The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1873-09-19
THE SACK OF B4LTTMoRE
ALEGEND of THE IRISH SEAS.


Soft shone the summer sun on Car
berry's hundred isles; and its last golden
rays frightened the rocky peaks of Ga
briefs rough detiles.
The crumbing ruins of Inisherkin
bathed in the mellow light shone like a
moulting bird.
In calm and sleepy swell the ocean
tide poured its light green wave, crested
over with the snowy cap, relic of the ice
berg of the far northern sea, upon the yel-
low sands of the shelving bay.
! Peace and rest had come with the
evening tide to the quiet town of Balti-
more.
On the bosom of the swelling water
across the bay came fishing hooker, pro-
PEELED by single oarsman.
Hackett, of Dungarvon-so the boat
man was called-was no stranger to the
| inhabitants of Baltimore. A descendant
of an old family, he had squandered, in
dissipation, the red gold of his fathers,
| and now a single solitary tower on Dun
ashod's rocky side, was all that Hackett,
of Dungarvon, could call his own.
There were dark rumors, too, of wild
and Iawless deeds done under the cover of
the night by the chief of Dungarvon, but
none cared openly to press the charge
home to him, for the landless lord was re-
puted to be dangerous foe.
Dungarvon drove the PROV of the hook
Ell upon the beach and sprung to land.
As he drew up the boat out of the
reach of the tide, an aged fisherman ac-
costed him.
''Saw you aught Of the pirates, my lord,
from your tower at Dunashod ?'' he asked.
''What pirates ?'' questioned the chief,
in some surprise.
''Two long, dark barques were reported
lowering off the coast this morning, and
some say that they are the Algerines and
threaten our town." the fisherman replied.
'T remember now," Dungarvon said,
thoughtfully; sat daybreak l saw two
large galleys, with double banks of oars,
steering to the north then the mist fell
upon the waters, and I lost them in IL {;
but have no fears of Baltimore the AL
gerine does not live who could pilot a
war galley through the reefs of Dunashod
without leaving his bones on the rocks. -
And then, with hasty steps, Dungarvon
passed on. Straight toward the Castle of
O'Driscon he bends his steps.
Full well the meanest retainer of the
sept of O'DriscoIl knew the errand of tie
landless lord.
Geraldine O'Driscoll, the only heir to
the ancient line, had not her equal in
beauty or in grace, within the Emerald
Isle. Right great streak of fortune would
it be then for the chief, who lacked both
gold and lands, if he could win the hand
of O'Driscoll's child.
A desperate man was Hackett, of Dun
garvon, and, like all desperate men, he
set his fortune upon single cast
Threw boldly, and as boldly lost.
The lady said him nay; and when, in
hot and sullen rage, he questioned why
his suit was rejected, in naughty scorn
the Lady Geraldine pointed across the
sleepy waters to where the towers of Ban
don cleaned golden in the sunlight.
600 ash PaE,-;aI- D.-.I-S, - D.---1--,
whom in six months L shall make the chief
of the O'Driscoll sept" she said.
Dungarvon withdrew i'll silence, his rage
too great for words.
Spurning the dust of Baltimore beneath
his feet, he sprung into his boat and
turned the bow seaward toward his own
lone tower.
Borne along on the bosom OF the rush
ing tide, just changing from flood to ebb,
he floated over the dangerous reefs that
guarded the town of Baltimore from hos
tile attack by sea.
Shaking his clencheo fist at the naughty
tower of O'Driscoll, which had lately wit
messed his rejection and despair, he swOre
bitter oath that he would not die until
he WAS avenged.
Around the rocky point of Dunashod he
glided and, there by his lone tower he
saw anchored the black galleys that were
gliding shar-klike through the Irish seas.
The lazy wind that stirred the pendent
streamer from the masthead displayed the
crescent of the Algerine.
And then in the breast of the desperate
man came wild thought of vengeance.
Here was the weapon with which to crush
the proud and naughty girl who had re-
ieeted his love.
Straight he steered for the black galleys,
and within the hour stood on the deck of
the Algerine, face to face with Achmet
the Red, the terror of the southern seas,
and who bore at his masthead the green
banner as token of straight descent from
the Prophet.
Short the speech of the desperate lord,
and quick the reply of the Algerine.
Haczett, of Dungarvon. would steer che
gaIeys of the Algerines through the beet
ling reefs of Dunashod straight to the
sands of Baltimore Harbor, and neither
galley keel nor blade of oar should Craze
the tearing rock; and one thing alone he
claimed as reward-the person of Geral-
dine. the Lady of O'Driscol.
Acbmet the Red gladly aCceeded TO the