The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-03-15

night one who Is anaccustomcl to the
sound will be kept awake by 1t.
There seems to be Il natural law that
those who don't have to work for a
living consider themselves better than
those who do. Whether It was this i'm
munity from labortor the fact OF the
blue Aztec blood in their veins, these.
Indians would admit of no union
among their people with auy other.
Their cocoanuts brought ships to their
shores, and the sailors necessarily came
ashore to load them. This was always
done by daylight, but when night came
every man on the island must leave.
The Aztecs described by the Spanish
conquerors were Il delicately made
race, and some Of their women in theil
dnsky way were beautiful. So It was
with these Indians Of Central Amer.
lea. They would go to the shore. in
groups while the sailors were loading
their boats with cocoanuts, and doubt
less there were glnnces between them
and the jack turs. But the girls knew
that there must be no further courtlng,
for should there be the life Of one or
both would be forfeited.
One day ship was loading cocoa.
nuts on She shore Of these proud
people. Several girls stood on the
bank watching tic yawls come to the
beach, take on a load Of cocoanuts and
start back for the ship. This getting
boat over the breakers is always an
entertaining sight. Several men walk
Ing III the shallow water would pull!
the boat ont to where the oars might
take hold: then the oarsmen. watching
an opportunity between waves, would
pull Justify in order to pass the next
wave before 1t broke. Unless tie boat
was skillfnlly handled it was liable to
be capsized.
The morning when the girls were
watching the sailors the breakers were
quite high. Tho rudder OF boat COM
Ing from the ship was unshlpped by
striking bar short distance from
tue shore. and. the coxswain not being
able to keep her straight for the shore
her. side, was turned to the incoming
waves, apd she was capsizcd. Some
Of the men i'll her got ashore, aud
some were drowned. One was washed
ashore some distance below where the
boat was to have landed. There he
lay, rolled hither and thithcr by each
succeeding line of foam that slid high
UP on;tlle beach.
The mem who succeeded in getting
ashore alive were helped by the girls.
who waded into the water for the pur.
pose. One girl. seeing the body thai
had becp washed ashore some distance
from the Others, run TO him.
Lying unconscious on the sands, his
light curly hair stirred by the ever
moying water, he was a picture Of
manly beauty. he was Ned Phillips,
considered by his mates the daredevil
OF their number. He never went
ashore that he did not get into scrape
and on several occasions had been
saved by some Of them from getting
killed.
The girl kneeled by him and lifted
his head In her arms. Whether it was
their warmth or the change OF posi-.
ton or that he had been revived by
the air, he opened his eyes and looked
into a dusky face with sympathetic
eyes, all OF which seemed very beau
tiful to him.. He had become exhaust
ed shortly before being thrown up on
the beach and was therefore not very
far gone. He returned the look Of
sympathy With one OF gratitude, admit
ration. love. Then. staggering to his
feet, he pulled himself together, and
the two rejoined the others.
But Ned was not in condition for
anything but rest. He lay down on
the sand, and the girl who had raised
him from the water sat by him and
famed him with a tropical Leaf. For
q. time the other girls stood about them
looking down at Ned's pale face and
limp figure. But young people soon
detest the mating OF those about them,
and one by one the girls stole away
and left them together. Presently one
- kt..s .4ttsn,. ,strt.S -, ,,.s ~. 4