Newspapers / The Chowan Herald (Edenton, … / Sept. 24, 1953, edition 1 / Page 14
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SECTION TWO- .■■Ml. !■ ■■■ I* THE SECRET OF DON FELIPE By WILBORNE HARRELL and HEYWOOD ZIEGLER, JR. Note: The solution of The Loot < Colony mystery offered in this story is presented as fiction only, and tries merely to tell an inter esting story which gives fall rein to the imagination. The writers have no theory of what actually became of Sir Walter Raleigh’s ill-fated colony. Don Felipe Jose Maria Jesus de Toledo y Saville sat in the sun and gazed with brooding eyes out over the water. On the breast of the shim mering bay rode at anchor a gayly colored galleon and several craft of divers description. The colors of Don Felipe flew from the galleon’s mast head and caught the meagre breeze that came from seaward. In the dis tance the red tile roofs and white washed walls of Panama drowsed somnolently in the mid-day heat, and faintly the soft sound of the cathed ral bell drifted on the breeze. It was siesta time and all Panama sought the cool of indoors; not a soul stirred abroad, for at no point could be seen in the square the gay se rapes and mantillas of the populace that were usually in evidence. Na ture held her breath and all life lay suspended beneath the fiery dome of the tropical sky. Don Felipe’s eyes from beneath shaggy gray eyebrows, still piereing ly clear and alert despite his age, con tinued to hold the distance. But they were not seeing the scene spread be fore him; they were back in the gal lant and adventurous days of his youth, when as a young man he had fought the indomitable and terrible “El Draque” and sailed against Eng land with the Armada. His eyes clouded as he recalled the tragic de feat and dispersement of this invin cible fleet which King Philip of Spain had f util el y expected to invade and conquer the English. His eyes prob ed into the past and he lived again the terrible sea fight in which Drake had sunk his galleon, and how he, Don Felipe, wounded and half-drown- < ed had barely escaped with his life. Once again the doleful toll of the i cathedral bell came faintly, and as : though thus brought to an awareness of his surroundings Don Felipe stir- i red and turned to the patiently wait ing figure before him. The good Padre Luis passed his hand over his moist tonsured head and fingered his ‘ rosary as he waited for Don Felipe to speak. “Your pardon, Padre, for my rude : inattention,” he said. “I was—day dreaming.” “You need not apologize, my son. Every man lives in two worlds—the past and the present.” Don Felipe gave a short laugh. ■“But the past is dead and done with and 1 have very little of the present left to me ... So I’d better get on with the business for which I sum moned you.” After a pause Don Felipe con tinued: “What I have to say to you, Padre, is both a confession and a sup plication. I have a strange tale to unfold, and I also seek your help. I haven’t very long to live and I must unburden my soul and right, as well as I may at this late day, a great wrong , . . “In my early days, as you well know, I was entrusted by the Spanish Admiralty with many important mis sions, and I bore at all times a stand- I I A LANDMARK of ovary coun tryside of Yesterday was the Old Mill. As the dependable old waterwheel turned, so did the millstones, grinding, grind ing, grinding out the pure, white, wholesome flourl Each ceremony we conduct is a fitting memorial of beauty and quiet dignity. Correct appointments experienced attendants —a service of true dependability.,^^^— V MW | Page Two •ing commission to seek out and deg-' troy El Draque where-ever I may find him. “I was a headstrong and adventur ous youth, imbued with the glory and youth, imbued with the glory and grandeur of Spain and in her final and irrevocable mastery of the New World, as was our right by permis sion of Pope and by right of conquest But I am an old man now—maybe it was not to be ... I don’t know ...” Don Felipe paused and sighed and Padre Luis stirred but did not speak. Finally Don Felipe continued, “Eng land was our greatest enemy and our greatest rival for this rich new land of America. I hated all English and especially El Draque with a burning and consuming hatred that would know no quenching. “Finally, and to hasten my story, Padre, so as not to lengthen your stay in this hot weather, I found my self at sea at the head of a squadron of six war galleons, sailing under sealed orders.” Don Felipe again paused and gazed into the far reaches of the horizon, even as he searched his mind and soul for courage to continue. Padre Luis said, “If what you must speak proves too painful, my son, I relieve you of the responsibility of confession. You need not tell me if you do not wish to do so.” “But I must speak, Padre; I must tell you, and you must help me!” “If you insist,” murmured Padre' Luis. Don Felipe hesitated a moment as he sought for words. “At the desig nated time and place,” he went on, “I opened the sealed orders. As I read them, I knew I held in my hands the death warrant of a hardy band of English settlers who had the effront ery to flout the Spanish claim to the New World. In effect, the orders commanded me to proceed to Roanoke Island on the northern mainland with all haste and there completely des troy, kill or capture, every human be ing qf Sir Walter Raleigh’s little col ony. It was to be a blow to the ar rogance of England in such ferocity that it would forever discourage any further attempt of the English to set tle and colonize in America.” Then as though speaking to himself Don Felipe said, “How little we Spanish understood the English—” He caught himself and continued: “Proceeding to Roanoke Island we at tacked, but the colonists were so weakened with hardships they did not stand against us very strongly; so we landed and made captive the surviv ors of our assault. Only a few, how ever, were killed in the affray. “Even in my zeal and allegiance to Spain I was not overly cruel or in /VVVVWVS^VVVN^VVVVVVS^/VVVVVVWVWV I w r You can't miss! N.w latarnptioaai R-160 s.ri... Mck the Internationa! that's ex- GVW ” H T 14 000 ‘° 17 000 ,b 5 actly right for your job. That’s how you can get more foryour truck dollar* That’s why International offers you the worlds most complete truck fine... 168 basic models with thou* sands of variations ... 