Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1920-01-13


would hardly have accepted If os .
gift; and his almost painful emacia-
ton gave him generally the appear
ance OF an animated framework of
rags and bones, startlingly embodying
the voice and. the manners of a prince.
Yet the shabby tie about his neck was
bound by ring, in which was set a
turquoise of great size and beauty.
Presently, as we loitered on through
the palms, we came upon two negroes
ch0pping away with their machetes.
trimming up the debris of broken and
decayins palm fans. They were both
sturdy, ferocious-looking fellows. but
one of them was veritable giant.
Behold by bodyguard!' said my
magnificent friend. with the usual pos
sessive wave of his hand: "my
Switzers. my Janissaries, so to say
The negroes stopped working.
touched their great straw hats, and
flashed their splendid teeth in de-
lighted smile. Evidently they were
used to their masters ways of talking.
anu NSiC OCNOlcu ~ UliI.
This chap here is Erebus." said
my host, and the appropriateness of
the name was apparent, for he was
certainly the blacklist negro l had ever
seen. as superbly black as some wom-
en- are superbly white.
And this is Samson. Let's have q
look at your muscles, Samson-there's
good boy!'
And. with grins of pleasure, Sam
son proudly stripped off his thin calico
jacket and exposed a torso of terribly
ing power, but beautiful in its play of
muscles as that of a god.
Leaving Samson and Erebus to con-
tinue their savage play with their
machetes, we walked on through the
palms, which here gave particularly
junglelike appearance to the scene
from the fact of their being bowed
out from their roots and sweeping up
ward in great curves. One involunta-
rily looked for man-eating tiger at
any moment, standing striped and
splendid in one of the openings.
Then suddenly to the right, there
came flash of level green, suggesting
lawns, and the outlines of a house,
partly covered with brillia, purple
flowers-a marvellous splash Of color.
'Bougainvillea Bougainvillea spec
tabilis-of course, you know it. Was
there ever such purple? Not Solo
mon in all his glory, ct cetera. And
here we are at the house of King
Alcinous-a humble version of it in
deed"
1t was a large rambling stucco
house, somewhat decayed looking,
and evidently built on the ruins of an
older building. We came upon it at a
broad Italian-looking l0ggia, supported
by stone pillars bowed in with vines
very cool and pleasant-with messy
slabs for its floor, here and there
tropical ferns set out in tubs, some
wicker chairs standing about, and a
table at one side on which two little
barelegged negro girls were busy set
ting out yellow fruit, and other APP
purtenances of luncheon, on dazzling
white cloth.
Has your mistress returned yet.
my children?" asked the master
mo, sar," said the older girl. with
giggle, twisting and grimacing with
embarrassment.
MY daughter" explained my host.
''has gone to the town on an errand.
She will be back at any moment.
Meanwhile, shall introduce you to a
cooling drink of my own manufacture,
with a basis of that coconut milk
which | need not ask you whether you
appreciate, recalling the pleasant
circumstance of our first acquaint-
ance."
Motioning me to q seat, and pushing
toward me box of cigarettes, he went
indoors, leaving me to take in the
stretch of beautiful garden in front of
me, the trees of which seemed literal
ly to be hung with gold-for they were
mainly of orange and grapefruit
ranged round a spacious beautifully