Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-03-21
"No, it didn't, for he as much as

"Ah, a-ah He did, did he?"
"Why, yes. He asked me who that
| boreish fellow was"
"He meant me, did hep"
eyes; and / don't wonder at it. The
fact is, he's been bored half to death
since he settled down here, by just such
foolish questions; and he don't like it,
especially when there's crowd around,
to be drawn right about him the mo-
ment he opens his mouth
He said was bore, did he?" Jed
snapped out, angrily.
"No, no, jed" quickly responded
Stewart, anxious that no misunder-
standing should result from his words.
He simply asked me who the boreish
fellow was"
"And isn't that enough, I'd like to
know"
"But just remember, Jed. You had
that nasty black pipe in your mouth
you never spoke with the man before
you looked dirty and independent
and We pulled cloud Of smoke right
in his face when we spoke to him. By
the gracious, don't wonder he spoke
50. And mind We, Jed, 1 only tell ye of
|
the next time you meet a gentleman"
GA gentleman ye call him, do yer
uttered Jed, laying the lasted shoe
down upon one side, and the hammer
upon the other. "Now jest look here;
l wouldn't ave told this, only I won't
have such chaps quite so crank. Mark
my words, an ye'll know how much
Joe Anterior deserves the respect Of
any decent man. He's rich, aren't he?
But who'd want his riches, and have to
carry about his conscience? How's he
made his money? Jest tell me?"
"Why, he's not only had regular
pay SIS captain, but he's had chances
to trade on his own hook" answered
Stewart.
eyes, ya-os, that's his story. But
mark me, can tell We a different story
Pirates make money fastP'
"What dye mean, Jed Lapstone
"Joe Atherton hasn't fitted halter
for his neck more'n once, then call me
a Iar-that's all p
"But dye mean that Captain Ather-
ton has been pirate?" asked two of
his auditors at breath,
"He has been-jest -utat-hingP ' re-
turned Jed, very slowly, and with sure
emphasis.
"You're a fool" said Stewart.
cam II"
"You are-jest a fool. What dye
want to tell such silly thing as that
forY
"silly, is it?" cried Jed, who never
allowed himself to be driven from an
assertion he had once made, no matter
how wild and meaningless it might be,
but was always on band with ready
proof. "silly, is it?" he repeated !;
"p'raps tits; but | want We all to un-
derstand that l happened to be in Bos-
ton not long since, an happened to git
holt of bit of secret there. I jest hap
pe'aed to find out, by the way of slant,
that Captain Joseph Atherton wasn't no
capt'n at all, but just belonged to q
squad of pirates that had got all sold
out and off afore the officers could get
a holt of 'em."
Of course this led to q protracted
conversation; but Jed never gave up
when once he had made an assertion,
and cow he stuck to his text.
"Look we, Bill" said Stewart, after
they had left the shop; "Capt'n Ather-
ton shall give Jed lesson-now mark
me-"
But if you tell him what Jed has
said, helix the poor reprobate, won't
he?"
"No, no, never fear; he's too much
of man to harm such a snake; but I'll
just give him an linking of Jed's char
acter. and you see if he don't give him
8 lesson"
AS might be expected, the thing was
soon whispered about that Captain Ath-
erton had been 8 pirate, and Jed Lap
stone had already begun to chuckle
over the idea of what a pickle his vic
tim would be in, when the current of
his feelings was suddenly changed. He
sat in his shop one cold, windy after
noon, towards sunset, when q man
drove up on horseback. Jed was alone,
and he had just time to clear his foot
from the strap, and rise to his feet,
when the door opened, and in walked
Captain Joseph Anterior. The cap
tain was in the prime of life, some
where about fve-and-forty years of age,
of a herculean frame, and able to look
very savage, when he chose so to do.
An enormous pair of jet black Whiskers
nearly covered his face, and his eyes
had the seeming power of looking di-
rectly through person.
Mr.. Lapstone, l believer" re-.
marked the captain, in a tone SO mild
that the cobbler's fears were half blown
away.
"Ah-yes-ya-as, sir"
"You have grove of young ash
trees In your pasture [ have beard
| Yas-ya-as, sir"
"Some Of them are very straight
and handsome"
"Ya-as, sir"
"I should like to look at them. I
have use for some such, and if you
will slip down there with me, I think I
can make you an advantageous ofei.
If you would be as spry as possible, for
I am in somewhat of hurry"
"Yes-ya-as, SIR" responded Jed,
throwing off his apron, preparatory to
putting on his coat. He remembered
full well the seandalous falsehood he
had told concerning his visitor, but he
felt assured it had not yet reached the
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