The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1877-03-15

L wouldn't ave told this, only i won't
have such chaps quite so crank. Mark
my words, an yen know how much
Joe Atherton 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 a regular
pay as captain, but he's had chances
to trade on his own hook" answered
Stewart.
eyes, ya-as, that's his story. But
mark me, can tell We different story
Pirates make money fastl'
"What dye mean, Jed Lapstone
"Joe Atherton hasn't fitted a halter
for his neck more'n once, then call me
a liar-that's all %
"But dye mean that Captain Ather-
ton has been pirate?" asked two of
his auditors at breath,
"He has been-,jsa that hing :" re-
turned Jed, very slowly, and with sure
emphasis.
"You're fool" said Stewart.
Gam II"
SYou are-jest a fool. What dye
want to tell such a silly thing as that
for?"
"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'r'aps tbs; but l want We all to un-
derstand that | happened to be in Bos-
ton not long since, an happened to git
holt of bit of secret there. l Jest hap.
persed to find out, by the way of a slant,
that Captain Joseph Atherton wasn't no
capt'n at all, but just belonged to a
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 protracted
conversation; but Jed never gave up
when once he had made an assertion,
and now 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, he'llkill the poor reprobate, won't
he"
"No, no, never fear; he's too much
of man to harm such snake; but I'll
just give him an inkling Of Jed's char
acter. and you see if he don't give him
a lesson"
As might be expected, the thing was
soon whispered about that Captain Ath-
erton had been pirate, and Jed Lap
stone had already begun to chuckle
over the idea of what 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 a 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 five-and-forty years of age,
o. herculean frame, and able to look
very savage, when he chose 80 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 a person.
" Mr.. Lapstone, | believer" re.
marked the captain, in tone so mild
that the cobbler's fears were half blown
away.
"Ah-yes-ya-as, sir"
"You have a grove of young ash
trees in your pasture | have heard"
Ias-ya-os, sir"
"Some of them are very straight
and handsome"
"Ya-as, sir"
81 should like to look at them. |
have use for some such, and if you
will slip down there with me, think |
can make you an advantageous offer.
If you would be as spry as possible, for
/ am in somewhat of a hurry"
"Yes-ya, as, sir" responded Jed,
throwing of his apron, preparatory to
putting on his coat. He remembered
full well the scandalous falsehood he
had told concerning his visitor, but he
felt assured it had not yet reached the
victims ears, so he was quite easy.
In a few minutes the cobbler-farmer
was ready, and he set out. The way
was through the barn, down the lane,
into the pasture, and over a gentle
swell of land, being a distance of about
q quarter of a mile from the house.
The sun was nearly down when they
reached the grove, and the wind was
cold and searching. Jed shivered some
and as he noticed how comfortable his
companions great overcoat looked, he
wished he had taken his OVID
"There, this is the place." said the
cobbler, stopping when he reached the
copse Of ash trees, the thick foliage of
which had now turned yellow beneath
the frost touch, and was beginning to
bestrew the ground.
GAY, so | was aware" uttered the
captain, iii deep, deadly tone, at the
same time turning short around upon
his guide. 81 told you l had use for
some such, and l have, sir. l meant
to use them as your place of sepulchre.
Can you pray?"
Jedediah Lspstone stood aghast.
Never before had he heard a voice so
deep, nor had he ever before stood in
the presence of so awful a man. His
knees shook, and his tongue Glove to
the roof of his mouth.
Meanwhile, Captain Atherton delib-
erately unbuttoned his overcoat, and
took from his bosom two huge pistols.
Jedediah Lapstene," he pronounc-
ed, In a tone that seemed to accord
perfectly with the mournful wind that
sighed through the tree-tops, "you have
slandered my character most cruelty,
and past redemption, and blood is the
only thing that can wash the crime
away But I will not murder you.
Here, take this pistol, and at the given
word you shall fire. Take it, say p
"Ol Mercy mer-r-cy gasped the
terrified man, sinking upon his knees,
and clasping his hands.
"Macy !" repeated the gigantic aveng-
er, in a tone of such bitter scorn that
Jed's hair fairly started up on end.
"How dare you profane that sacred
word? What mercy had you when
you murdered my character? when you
asserted that had been a
pirate? Yes, sir, pirate, you said
By all the powers on earth, no man can
live who let such words drop from his
lips Come, take the pistol, for you