The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1855-12-19
JACKS PROPHECY,
BY WILLIAM MELVILLE.

BY WILLIAM MELVILLE.
The old "Flyaacay," ship of some
eight hundred tons lay at Trieste, where
she had put in for load of oil, almonds
and wine. The captain, whose raEle was
Lot Sanders, was good seaman, hat
quick in his temper, and rerangeful IA his
disposition; aud since we lad let the
States, quite nuTaber Of tie year & p"--
ton of the crew lad t5eei. hogscd fof one
thing CT another, bet i'll most c..es fe:: ''it,
subordinatien insutordiE .t:ca be-
ing insoience to tie captain; and in cgory
case, believe, this insoience had }cen the
result e, tie captain S iRorL :us-ae passion.
and inortainate harslness.
Jack Provost and myself were walking
up and aowI TIE laraoard side ofthe waist
on the second afternoon of cur arrival at
! Trieste. Our ship had staaH topga.lant
forecas,lc, and beneath !!ay e yenng sailor
in irons His name was Ben Green. He
was not over 20 years of age, and one OF
the best-hearted, truest men on board.
When the ship was coming in, he and the
captain had a ''spit." Ben was stationed
at the Eo-etopsail halyards by the first
mate snd w;;s told not to leave until the
yard was down. The captain saw him
there, and ordered him to so and stand
! by the main brace. 80 ''''''
Pm stationed here" returned Ben,
meaning no harm and thinking none. y
o you are, eh?-now go!'' And 80
/ gave him kick as he spoke. 81 ','''
| In moment of pain and rage poor
| Ben uttered; you're G brute" 1'i A
At that instant the pilot ordered the
courses to be cleared Up, and the captain
smothered his vengeance. But IS soon
as the anchors were down, lie ordered the
mates to put Ben in double irons. "And
said he in conclusion, "wenl give him
just the sweetest taste OF the cat o'nine-
tails when he comes out that ever be
dreamed Of
So Ben had been put in irons; and there
he lay We knew that the captain would
! keep his promise, for he w&s :. man 7Fhom
persuasion never moved
| 1T is to bad" said Jack, looking first
upon Ben, slowed away Oh couple of
gratings, and then looking sc me. 9a
$50 it's l returned, sane if any ex-
.ertion on my part co,.ld help the poor
fellow. Ia make it. But Capta;a San
| ders is not the NAN to be turned from his
! purpose If he said he'll i.og Ben Green,
Ben may consider himself doonred.n
i"I know" responded Jack thoug35tial-
| ly, "but l have been thinking OF some
thing" @i '-l 7'eii&se
@Eh?'' .fs@4 1;s'
ayes, - he said, .You know Sanders
is very superstitious. ''l
| -"Most men of his character are" [ re-
! piled. - s. zlf'i zi.- ~ aa>9
"But he is more so than any man [
/ ever saw before, resumed Jack in a low
tone. life would sooner go without his
grcg for whole year than to have a
storm petrol killed by a man on board his
ship. No power could induce him to go
to sea on day when the moon could be
seen while the sun is up. 1 know him
well, and think if could get on shore
this afternoon, while the captain. is there
could prevent Ben's hogging."
| AS soon as Jack had whispered to me
i'somewhat Of his plan, went at once to
the mate and told him that wished Jack
! Provost to go on shore with me. He hes
itated q moment, and then gave me per-
mission to take him along.
Jack had been in Trieste, twice be-
fore with Sanders, and he knew all its
haunts
Our first movement was to the shop of
an old Jack, who kept masquerade cos
tunes of every style, shade cut and finish
from the full dress of a Mogul grandee
I to the habit of an Indian peasant. Jack
selected a pair of deep blue Turkish trow-
sers, which buc klctl about the ankle with
a plated band, Il rope of purple silk mys-
,,teriously figured over with all sorts of ca
balistic, characters, done with silver thread;
then,he selected wig of flowing white
ihair,. with an enormous beard to match;
land having. procared some water colorS,
he matH me lay on few false wrinkles
and odd veins. Next came a hat with a
tall crown, like a pyramid figured with
silver, and a rim very wide and stiff. AZ
ter all this he stepped into a pair of wood
en- shoes and his disguise was COM
pletc. o'
Most assuredly should not have known
Jack Provost nnder that guise nor would
his own mother have dreamed that he was
her son. 80 Z
"Yoa must disguise, so as to go and see
the sport" sail Jack gRi
Lquckly consented for ] did not want