Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1914-01-20

addressing Mort by his Kanaka title,
Twill you not get your violin-that
wonderful violin-and you. Masiofu
Mirovna, take your seat at the piano
so that my last picture Of you both
may be as | have always loved you
best, with your music following me
out into the night?"
John Mort glowed at the request, the
poetic fancy of 1t touching him to the
quick. He drew the violin from Its
case, his face transfgured, his eyes
scintillating and impassioned, as he
gave few swift strokes of the bow
to test the tuning.
Music is the only language-the d.
vine language" he exclaimed. "and
how far surprising the stupid COM
lnonplace of words! Captain, you are
u thousand times right, and all our af-
fection for you, all our sorrow, all our
unuttered hopes and prayers for you.
will find their voice In what play"
When once the violin had touched
his chin John Mort became different
man. He was strangely ennobled; the
glamor of his genius lent dignity and
beauty to his gaunt frame; bis thin,
haggard, deeply lined face took on
new expression, so rapt, so inspired,
that he might have been in communion
with another world. That night he
played as Matt had never heard him
play before, with an intensity, fire.
an uncomfortable pathos that wrung the
soul.
He had taken as motive one
Of those simple, plaintive German folk
songs, passing from improvisation to
improvisation till 1t seemed the cry OF
all suffering, doomed humanity. Mirov-
ma, herself a brilliant musician, was
quick and apt In following and to
Matt's unframed ear marvelously re-
Bponsive and marvelously perfect.
An hour later he was aboard the
North Star, and the rustling land
breeze was bearing him out Of the
lagoon on the long slant north. Six
years Of his life were sinking with the
palms behind him.
.
Extract from the San Francisco
Chronicle of January "a, 1904:
RESCUE AT SEA
among the passengers yesterday on
board the incoming Oceanic Steamship
.company's Mariposa were Captain
Broughton and nine south sea island
ers, of the schooner North Star, cap
sized in north latitude "a, west longi-
tude 1872, during a heavy squall. Cap
tain Broughton was below at the time,
and hardly managed to scramble ~out
of his cabin before the ship went over.
The disaster Is ascribed to the care
lessness Of the Kanaka crew. who were
all asleep ut the moment the squall
struck the vessel, which was lying be-
calmed with her sails up.
"The crew, none Of whom drown
ed, contrived to perch themselves on
the ships bottom. and after four days
of intense suffering were picked up by
the w. H. Hall of this city, In lumber
for Suva, Fiji. The Hall. in her turn.
transferred them to the mail steamer,
which was fortunately intercepted q
week later.
Captain Broughton cannot speak too
highly of the extreme kindness Of Cap
tain Hayward. Purser Smith, and the
officers and passengers Of the Mari
posa toward himself and his crew. A
concert was given In aid of the ship
wrecked mariners, and the sum OF
$31S.75 realized on their behalf.
"The North Star was Of seventy-four
tons register. built at Bath. Me-, In
1884, and carried no insurance. 1t was
learned from Captain Broughton that
she had been employed in the copra
trade for many years. and was on her
way to this port for drydocking and
repairs. Western bound ship masters
| are warned to look out for the derelict,
which was still afoat when last
sighted"
The loss of the North Star. together
with the coin In the ships safe. cost
Matt between $4,000 and $4,000. The
vessel had not been insured, owing to
tho troublesome and prying questions