The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1826-10-19

/ DO use Ia chHhnl IL
IT was on a Saturday night. q.
bout the latter end Of October. il
the year 1858. that the little ale.
house ut Widdicombe in the Moor
in Devonshire, VAS crowded viii
Villagers. who were in tie habit %
concluding the tolls Of the week witt
genuine home hrewed. for which
the landlady, Peggy Dodcombc, was
famous throughout themoor.
Among them was Guy Clinton,
the nephew of the parish vicar ; a
man who had reached the middle
stage of life, and though rcputcd
wealthy, and of good extraction. eli
Their from choice or necessity was
rarely seen except in society far be
meath the rank he had n right 10 as
sumo. He had. till lately, lived a
broad from his youth and had
been much nj sea but. AZ the ser
vice ia which he had engaged ne
yer TRANSFERRED. il was conjccturcd
that the Spanish Main, and the
neighbuurlng haunts ot the BuCCa-
neers, had been the scenes of his ex-
PLOTS. This conjecture was in a
measure confirmed by the overbcar-
ing insolcnce OF his demeanour, and
the unrrslrained liCcnti0nsncss oI
his conversations.
On tie return of Guy to his native
land. his venerable uncle Mt first re-
cei,ed him with affection aud kind
ness, as the orphan son of beloved
sister; but his habits of debauchc-
ny soon rendered him a guest nm
meet for the quiet walls Of the viCa-
rage and, after repeated attempts
To reclaim him. he VAS desired To
seek another residence.
This was matter of perfect in
difference to Guy he had been too
long accustomed II frequent
change of quarters, to prefer one
house to another and the Brake
Head furnished a table at least e.
quail to his unele's, and cask much
more ready for the tap. He was,
besides, looked up In in the public
room as one whose voice potential
was at all times admitted to be deCi
siSe on every point to which it adj
dressed itscle.
On the night referred To, the con-
versation had turned on pisics,* anC
ghosts, aud 'ther supernatural be-
ings and stories horrible or ludi
cr0us succeeded each other with un.
abated solubiIity. Here Guy wa
qoite at home the phantoms of the
deep he described with "A chilling
minuteness. which bad "A visible IF.
feet on the nerves of his auditors
Guy declared he bad seen Davy
Jones. AZ the enemy Of man is called
by mariners, unnumbered times
sometimes in the shape of flicker.
ing flame at the head OF the vessel
at others like huge bird on the top.
mast, a hundred leagues from land
now in the storm. bowling along the
deck. like furious mastiff, for his
prey and now in the calm and quieI
moonlight, like wailing female, a
head OF the ship, endcavouring t.
entice the plying sea-men t.
their destruction. In short
said Gay, Il have seen him in al.
most every shape but | have ne
yer yet had the luck to meet him"
So much the better, Master Guy
should think said one Of the vii.
layers.
mo doubt you think 50, Law.
renee Yoiliree, replied Guy. sbe-
cause you know you'd rather tum.
bic headl0ng into your mIll-head il
December, than go within gunshot
OF the Churchyard after dark by
yourself but don't measure other
folks corn by your own bnshel--
which, by the way, every body
says is somewhat of the smallest
But here sit |, who fear nothing eli.
ther above or below me and il
there is one thing that would please
me more than another, it would BIZ
just to have a nights carouse witt
Davy Jones he's a Jolly fellow. III
warrant me. aud as full Of strange
stories as an old sea chaplain" Gay
closed his wish with an oath, which
we must be excused repeating.
The profane wish of the sailor
caused no slight sensation among
the party which was increased by
the sudden appearance of stran.
ger, handsomely dressed in dark
colonred soit his hat was oycrshad.
owed by a plume OF black feathers,