Rensselaer Republican, Volume 19, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 May 1887 — JOSIE’S TRIBULATIONS [ARTICLE]

JOSIE’S TRIBULATIONS

Or, Siren of Trivet's Point. •Well, Gertie,” said Josie Fiske, despairingly. “I do not care what any one may say, I do not think that I should be blamed so" much. I was a belle in society and taught never to think of money. I dressed as did others of my station, and now that papa is dead, and there is-nothing left for ns, every one lays the blame at my door; my young companions who often expressed their undying affection for me—each-aud every one of them have left me to myself most cruelly; the business men to whom papa was under obligations, that 1 knew nothing of, glare nt me in the streets. Geordie Blaksley has turned against me, too, and now here is Aunt Patience’s letter saying that she “will give you a home, but will have nothing to do with that extravagant dirt, Josie.” I never flirted in my life, never hardly spoke to a man except Geordie. All the world has turned against me, and I wish that I were dead.” “I think that Aunt Patience’s letter is unkind myself," replied Gertie, the younger sister. “And IJo ihink that we might get along some way without my going to her, she is so very penurious.” “Gertie, you must go. I haven’t a cent left; one mouth will be to beg for than two. Go you must, and as I said a minute ago, I wish that I were dead.” Here the young girl who,when her face waa not swollen by weeping, was possessed of great beauty, burst into tears once more, and her sister, who was younger, plainer, ■nd far less excitable, drew her head down upon her own shoulder. “What shall I do?” thought Gertie. “This has been going on all through the night; she will worry herself sick, and my train starts at noon. How can 1 leave her without a friend, and penniless, and in debt" The sound of a heavy footfall upon the stairs which led to their attic roused Josephine from her pitiful sobbing once more. “Mrs. Thompson,” she exclaimed. “I do hope she will not ask me for money.” Gertie slipped her sister’s head from its place upon her shoulder to the hard pillow of their poverty-stricken couch, stepped across the room, and opened the door. “Be you Barker Fiske s gals?” This was the unexpected question which greeted them fronrthe unexpected apparition at the door. It was evidently a sun-burned sailor with the breath of old ocean still about him.

“We are,” replied Gertie, looking at him doubtfully. “Wai, I can't expect you to know me, as you’ve never seen me. lam Trivet, your father's brother.” “Uncle Trivet," cried Gertie, in relieved Tones. “Walk in, please.” “Don’t try that 'are on me—the uncle I mean. I’m Trivet, that an’nothin’more.” “You look very much like papa,” stammered Gertie, hardly knowing how to address her strange relative. “As much’s a crab’s like a codfish,” said the man who wished to be called Trivet, walking into the room and seating himself not far from Josephine. “In course you've beam about me, though your father was so gret a gentleman that I didn’t keer to associate with him. I come to to.wn a few days ago with a load of sponges an’ I’ve been up to Patience’s, and she tole me the hull mess—how she wouldn’t her the oldest one of ye. because she was such a wild, extravagant critter, Josephus, I think she oalledhw. . .. “Josephine,” corrected Gertie, gravely. “Wall, now, I felt kinder sorry for the gal. Is it you or the sick one?” “It is my sister,” replied Gertie. “Wai, as I said. I was sorry, an’ I tho’t I’d drop in an' tell her, es she wanted to go back with me on the sloop, an’ keep my cabin daytimes when I was out after sponges she could; but she might as well know where my cabin is. It's on the south bank of Hayti, an' she won't git a new gown in-six months, an’ no chance for flirtin’ witn%he fellows." “UnJle, may I go?” exclaimed Josie, sitting up quickly and wiping her swollen eyes. “Did you really say so? May I.' May I go, dear uncle?" “None of that. I tell you Trivet’s my name—*.s

“But it seems so.disrespeetful,” -returned Josie, who was not as easily awed as Gertrude. “You must call me Trivet, Josephus.” “Well, I will. then. Am I really to go?” “If you kin be ready to start in_an hour-” “All I have is a trunkful of clothing, and Gertie, you can go to Aunt Patience, and be sure to write to me every week.” “Ther' ain't no mail wher' I live.” The girls stared blankly at each other, and Trivet continued: “I comes to this port about once in three months with sponges. Yer'll hev to direct yer letters here.” «. The girls were silent for a moment, and then Josephineesrdaimed: “Well, that is better than no news. And «o everything is settled so quickly and so pleasantly. How cnn we ever thank you. dear uncle:” “Trivet," corrected their eccentric relative. taking a much-soiled red silk handkerchief from his pocket and wiping his face with it. Observant Gertrude thought that his eve§. were inclnded in the-movement, -"blit she conKFhet- be - certain,dakTas great tarpaulin hat completely shaded them'. There was but one more disagreeable tiling connected with their departure, and Gertie drew - *U«ntiou to that by mentioning the single name of “Mrs. Thompson.” “IseftTeT with yer landlady coinin' up," said J rive', brusquely. Two hours later the three were’Separated, Get tie being on board the train which bote her to the home of her maiden aunt, down in the valley of the Susquehanna, and Josie, whom her uncle persisted in ealling Josephus, being with Trivet on boaid a small sjoop Outward bound for the banks of Hayti, where near by were the water,s< in whicli-be (love for sponges and where, too, he brought tip-shells and corals from the bottom of the sea. In spile of her false friends- and recreant lover, Josie was the happier of the two gijis, for fate had doled out io her the lot Of all others best for her state of nr nJ and heart, ah utter change. \ She was entirely inexperienced in even the simplest home duties, 1 nt Trivet seemed to expect this and good-naturedly taught her the workings of the domestic economy of his bachelor cabin.

