moody reflection. he
regarded this interruption as an au-
| curry that he had. best remain behind