Litchfield enquirer., 1881-12-22

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 but somehow or other Ipieced them together, for both horn-book and song-book were
 found among the men. Also, | knew how to
 navigate the ship, and N know all the princi pie stars in the heavens, if I might SO speak,
 and many of the strange, precious, beautiful l things of the sea and shore, so that if there was aewlndow left open in my darkened soul
 it was from nature herself that Ireceived the
 little light of which my soul was capable
 And one day there came upon me the vision
 of an angel from heaven. @ l We had been in chase of a merchantman,
 which, indeed, had given us no little trouble
 It was long, dark, low-lying ship, and, as we ! understood to our cost, it was a raki ish craft
 and carried carropade. When we hoisted | the black flag it sent some shots, which whis ]
 tied through our sails, and the next discharge
 knocked over our boatswaiu. Then there
 was the usual, and more than usual, dreadful 1 fight. The pirates boarded the merchantmen. and there was deadly fight with pistols and ! cutiasses, in which, as usual, we proved vic. l torious There would have been a massacre l of all on board the captured craft, but at the | last victorious onset Captain Lacy fell down.
 wounded and, as we all thought, mortally.. Then, when at last the struggle was over, and l it was about time to make the captured crew walk the plank, except some few tall lusty fellows whom we would receive into cur con- l pany if they would be content to come, one
 dark, grave-looking man stepped forth and
 said that ht thought he could heal our Captain
 and some others who were grievously hurt kAnd let me here say, before go on with this
 strange recital, that he did attend our Captain with extraordinary zeal and devotion until he made him right, at least for that season. The only wonder is that, having such villain and sconrge of the seas in his power, he did not use the chance and put the lancet into his sde,or give hlm some opiate SO strong that he would never wake from the sleep again for
 tue world would well be rid of a ruffiaa for whom there would be no place among men
 hH g sss lSe 1s Sy 16 %atcthi f%ystc lamp of
 the body, and. irrespective of all other con-
 alterations, to do as much for the sinner as
 for the saint &.&H s5a
 I had pressed forward into the cabin of the
 prize, and in retiring cabin beyond the cabin
 there arose before me, as it were, the em-
 bodied dream of celestial glory. Hitherto I
 had only seen swarthy men aud dusky ne-
 groes and very rarely on shore of few strange rough looking women such as these But here was tall, fair child of about IA, with
 face white and red, and soft eyes like stars,
 and golden hair flowing down to her waist
 And it seemed to me that saw heavenly
 apparition, such as the picture of the Madon-
 na, which had often seen, but neve: so young
 and fair as this. was struck breathless, and dared not SO much as lift up my eyes to this
 splendid vision. But groveled at her feet
 in darkness and kissed the hem of her white 'raiment. But when the men came down with
 load oaths and fierce eyes, then drew dirk
 and pistol, and, as they knew that, despera-
 does though they were, there was none more
 desperate than ], 1 took her by the hand apd led her forth into the open air on deck. It seemed that she was the daughter of the r;c nd
 ing both for her and for him; for the only
 man among us who had any knowledge in the
 healing oi wounds and the use of medica-
 ments was killed ill that fire of the hostile car ronade of which spoke, and this doctor sav-
 ed several of our lives, besides Captain Lacy's. And do believe that Lacy had some little
 touch of gratefulness, though little enough, as will be seen. But some of the men were very fond of the doctor, who did them much good,
 and took care of his meat and drink, and he and his daughter were allowed to sit quiet and
 apart. And as for me, it was as when, upon I 8 very dark night in these southern skies, there come some lustrous star, or the moon herself shines forth in soft gentle light. Twas the bond servant, the slave, the attendant spirit of. these two, and the service was'my delight. I followed them and watched them as my faithful little dog followed and watch ed me. And the old bad nature seemed 70 go, out and new good nature to dlffuse itself, and tor me there was a new heaven and | new earth. No thought of human love passed my mind, but like the sailor before the Ma
 donna, could only wonder and worship.
 Then when we had sailed the seas for some time-and it had so happened without either fight or storm--the Captain made | certain proposals to the doctor that he should | cast in his lot with them, and he would give him the best share in the ship, only second to
 his own. "And when your Euphemia grows | up into a woman," he said, for such was the l angels name, ''I will marry her, and it need not be 80 very long" At which could have ] plunged my dirk into his heart. but had only I to shake and tremble. And when the doctor 1 solemnly abjured all the bloody business of pirate ship, and said that he and his daughter | rather die, the Captain swore back that die he | night and his girl too, as many others had | before them perished at his hands; which evil | thing, indeed, he would have wrought if he had had his own wicked will. But the men | gathered round, and would not suffer him, though he had been ten times Captain, to mur- | der his benefactors and theirs For aboard l pirate ship Captain is not more than first
 among equals, except when he shows himself more strong and skillful of hand and brain, l and is chiefly chosen Captain because no soci- | ety, even the very vilest, can hold together | | ciple of order and coherence. But the Cap | tain we'll know what it was within his power l to de according to all the rules of pirate law. | He could not tell him to walk the plank. but | he could tell him to walk into boat with two l or three others of the conquered crew. now
 recovered of their wounds. And he might l just as well have told them to walk the plank, for the wind was rising and the waves were getting bigger, and there was whisper among l1Nlx -E tl~ 1 would be hurricane that night. And oh,
 how longed to get into that boat myself, though it might sail away into death ard l darkness: and 1 stored the boat privately with everything of my own, everything could find | that might be of help to Sfhem-water, bread wine my precious knife, and my song-boek. | And at the very last moment would have leaped into the boat after them, but cruel Lacy held me back with an iron grip, and | dashed me senseless on the deck.
 When | was reused there were sea-horses out-that is, the white waves were everywhere crestiOg with foam. I strained my eyes against the darkness, but there was no sign of the boat tossing in the trough of the waters And all that night the wind rose and rose, and in the morning it was perfect hurricane. And there was no doubt in our minds that so frail craft could never live in so fierce sea. And the vengeance of the Lord fell upon Cap-
 tain Lacy very soon after that cruel deed | Though he had escaped the effects of that dangerous wound. yet he was suffered not to | live, for somehow we lost our reckoning, and l the same storm urged us onward to our de. struction. Then the cry came Breakers ahead !' and presently we heard the sharp, sudden, crashing sound that told us that we were upon rocks ltsT The ship was taken up bumped again, and, breaking it's back in
 many places, soon became an utter wreck. l The rocks were very close to the mainland, | and such of us as were good swimmers and also had good luck were able to get ashore., | Among these was Captain Lacy himself, but with arms and legs broken through being
 beaten upon the rocks, and,. as was feared, with internal injuries as well, for be died,
 making no sign, and without hope either fog this world or any. other And SO he passed away, having as far as in him lay committed milrder on inc last day of his life 9---1 --