She grew interested in his work, too, as time went on, and she grew invaluable to him, her quick eye readily selecting the grades of the sponges which he had prepared for market. Her career as a society belle had taught her which shells were choicest and what branches of blood-red or of pure white coral were most valuable. From" toying with the white keys of her grand piano she now sorted shells nnd washed coral s.and at length, her false lover being forgotten, she began to send forth her merry voice in the songs she loved, until the wild shores echoed again, and she soon became known among the sparse English-speaking population of the island aS the “Siren of Trivet’s Point-.” And sirens are not wont to sing in vain. Trivet was Ix-ginnlng to dread to dive to the bottom of the sea, even in his diving bell,. as had been his custom, and at length he employed on, board sloop two men whosfe business it was to go to the de|ffbs of the sea in search of the masses of sponge and to cut them loose from the rocks to which they clung. One of-these divers was a fine-looking voting man, Harold Reasoner by name, a finished gentleman, as Josie found upon acquaintance, for nearly always now she went ont on the sloop with her uncle, who informed every one with whom be came in contact that he was “nowhere without Josephus.” The other was a Spanish-American, a young man, too, dark-browed and tine-ap-pearing. His name was Carlos Martine, and he had not been an hour on board the sloop before he fell head and ears in love with Josie.

And Jcjsie knew it, too, but she could see nothing pleasing in the piercing eyes nnd swarthy complexion of Carlos Martine, although she did find an attraction in the reserved and gentlemanly Harold Reasoner, who, although he treated Josie very politely, yet showed no signs of any especial liking for her. With Carlos Martine it was different. Every moment he could spare from his duties found him by her side with so much of meaning in his eyes that she felt almost frightened, and kept very close by Trivet. Still the man persisted in keeping near her.

One evening when the darkness had crept close down upon the waters, the little sloop being later than usual, Trivet complained of being ill and Josie attempted to remain in the little cabin. “No, no,” exclaimed Trivet. “I can’t feel safe a minute, Josephus, unless you keep a lookout for the light. NoHTmlnute; you must go on deck. ” “But, Trivet, I dislike to greatly.” “All a whim. Reasoner or Martine will take care of you as well as I could.” _ The two men were standing near, and Mr. Reasoner only bowed gravely, but Mr. Martine came forward with almost obsequious politeness and offered his services in anything which Miss Josie might command him. “I think, then, Mr. Reasoner,” said Josie, not appearing to notice his words, “if you will go forward with me I will keep a lookout for the light.” The livid look which came across the face of the Spaniard at thus’being ignored would have caused a sensation of fear to a stouter heart than Josie’s. She caughtup her wrap and walked hastily along, Harold Reasoner having some difficulty in keeping pace with her until they were out of Martine's hearing, when he said, noticing her frightened actions: “Are you afraid of Martine, Miss Fiske?” “I am, truly,” replied Josie, frankly. “And that was the reason, Mr. Reasoner, that I asked you for your escort. I would not have been afraid alone, if it had not been for him. ”

“You need have no fears,” returned Harold Reasoner, arranging a cushion for Josie to sit’ upon just where the best view of the darkened harbor was to be had. “Miss-Fiske,” he resumed after a pause, “pardon my curiosity, but is not this a strange life for an educated lady like yourself to lead?” “It is. certainly not the life I once expected to lead,” replied Josie. Yet lam happy here. I have found a contentment I never knew in the old life.” “It is almost the same with myself. It was not of necessity that I chose this peculiar mode of life, away from my friends, yet I thought of it with a repugnance too great to be described when I first contemplated it, but I too am happy.” “If. you.thought of it with repugnance, and it was not of necessity that you came here, why did you come?” questioned Josie, fearlessly. “Sometime I will tell you that, Miss Josie, if we get to be friends. I hope that we shall be.” A rush of emotion kept Josie from making any reply, and the supercilious voice -of silence. “You are so interested in your conversation that you have forgotten the light. See we are going into harbor without your assistance.” “You are right, Martine, upon my word,” replied Harold Reasoner, laughing pleasantly, ami, without speaking, Josie hurried back to Trivet’s side. After this she was often relieved from the Spaniard's society by the presence of Mr. Reasoner. who proved himself a very pleasing companion, yet Carlos 'Martine was not discouraged, and one morning' when Josie had remained at the cabin, sliwas surprised to see him coming up the sbell-T ordered walk toward the door. “tided morning. Miss Josie,” be began. “I did not go out on the sloop to-day. I preferred lather tofly to your side, and tell you of the love which ~ik consuming my being.” Josie was silent, as much from fear as anything and the Spaniard. entered, the cabin, and without invitation seated himself and continued: “Trivet.is aged. It is not long that he can attend to the stool'. Y hen we are married I will take it off his hands; and his latter davs can be davs of rest.”

