The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1884-04-12
From the New York Times.l
A STRANGE STORY.

81 have never had any very strange
experiences myself, but | can give YOU
q tirst-class second hand yarn, if you
care to hear it." said q retired pilot one
day last week to Times reporter. The
latter fastened to explain that, unlike
the ordinary Judge, he had no objections
to receive hearsay evidence. Thus en-.
couraged, the pilot proceeded to spin
his yarn:
"About 30 years ago." he began.
while plotting Norwegian vessel into
port, struck up an acquaintance with
the captain, whose name, il I remember
nightly, was Olsen. | took quite
fancy to the map, aud on several oc.
caslone afterward [ fell in with his YES.
sci Oft the coast and took her into port.
/ noticed one very peculiar thing about
b1m. Alter the vessel had been turned
over to me he would sit on deck to keep
me company. Sometimes he would ap
pear to be DOING. If at such time
L approached him he would start I'D
with look of great alarm, and then his
look of fright would give place to a very
pleasant smile. After one Of these oc.
casions he asked me Is he had seemed
frightened when ne first opened his
eyes. Very much SO, said /. Then
he laughed heartily, and said: Some
day, when we have plenty of time. l
will explain the pecullarity which you
have probably Doticed in me more than
once. This, of course, aroused nv
curiosity. A few days afterward l met
the captain at the office of his agents.
and / reminded him of his promise.
Then he told me this story:
About the year 1910, when Olsen vas
II years of age, he shipped as cabin-box
on brigantine bound on trading vow
age up the Adriatic. That was five or
SIX years before the Barbary States were
compelled to put final stop to piracy
and Christian slavery. The brigantine
passed Gibraltar all right, but when off
the coast OF Sicily strange vessel hove
IN sight from southwark. The captain
ordered all sail to be crowded on, but
the stranger gave chase and soon began
to overhaul the brigantine. There could
be no doubt that the stranger was q
pirate sailing under the flag of one of
the Barbary States. She finally came
up with the brigantine, and, after
fierce fight captured her. The survi-
vors of the brigantine, among whom
was young Olsen, were placed in the
hold of the pirate vessel, which In few
days entered the Bay of Tunis with her
prlze. The prisoners We're conveyed in
to the town of Tunis, where they were
sold as slaves. Olsen was purchased
by an old Mohammedan, who was re-
tired pirate and lived III one of the best
quarters of the town. His house was
only one story in height, and had no
outside windows, but the interior looked
upon a little court, in the center of which
was marble fountain, The old pirate,
although very pious man and frequent
visitor to his mosque, lived i'll 4 luxuri-
Gus manner.
Olsen was made one OF the slaves of
the household. His duties were not
very arduous, but he received cruel
treatment at the hands of the major
domo OF the establishment, who was
Misunderstanding black and was called
Muley. He took great delight in il fl jct-
ing fortunes on poor Olsen. The latter
was quite plump and the tyrant found
his flesh well suited for pinching.
Muley also found great enjoyment in
thrsshlng the lad, and when he needed
exercise would drive Olsen into the
court and chase him around the foun-
tain, striking him frequently with a
heavy cane. One day the favorite wife
of the old pirate, while looking from her
window, saw Muley exercising himself
IN this manner. She complained to her
husband, who severely reprimanded his
mAor-domo and pointed out to him the
fact that this treatment might wear out
the lad, and that it was in fact nothing
less than wanton destruction of prop
erty. Muley then promised to use Oh
sen well, He kept his promise by tax
ing the lad into secluded portion of the
house, where he amused himself by gag
glng the lad and thrashing him. The
black discovered that Olsen had weak
ness for doing off when at some light
but monotonous task, After that he
frequently placed the lad at such a task,
and would spend hours at a time ip
watching for him to doze. When he
caught the lad noddiug he would rush
upon him and awaken him with a cruel
thrashing. This tick of Muley's made
such an impression upon Olsen that in
after life he was unable to forget it. He
never afterward was awakened from a
doZe by an approaching footstep with
out sprlngng up IN alarm, under the
impression that his old tyrant was rush.
ing at him.
After having remained some time in
the household of the old pirate Olsen
began to pick up the native language.
He tried to devise some way of escape,
but be could hit upon no plan. The
town of Tunis was surrounded by two
very thick walls, tue outer one of which
was five miles around, but had only four
gates, which were carefully guarded. In
order TO reach the inner bay of Tunis,
where the shipping lay, it was necessa-
~ to proceed across lagoon, in which
the depth of water was only about I feet,
and then through narrow strait which
was commanded by the guns of castle.
Olsen would sometimes be sent upon the
roof of his masters house, where there
were several cisterns for catching rain
water. Here he could catch a glimpse
Of the shipping in the bay and of some
lofty mountains which lay inland, but
he clearly understood that he had little
chance OF reaching either.
Among the friends of his master was
an African pirate who would occasional
ly visit Tunis with his vessels
One day, when Olsen had been
nearly four years in slavery, Muley