29 engines available... widest choice of gasoline, LPG, or diesel power .i . 296 wheel bases. ■|f Come in and ask us how new Inter* nationals are built to take the guess- N#w „, I#o - Con -17.0-C ■e.' , !.sC: Ibt. f *■*-' f «rmß. Bymm ImpleinHbSb Truck Company ■ ■ fUI ■ ■■Mod BiiiiiMiiiiyiiM .1. v ' , *rr •*- -r---y- —•/ y -~:- .x" 1 ‘ '-v • , rfn- ;TT r- •«• <*.»•.» THE CHOWAN HERALD, HOWTOM. W. CL. THPMDAT SEPTEMBER 24, 1958. ♦Dieted death and punishment*unless i merited. Instead of lolling the sur- i vivors I took them aboard my ships, : Where I intended to convey them to i the various Spanish outposts and ' there disperse them as slaves for ser- 1 vants and laborers on the plantations. ] And upon leaving Roanoke Island I 1 carved with my sword the word “Cro- > atan” upon a tree to foil searchers 1 and cast the blame upon the natives. It would he thought that the colonists were massacred by these natives.” 1 The voice of Don Felipe grew less I strong, but he aroused himself and continued his narrative. “Among the I colonists was one Ananias Dare, his < wife, Eleanor, and their newly-born c child, Virginia. Ananias Dare was killed in the fighting and I took the ( mother and her babe aboard my ves- * sel. * “Padre Luis,” said Don Felipe as- I ter another long pause, “I did a 8 strange thing. The mother died on 8 our return voyage to Cartagena, and I, a hard-bitten sailor, took full charge of the child, Virginia. I came to love her ... so I later legally adopted her as my daughter.” Here Don Felipe struck a bell at his side and a servant appeared. “Tell the Senorita Mercedes, Juan, that I wish to see her, here, on the ter race.” The servant departed and a fewi minutes later the girl appeared. “Did you ring for me, Father?” And she went to Don Felipe's chair and began to arrange the rug that lay across his knees. She greeted Padre Luis and turned again to tho Don. “What did you want, Father?” “Bring the good Padre a cooling drink, my dear.” When the girl had departed Padre Luis raised his eyebrows in query. “Virginia Dare?” “Yes, Padre. All these years you and everyone else here have looked upon her as my daughter—which, in all truth, she is.” Don Felipe, seeming to sense that time grew short, leaned forward and spoke tensely to Padre Luis. “In this MI2I i |||i Rid your promises JP E$ T °* ,roub -* ,o,n * IwOftl'i lorgast Port Control Co. | * you can help me, Padre. I have not] ■long to live. I have left all ray for tune to Mercedes. She believes lam her father—ehe loves me as a father. But I want her to know the troth, Padre —but not until I am dead, and I entrust to you my secret and the re sponsibility of overseeing her welfare after I am gone. She may wish to return to her people in England, or she may choose to remain here. Af ter all, Padre, she is more Spanish than English, but the English are un predictable and she may choose Eng land. In any event, you are to aid and assist her in any course she may elect to take .*. Will you do that for me, Padre?” “Yes, Don Felipe, that I will do— since it is your wish,” answered Padre Luis, quietly. “And now, Padre,” said Don Fe lipe, “I am weary; will you leave an old man to his memories—and his conscience?” Padre Luis rose. “All will be well. Go with God, my son.” He walked the few paces to where his mule was tethered, mounted, and kicking the patient beast in the sides ambled off slowly down the trail that led to Pan ama. Don Felipe left alone on the ter r I ... the letter* start. Then from all over the free world come inch comments a* these from readers of THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR, an international daily newspaper: "The.. Monitor it mutt read ing for straight-thinking people. . . "I returned to tchool after « lapse of 18 rears. I mill get my degree from the college, but my education comet from the Monitor. ...” “The Monitor fives me ideat for my s vork. . . .” •"/ truly" enjoy itt com jwny* • • • Ten, too, will find the Monitor informative, with complete world news. Yon will discover a corn atrnctlve viewpoint in ovary now* #r*y. Use the coupon below for a spe* dal Introductory subscription I month* for only 13. aw»e.e»ssa«Q< The Cfcrirtiaa Ssfaa— Xwt« Nnirar tU Bartae It. Xm. U.S.S. Ran* wri m aa IsUatetasr u>ia|> Jlfs la Tha CWirtlaa Salaaaa Maafcar— It baaaa. I aaalaaa SS. (M*a) ~ (attws) ‘ “tbj — —w " into the distance. But his eyes did not see the panarama of sea and sky and green tropical carpets that spread before him. Once again he was back in the past and strode the deck of . his galleon and fought mighty sea* ——— ~ - —— —— ——E I Wlrf paY more j for ‘ ■ I auto insurance'? ||; # Well over a million motorists enjoy this low cost, BH across-the-board, nonassessable protection. If you're H m a careful driver you too can save with Farm Bureau ||||| H| insurance. You get automatic renewal, friendly, na- H K tion-wide claim service. Why pay more when you can I get maximum protection for less? Investigate today, H ” PARKER HELMS 204 Bank of Edenton Building PHONE 175-W j LONNIE HARRELL Route 3 PHONE ROCKY HOCK 114 ■. ■ : _-w, - m FARM BUREAU MUTUAL I AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY ■ HOME OFFICE: COLUMBUS, OHIO laities. Once again he %ced the in domitable and iron-willed sea warrior, El Draque. h Don Felipe was weary in mind and body and soul; his chin sank slowly to his breast and he slept. And the cathedral bell tolled unheeded.
The Chowan Herald (Edenton, N.C.)
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Sept. 24, 1953, edition 1
14
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