St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1858-09-30

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handspike, and was accustomed tc
obey orders. Moreover, the greater
part OF the ships company were raw
landsmen like himself it being the
custom to ship stirh hands with the
calculation that they might be useful
in fighting.
But Jot, who had way of going
into things in earnest, soon learned a
sailors duty and his great strength
and activity rendered him so efficient
that he was soon promoted to some
petty office among the sailors. He
made several cruises in rapid success
sion and as the privatcer made many
captures, he received a considerable
amount of prizc-money. His intervals
of rest were so short, however, that
the greater part of the money was
left to accumulate in the hands of the
owners till the amount was so consid-
cradle that he determined, after one
more cruise, to give up privatcering
and employ his capital in trade.
Unluckily for him, in this last cruise
the Saucy Jonathan was captured /;
and Cousin Jot, to his great sorrow
and vexation, soon after found him
SELF with some hundreds more of his
countrymen, locked up and guarded
by British soldiers, within the dreary
walls of Dartmoor prison.
"To think of having all that prize
money at my credit at home--such a
mint Of money!" said Jot, poor fellow
=" money that would buy all sorts of
Injuries, if | wanted them and to
be obliged to live on this abominable
putrid beef and mouldy pilot-bread ;
to say nothing Of being cooped up in
these murderous stone walls, with
hardly chance to stretch my legs, or
knock fellow down for exercise.-it
is too bad 1t makes q man feel
wolfish about the head and shoulders
But never mind that's the way the
world wags. A streak of fat and a
streak of lean We shall see how it
will turn ont one of these days. |
would like one shy at those black
guards of soldiers, and knock them
over the head with their own mus
kets."
His desire for something like action
was gratified when the re ebcllion among
the prisoners, occasioned by their
harsh treatment, broke out. But this
was speedily quclled and Jot was
obliged to return, with the rest, to
their salt beef and pilot-bread and
what was far worse to him, to the
dreary days of constrained idleness.
At last peace was proclaimed the
Dartmoor prisoners were released, and
Jot came home. Before visiting his
friends, however, he called at the
counting-room of the owners of the
captured Saucy Jonathan, and found
some ten thousand dollars passed to
his credit. The last cruise had been
the most successful of all in captures,
and Jot's promotion had stood him in
good stead, increasing his proportional
share of prize-money.
Great were the rcioicings on Jot's
safe return home. Joe received him
with great benignity. Mothers and
sisters dried their tears, and received,
very complacently, certain presents OF
silk gowns and gold breast-pins, which
Jot had purchased and brought along
with him. Much hard cider and many
mince-pies were used up in the eve.
ming, when the neighbors came in to
welcome him, and hear about his pri
Watering adventures and his prison
life and Jot, for a whole week after.
wards, was the hero of the village
and the pc. lion Of the evening par
ties.
On the whole, Jot was rather an
ornament to these same evening par
ties. When his stalwart limbs were
arrayed in fine broadcloth, his hair ar,
ranged by a skillful barber, and his
handsome features lighted up with tn,
flush of success and the smiling air o
goodwill to his old friends and neigh
bors, which he now wore, he might bt
pronounced "a pretty fellow"
So thought the young girls Of thu
village, at any rate. Especially anl
particularly, so thought Sally Oracle
the prettiest of them all. She hat
known Jot in the old times, before tn,
war They had gone to school togeth
er, and, for aught | know to the con
trary, had learned to spell from tn,
same copy Of Noah Webster's Spell
ing-Book.
But as they grew up, Jot had some
how felt himself removed from the
higher sphere Of the village beauty
for Jot was poor and proud, and Sally
was an heiress. 1t is true that, al
Jot marched out of the village will
his bundle slung an stick over hi
shoulder, to ego to the wars" Sally
had happened to be standing at her ia
theirs front door, and had hidden hin
very cordial goodbye, with mucl
hand-shaking, and, as Jot almost be
lieved, blush and a tear.
"But," thought Jot, "cven if sh,
cares at all about such a poor fellow
as |, the thing won't do. Old Graci.
is the greatest skinflint in the county
and as rich as a Jew. With empty
pockets l would not court her If
could, and l could not court her if
would"
Still, when the wind was blowing
great guns at sea, or whistling rount
the dreary walls of Dartmoor prison
he had often caught himself saying
al wonder il Sally Oracle would hav,
a good crying spell if she should hea
of my death 2"
Now that he was returned will
money in both pockets, he though
that he might venture to pay her |
little attention. When he found tina
his attentions were graciously receives
by Sally, and even that old Graci
himself encouraged his visits to tn
Oracle mansion, poor Jot fell inconti
nently over head and ears in love
Sally, who was a good as well as
pretty girl, and no coquet, reciproca
ted his passion very sincerely. Wit
her, l believe it was q foregone COZ
clusion. have no doubt in my min
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