‘Air. Maitine we shall never be mnrrietl. 1 am sure I never gave you reason to speak to t::e as yon have spoke ~ “You gave me every, encouragement uutil yo;:-- yes youfejl in love with Reasoner, a man who left behind llim rs sweetheart or a wife iu the States, who knows which it is?” “It is nothing to me, I shall itever marry you. that is certain.” -“Arnr-wtH,-or I ~wiH i utaknifeJOL the heartof the villain who Lasstolenyou from me.” Josie sank back in afirigtit, and toHeF great lelief the~voice of 'Tiivt t WiiS iieard eallinp to Martin? fnm odittle distance. ‘ AVe've got to her veTaftexMl.T "CoineAs .ini a 1 vnh .7” And Josie raised her hand anu pointing i o the door said: “G o. if ypu do uot wish me to tell him of your coaanlly threats.” Carlos Martine, his eyes still flaming withanger. lulled his hat down over his eyes and hissed as he left the cabin; I “Dare to tell Reasoner one word of this and his death shall be but the more cerThrough all that Jong day Josie went about her duties with a troubled mind, and it was not altogether the threats of her dastardly suitor which troubled her. It was the insinuation concerning Harold Reasoner. But at length the cloud upon her brow cleared away and she said to herself; “I do not believe it. My own intuitions tell me that it is false, and as for Martine's threats, he will find that Ido not care for them, for I shall tell Trivet to-night.” And that evening after the sloop, came

in she told her uncle the Btory, and he laughed aloud as he Inid liis rough hand upon her golden head. “He was mud. Reasoner is stronger’n him. any time. I can’t afford to lose Martine's help jest for-n tit o’temper. He's a clippin’ diver, but I’ll take care that he does not come pear you again.” ’ ’» i Josie said nothing more, and although Martine came no more to the cabin nor np- ' proached her when on board the sloop, she could not quite forget his angry words. Harold Reasoner had become her veritable shadow now, undone evening when they were walking together in the moonlight on the sands he said to her suddenly: “Josie. will'yOU be my wife?” “I will, Harold,”’replied Josie with the frankness which was characteristic with her. “Darling," he exclaimed, gathering her to him, “do you remember that I told yon once that it was not of necessity that 1 came here,.and that it was with repugnance that I at first thought of this life?” “I remember.’ “Well, Jose, darling, can yon bear it? ft was because a woman jilted rue that I came here." A choking,"suffocating sensation arose in Josie's breast! but after a mqment she crowded it down, for n thought of Geordie Blaksley came into her mind. “Can you forgive me for believing that I loved another woman?” whispered Harold. “I can, I think,” replied Josie with some difficulty, and then she,,whispered to him of the old days when she had been engaged to her old-time lover, and of the trouble from which Trivet had rescued her.

There was perfect faith between the lovers when they parted, and only once did the Spaniard's threats come to her mind, and that was after they ha t parted, and she thought of Harold's last words. “Martine and myself are going out early in the morning, along the reef, a new ground for us, and we must be there exactly at the hour when the tide is low, so do not be disappointed, darling, if you do not see me to-morrow.” The morning broke clear and bright, and Josie from her little window watched the tiny sloop until it was out of sight, her mind filled with happy thoughts, for Harold' had told her that he should return to the States, when she should be his bride, and she felt .that if Trivet would only accompany them she should be perfectly happy. She had 'heard from Gertie during the •past month, who was lately married to a man whom she thought perfection, and Harold had promised her to take her to her sister within the next three months. For that one bright day Josie sang her happy songs as she wandered along the shore, and they were joyous enough to verify her right to the title of the “Siren of Trivet's Point.” But toward evening the sky became cloudy, and even. Trivet became alarmed when .a thick, dark mist came creeping over the waters, and the night came on with a darkness in which not a star was visible.

