You must hurry or it will be too late,”
said the coming man. With some doubt still, but trusting to his friend’s
good faith, knowing he was alone, cut off from all the world, Keawe
signed, and the deed was taken away. Patiently they waited for weeks to
finish the business, “and then,” said Keawe, “you will have a home.” But
the lawyer did not come, and evaded Lilia’s eager questions.
One day when returning to the cavern, her heart stood still as she saw
slowly emerging from its mouth, several police officers, bearing on a
rough litter the helpless form of her beloved Keawe. At a glance she saw
the whole base deception. Her stepfather had betrayed their secret hiding
place, and the end had come! With a frantic wail of despair, she flung
herself at their feet and begged and implored. But her entreaties were
vain, and the sick man was taken to Hookena where the steamer was waiting.
At the landing, as the boat drew near the shore, she learned that he was
to go alone and then her grief knew no bounds. As he was put on board and
turned his imploring eyes on her she made a desperate attempt to go too,
and in her struggle her clothing was almost torn away. The officers of
the law thought they were doing their duty, but their eyes were full of
pity. “Keawe! Oh Keawe, my beloved husband!” she cried, “let me go with
you!” But no answer came. The steamer turned her head towards the sea,
and he was gone. She fell to the earth, and lay with buried face for many
minutes. It seemed to her that nothing was left and bitterly she mourned
her loss. But suddenly starting, she asked eagerly for a horse, which was
furnished at once by a sympathetic friend. Mounting, she went without
stopping for rest or food until, on the second day, Kawaihae was reached.
Soon a steamer came, and she went to Honolulu, only to hear on landing
that Keawe had died on the trip down. Giving way to despair, she dejected,
sought the house of an aunt, where she was kindly received, and there she
remained for several months.
“And that is the story,” said the Native.
“It is rather sad, but she was a heroine sure enough,” said the Planter.
The pale light of the crescent moon served only to render the landscape
shadowy. All nature rested. An owl fluttered slowly by and a soft murmur
from far below told that the restless sea alone moved. There was no other
sound. The riders mounted and silently stole away.
SAMUEL COLERIDGE-TAYLOR, COMPOSER
_A Sketch_
_By Booker T. Washington_
FROM THE MUSICIAN
It is given to but few men in so short a time to create for themselves
a position of such prominence on two continents as has fallen to the
lot of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor. Born in London, August 15, 1875, Mr.
Coleridge-Taylor is not yet thirty. His father, an African and a native
of Sierra Leone, was educated at King’s college, London, and his medical
practice was divided between London and Sierra Leone.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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