The Mena weekly star. (Mena, Ark.) 1904-1977, 1912-01-04

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"A GENTLEMAN Is EVERY woMAN's GUARD
IAN"
ner of speaking. OF course | am not
your guardian You know you can go
to Guvutu if you want to"-or to the
devil, he was almost tempted to add
only. ! should deeply regret it, that is
all And am very sorry that should
have said anything that hurt you Re
member, am an Englishman."
Joan smiled and sat down again
Perhaps | have been hasty,' she
admitted you see, / am intolerant of
restraint IF you only knew how have
been compelled to fight for my free
dom 1t is sore point with me, this
being told what / am to do or not to
DO by you self constituted lords Of
creation Viaburi. You stop along
kitchen. No bring IN Noa Noah And
now. Mr. Sheldon. what am to do
You don't want me here, aud there
doesn't seem to be any place for me ia
go"
That is unfair Your being wrecked
here has been a godsend to me. l was
very lonely and very sick. | really am
not certain whether or not / should
have pulled through had you not hap
pened along. But that Is not the point.
Personally. purely selfishly personally.
should be sorry 10 see you go. But
am not considering myself. am con
sldering you. Tit is hardly the proper
thing. you know II | were married
IL there were some woman Of your own
race here-but as it is
She threw up her hands in mock de-
SPAR.
II cannot follow you" she said. I'm
one breath you tell me must go. and
in the next breath you tell me there is
no place to go and that you will not
permit me TO 60 What is a poor girl
to doY'
"That's the trouble" he said help
lessly.
And the situation annoys you"
"Only for your sake"
Then let me save your feelings by
telling you that it does not annoy me
at all--except for TIE row you are
making abos. il. never allow what
can't 1e changed to annoy me.
een'C go elsewhere. by your own
count. You certainly can't go else
where and leave me here alone with Il
whole plantation and 200 woolly can
nibals on my hands. Therefore, you
stay, aud l stay. 1t is very simple
Also, it is adventure. And further
more. you needn't worry for yourself.
l am not fundamentally inclined. |
came to the Solomons for a planta
ton. not husband"
Sheldon flushed, but remained silent
II know what you are thinking"
she laughed gayly. THAT If | were a
man. you'd wiring my neck for me-
And / deserve it. too. I'm so sorry.
ought not to keep on hurting your
feelings"
I'm afraid rather invite it." he
said, relieved by the signs Of the
tempest subsiding.
81 have It," she announced. LEND
me gang of your boys for today.
I'll build grass house for myself
over in the far corner of the com
pound-on piles, of course. | can
move in tonight. I'll be comfortable
and safe. The Tahitians can keep an
anchor watch just as aboard ship.
And then I'll study eocoanut planting.
In return, I'll run the kitchen end Of
your household and give you some
decent food to eat. And finally, |
won't listen to any Of your protests.
On the other hand. If you don't agree,
will go across the river, beyond soas
Jurisdiction, and build village for
myself and my sailors, whom | shall
send in the whaleboat to Guvutu for
provisions. And now want you to
teach me billiards"
Joan took hold of the household with
no uncertain grip, revolutionizing
things till Sheldon hardly recognized
the place. For the first time the bun
galow was clean and orderly. No
longer the house boys loafed and did
as little as they could; while the cook
complained that head belong him
walk about too much" from the siren
nous course in cookery which she put
him through. Nor did Sheldon escape
being roundly lectured for his lazi
ness in eating nothing but timed pro
visions. She called MIN a muddIer
and a SLOUGH, and other invidious
names, for his slackness and his dis.
regard of healthful food.
She sent her whaleboat down the
coast twenty miles for lines and or,
anges, and wanted to know scathingly
why said fruits had not long since
been planted at Berande, while he was
beneath contempt because there was
no kitchen garden. Mummy apples
which he had regarded as weeds
under her guidance appeared as appe
tizing breakfast fruit, and, at dinner
were metamorphosed into puddings
that elected his unqualified admire
ton. She or her sailors dynamited
fish daily. while the Balesuna natives
were paid tobacco for bringing in
oysters from the mangrove swamps
Among other things. she burned the
peStilential hospital. quarreled viii
Sheldon over the deed aud In anger
SCI her own saen 20 work building q
new and what she called decent hos
pitnl. She robbed the windows Of their
lawn and Muslin curtains. replacing
them With Taudy calico from the trade