The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1920-10-15

OCxOIC.
For the elements. there were great
winds and rains and earthquakes. But
| became used in time to all things. ]
planted and harvested my crops OF
barley and corn: I plucked my wild
grapes and dried them into nOurishing
raisins / raised and killed and smoked
and sailed my tame goats, being thus
for variety Of good not so badly served.
And SO through the twelve years dur
Ing which I saw no sign of human
existence on the island other than my
own, until that eventful day on which
[ met with the print Of q mans naked
foot on the sand.
I was then like one thunderStruck.
I listened, I looked, but I could hear
nothing. see nothing. / went up the
shore, down the shore; but there was
only that single footprint Terrified
to the last degree, I ran to my habi-
tation like one pursued and for three
days and nights thereafter I did not
stir out.
After observation / learned that it
was the habit of cannibalS from the
mainland to come to a part Of the
island which I seldom visited to feast
upon the bodies of their captured
enemies. One morning from my look
out l perceived thirty savages dancing
around a fire. They had cooked n
victim { I'd had two more ready for the
fire, when / descended upon them with
two loaded muSketS ard my great
sword. and was in time to save II
which they had not yet eaten. The
saved man I called Friday, in honor
of the day of his rescue, and his was
the first voice | heard in all my %
years on the island. He was young.
intelligent, of a superior ace Of saw
ages and became my trusted compan-
Ion for all the time I remained on the
island.
What Friday told me of the main
land, after | had taught him some
decided me TO leave my island.
We built a boat, this time not too far
from the sea for launching. and were
almost ready to set sail when q saw
ages in three canoes landed on the
island with three prisoners for a feast.
One of the prisoners was a white man,
enraged me. l d0uble>charged
fOwling pieces, four muskets, two
and giving Friday a Ratchet
and also a great dram of rum and
myself my great sword, we descended
and killed all but four of the savages.
One Of the prisoners was Fridays
The white man was a Spaniard.
4 survivor from a ship of which l had
seen the wrecked hull on my island
some years before this. and from which
had taken some 1900 pieces of gold.
)ut of which I made small account
because Of its being Of less value to
than so much sand Of the beach.
The Spaniard and Fridays father l
sent with firearms and food in my
lew boat to bring back the wrecked
rev of the Spanish ship. While wait
ng for their return an English ship
With a mutinous crew put into my
helped the captain GOV
lis ship and took passage with him
or England, leaving on the island the
most mutinOus members with two
oneSt ones who wished also to re-
Later. my Spaniards returned
nd all settled together on the island,
laving their d~issensiOns at first, bu
down finally into a fOurishing
Olony, which some years later 1t was
ny happiness to visit.
After twenty-eight years, two months
nd nineteen days I left my island. l
much Joy of my arrival in
but l was like a stranger
here. MY mother and father were
9th dead, which was unfortunate, as /:
could have been of great service to
hem; for besides the 1000 pieces OF :
old from the Spanish ship, there was :
5000 pounds sterling awaiting me /:
rom an honest friend, a Portuguese /:
aptain to- whom 1 had entrusted my /:
state in the Brazils before setting :
orth on the Inflated errand which :
lrew me for twenty-eight years on
~ island. So pleased was I with his :
onesty that I settled 100 moidures q :
ear on him and fifty moidures a year :
his son, both for life. :
I married and beg0t three children, :
nd except for the n voyage to the :
ID island. Of which I have spoken, l :
no more. So here / am, having :
we'd a life of infinite variety for ~ :
ears. blessed with more than I de- :
,rve and resolved to prepare now for :
le Longest Journey of all. If / have :
armed anything. 1t is a knowledge OF :
le value of retirement and the bless /:
g%of ending our days In peace. /:
opyrig Il 1919, by the Post Publishing CO. .
tThe Boston POST. :
Childhood. I.