The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1914-03-19
CHAPTER |.
In tho Wilds.

no business 10 tell Ill 10 me or 10
II. amy otncr may credit the Sc
ductive influence OF an old vim
taSe upon the narrator for the begin
mig OF IT and my own Skepticul i'm
credu'ity during the days that follow
Ell for the balance Of the strange tale.
| do not say the story is true. for |
did not witA"Ss the happenings which
il portrayS
The yellow. mildewcd pages of the
diary OF Elan long dead and the rec
ords OF the colonial office dovetail per-
fcctly wi:h -" narrative Of IVY coz
vivial host, and SO give YOU the story
MS pleCcd il out from these several
various agencies
II You do not find ii credible. YOU
will at least bc as one with me in ac-
knowledSing that it is unique, remark
able ana interesting.
From the records OF the colonial Of
flee and from the dead mans diary we
learn that Il certain young English no
bleman. whom we shall call John Clay
ton. Lord GrcyStoIic. WAS commission
cd to undertake Il peculiarly delicate
investigation of conditions i'm British
west CoaSt African colony from whose
natives another European power was
known TO Ice recruiting soldiers for its
army. which latter ii used solely for
the forcible collection Of rubber ana
ivory from the savage tribes along the
KOngo and the Aruwimi
We learn also that ON a bright May
morning in 1855 John, Lord Grcystokc,
and his bride. Lady Alice. sailed from
Dover on their way 20 Africa
\ month later they arrived mt Free
town. where they chartered small
sailing vessel the Fuwalda. which was
to bear them TO their final destination.
And here John Lord GrcyStokc. and
Lady Alice. his wife. vanished from
the eyes and from the knowledge of
men.
Two months after they weighed an
Choir and cleared from the port of
Freetown. Il half dozen british war
vessels were securing the south Allan
tic for trace Of them or their little YES
sci, and it was almost Immediately that
the wreckagc was found upon the
shores of st Helena which convinced
the world that the Fuwalda had gone
down with all on board, and thus the
search was stopped ere IL had scarce
begun.
We know now that the crew of the
Fuwalda mutinied. slew her officers
and spared John Clayton and his wife
because Of favor done To- 'thc leader
of the mutincers 10y Clayton Later
the crew. fearing discovery set John
fI.,v 81 IL.
wild west coast of Africa, giving them
sufficient arms and tools 10 enable
them to maintain life with work
Near the shore Clayton built little
cabin for himself and his wife. They
endured much hardship seeing no hu-
man creature. but watched often by
the giant apes which iufcSt that region
one day Clayton imprudcnuy left his
wife alone. ana she WAS attacked aud
injured by one Of the great apes Clay.
ton slew the beast ana bore his wife
back 10 the cabin
That night little SON was born iu
the tiny cabin beside the primcval for.
est. while great tiger screamed he.
fore the door and the deep notes of
the lions roar sounded from beyond
the ridge
Lady Grcysiotc never recovered
from the shock NJ the great apes ut.
tack. and tIJu-h she lived for year
after Der baby was born. size was ucv.
or again outside thc cabin. nor did she
ever fully realize thnt She vns not I'm
England
in other ways she was quito rational.
mi the i"y and llrrirrs- she took ion
ihp posscfsiuu of her little son md The
constant attentions Of her husband
made that year q very happy one for
her. the lHppic-t OF her life
Long since had clayton given up any
hope OF rescue. oycopt through acct
dent With uuarmUug zeal be had
worked lo hcWufy the interior Of tho
cubiu
skins of iou and tiger covered the
floor Cuphoads and bookcases lined
the walls odd vases made by bis own
hands from the clay of the region held
beautiful tropical flowers. Curtains OF
gluss and bamboo covered the win
dows. and. most arduous task OF all
WITH bis menger assortment OF tools.
hr hnd fashioned lumber 20 neatly seal