Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1884-04-09

A1nG 3 GOOQ WOfK1n man 8 reOuKo to 6n1rk
From de great smilin' fields from de owner who
Wild his heart in his face kind and smilin', one
catches
Better hopes dan from grumblers and pocket-cased
hands,
God Dress all the toilers who tend dere own
patches.
from the New York Times]
A STRANGE STORY.
II have never had any very strange
experiences myself, but 1 can give you
first-class secondhand yarn, if YOU
care to hear it," said retired pilot one
day last week to a Times reporter. The
latter Mastered to explain that, unlike
the ordinary Judge, he had no objections
to receive hearsay evideoce. Thus en-.
couraged, the pilot proceeded to spin
his yarn:
''About 80 years ago." he began.
''while plotting a Norwegian vessel into
port, / struck up an acquaintance with
the captain, whose name, if I remember
rightly, was Olsen. I took quite a
fancy to the man, and on several oc.
casions afterward 1 fell in with his YES.
sci off the coast and took her into port.
| noticed one very peculiar thing about
BIN. After the vessel had been turned
over to me he would sit on deck to keep
ma company. Sometimes he would ap
pear to be doing. If at such a time
L approached him he would start IN
with look of great alarm, and then bis
look of fright would give place to very
pleasant smile. After one of these oc.
casions he asked me if he had seemed
frightened when he first opened his
eyes. Very much So said I. Then
he laughed heartily, and said: Some
day, when we have plenty of time, ]
will explain the popularity which you
have probably noticed in me more than
once This, of course, aroused my
curiosity. A few days afterward 1 met
the captain at the Office of his agents.
and I reminded him of his promise.
Then he told me this story:
About the year 1910, when Olsen was
II years of age, he shipped as cabin-boy
on brigantine bound on trading voy-
age up tho Adriatic. That was five o,
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 of
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 ot
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 he1
prize. The prisoners were conveyed in
to the town of Tunis, where they wore
sold as slaves. Olsen was purcha. ed
by an old Mohammedan, who was re.
tired pirate and lived in one of the best
quarters of the town. His house was
only one story in height, and had nc
outside windows. but the interior looked
upon little court, in the center of which
was marble fountain, The old pirate,
although very pious man and a frequent
visitor to his mosque, lived in luxuri.
Gus manner.
Olsen was made one Of the slaves Of
the household. His duties were MOI
very arduous, but he received crue
treatment at the hands of the amsjor
domo of the establishment, who was .
villainous- looking black and was called
Muley. He took great delight in il i;ct
ing fortunes on poor Olsen. The Latter
was quite plump and the tyrant founi
his flesh we'll suited for pinchine
Muley also found great enjoyment il
thrashing the lad, and when be needed
exercise would drive Olsen into tn,
court and chase him around the foup
tain, striking him frequently with ,
heavy cane. One day the favorite wifi
of the old pirate, while looking from he
window, saw Muley exercising himsel
in this manner. She complained to he
husband, who severely reprimanded hi
major-domo and pointed out to him tn,
fact that this treatment might wear GU
the lad, and that it was in fact nothin,
less than wanton destruction of pro :
erty. Muley then promised to use OF
sen we'll. He kept his promise by tax
ing the lad into secluded portion of tn
house, where he amused himself by gag
ging the lad and thrashing him. Tn
black discovered that Olsen had a weak
ness for doing off when at some lieh
but monotonous task, After that b.
frequently placed the lad at such task
and would spend hours at time il
watching for him to doze. When h
caught the lad nodding he would rusl
upon him and awaken him with q crue
thrashing. This trick of Muley's mad
such an impression upon Olsen that i,
after life he was unable to forget it. q,
never afterward was awakened from
doze by an approaching footstep with
out springng up in alarm, under tn,
impression that his old tyrant was rush
ing at him. ....sg-..,g = --sr-x-.
After having remained some time j,
the household of the old pirate Olsel
began to pick up the native language
He tried to devise some way of escape
but he could hit upon no plan. Tn,
town Of Tunis was surrounded by tw,
very thick walls, the outer one OF which
was five miles around, but had only foul
gates, which were carefully guarded. Ii
order to reach the inner bay of Tunis
! "Ao1o Ino oAApPAu8 Aoys IL WHO uoCee0a
~ to proceed across lagoon, in which
the depth of water was only about Z feet
and then through q narrow strait which
was commanded by the guns of q castle
Olsen would sometimes be sent upon thu
roof of his masters house, where there
were several cisterns for catching rain.
water. Here he. could catch q 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 wal
an African pirate who would occasional.
" visit Tunis with his vessels
One day, when Olsen had been
nearly four years in slavery, Muley