“The boys are havin' a job on’t,” he said for the twentieth time, and by midnight Josie’s face had become as anxious asTiis o wn, but about that time there were sounds which told them that the little sloop was in the harbor, and after another time of waiting Carlos Martine came up to the cabin alone. “An’ so ye got the sloop in all right?” asked Trivet, in a relieved tone. “I did, but J cajne near being lost. We met with a steamer just as the fog came on, and Reasoner left on her for the States. He told me tb tell you that he was tired of the life here and should not return.” The words fell with a crushing weight upon Josie, but she made not a sound; while Trivet questioned Martine as to the number of sponges he had secured and concluded with: “Wai I’m sorry Reasoner’s left us —I mind now I paid him his: wages yesterday —but I'm better now than I was, an’ you an’ I kin go out with Martine again, Josephus, so the work’ll go right on. ’’ w Josie made no reply. Was Carlos Martine telling the truth, or did her jnurdered lover lie under the waters outside the coral reef? • There was au evil, exultant look in the eyes of Martine which confirmed her belief that. Carlos Martine had murdered Harold Reasoner. But she said nothing, and no suspicion seemed to cross Trivet’s mind, but her belief grew stronger until her thoughts were of nothing but an unspoken, yet almost insane desire for revenge. She had no proof that anything was wrong. Martine came and went with greater freedom than ever' before, andevery day Josie went out with Trivet to bis work, and often she shuddered as she caught her slender fingers tightening themselves upon her palm, and knew that in her heart she' wished that she might throttle Martine, even as she gazed at him. More than once she retreated to the little cabin and prayed to be delivered from the tempter, which whispered to her the desire to commit a murder. Not for a moment did she believe in her lover's falsity, and her silent trial became greater and greater every day. “Can it be?” she would whisper to herself, “that I am getting insane? That I really wish to stain my soul with the blood of a human being?” It was while her mind was in this state that they were busiest at work with their sponge fishing, and the deck was generally covered with the liver-like masses of sponge, and Josie was kept busy with the coral branches, and the many varieties of strombus which Carles Martine brought from among the rocks of the reef or from the bottom of the sea.

Trivet had nearly recovered from his illness, with the cxceptioirsbmetimes of u tit of vertigo, which unfitted him f rom going down in his diving bell. This duty had now fallen entirely .toe Carlos JMartine. Trivet 'taking charge of the force pump which supplied the diver with air. 1 ’tiring one of these-‘Submersions of M-iirline, when Josie was sifting among a mass of. rare-sea-weeds, of which she was makingji collection'so present to her sister, she hi a-d a peculiar souncTat the force , pump. and ttiming she saw Trivet lying upon-his tack the deck in a fainting fit. Cailos Martine was beneath the water,> •sml Josie'-knew that in~a brief moment n or-' he woifd die if she. did not spring to "his asßlstfthee. ' c,' ' ■ • ■ IL-re wa s I; er seco u J o for nel tempt at ion. It was short bptitAvawexeftrritt lie. “fcrt him die ‘ -Tet him die! Youruiicle needs you,” said tbd,tempter, within her breast. < “Oh, God!” she prayed. “Help me!'' And she was belt ed. 2 iSlie grasped the pump, and although her uncle's seemingly lifeless form lay before her. she sent down the life-giving air te the man she believed to have murdered her lover. In a moment he came up gasping for breath, and glancing at Trivet he comprehended what had happened and said to the girl who was Lending over her uncle: “He was unconscious and vou saved my life.” V - Keep away from me! Keep away from me!” the shrieked, her lips unsealed at last. “You murdered him. I know it. I know it." Over the face of Carlos Martine there came a crest-fallen look—it was a look of guilt and shame. “I did not,” he said, forced by some

emotion to tell the woman before him ths truth. “But I left him out on the reel that the tide might overtake him. Josephine Fiske, I love yon.” “And I bate you, murderer! murderer, murderer!” At this moment, all unattended, Trivet opened bis eyes and gasped: 1 “ What is the matter with Josephus?” Matter enough when the story was told him. Silently he' headed the sloop foi home, and the silence was unbroken until the harbor was in sight, and then 'privet exclaimed: “There is a steamer outside the reef.” “And a boat waiting for ns at the Point," cried Josie, and recognizing a familiar form she cried: “It is Harold! It is Harold! He is not dead!” Martine, who had sat morose and sullen, now brightened visibly, but it was an indescribable meeting between himself and Reasoner, who, however, made no charge to Trivet against him. ' ’ Carlos Martine disappeared and was never seen again by the three he would have injured. Josie Fiske and Harold Reasoner wera soon married, and with Trivet returned to their native land, where Josie was surprised to find Harold Reasoner a wealthy man. Gertie was a happy wife, and the two sisters dwelt near each oilier, nnd Unrol l sometimes tells the story of his rival, who envied him the possession of the “Siren of Trivet’s Point,” and Trivet laughs and confirms it;- but Josie remembers her own temptation and shudders.