The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-05-02

Mats information on the subject was so
vorro that it seemed useless to institute u
search: so, aftcra regretful look at the rocks
Brinklev proposed that they should scunter
back along the shore,
"By tho way sad he Il want you to III
troduco me to William Jones"
"To William Jones"
eyes. Strange as tho fancy may seem to
YOU. should like for once in my l.lo to stand
face to face with n real live wrccEer.
They made their way back along the coast,
until they reached William Jones' cottage
Here they paused, principally for Brinliey TO
take a glance at the quaint dwelling, tileh
they crosse the threshold. What sort OF
place he had got into it was utterly linpo'-
siblc for Brinl;lcy t. tell; it was so dark nc
could SEQ nothing. Having crossed the
threshold, therefore, 10 paused, but Matt
went fcarleas,y forward, strUc% Ugh, ana
ignitcd tho rushliSh. en- Ito tal!o.
"Willian JorCa,' sad she, here b tAe
painter"
BY the light Of the f.cleriag rrshligLt
Brinkley now looked about him AZ G.a2co
he noted some of tho details OF tho queer /
tle room; then his eye foil upon tho occu-
pants. whom, from MATHS description, no
recognized as William Jones AID The grizzly
author of his being.
The old man, who Brinkley pcrforce ad-
mittcd, certainly bore some resemblance 10
the Rembrandtish head which Matt had rec
ognized, sat DOING fitfully by the hearth,
while his son was busily employed in mend
ing an old lantern.
Upon the entrance of Brinklcy tho lantern
WIS quickly thrown aside, and W i!liain Jones,
assuming most obSequ.ous manner, hastcicd
TO give welcome to the STRANGER BrInk!ey
was amused He &c cricl William Jones
offer Of q scat then he lit Up his lf.a"-.' ct
pipe, and, while smoking LAZY, 10 pG5 II lew
questions to his host But il no expected TO
gain information Of any Kind be was "o'n TN
deceived. William Joncl was 20 fool Com
bined with excessive ayaricc, lo pos e-sci ell
the cunning of tho fox, aid tie moncnt 10
saw that the stranger was pumping hil no
was on his guard.
Presently, however, his curiosity gained
the day Categorically, in his turn, he began
to question Brinkley about has doings.
II suppose now, master,' said he, you
travel about deal in that cart o yourn"
Brinkey explained thatthc cart IN ques-
ton had been in his possession only lew
months.
.'But Travelled good deal before l got
IT. he explained "This time last year was
In Ireland"
''In Ireland, master"
ayes, on tho west coast; do you know iii"
William Jones shook his head.
"There be plenty wreck there, amt thereP
said he, suddenly.
"Wreckp repeated Brinkley
eyes. I've heard tell o wonderful storms
and big ships breaking up. Look ye now,
they do tell wonderful tales; and wonder
sometimes il all they says DO true"
Brinkley looked NJ his host fer minute or
so in silent wonder, for the little man was
transformed Instead of gain about him
with the stupid expression which w til now
his face had worn, his face expressed Gil the
keeuucss of q fox-h hound well on the scent.
There was also another curious thing which
the Young man noticed: that the Woru
sswreck" seemed to act like magic on the
other member Of the Jones household. AT
the first mention of it the old man started
from his sleep; and he now sat staring wildly
before him, evidently imagining ho was
standing on headland, going out to sea
"Wreckn he mur1nured. "Ay, there It
be. driftin' in wi the wind and tide, W llIlnln
-driftin i'll wi the tide"
"Shut up, old man, said William, giving
his father o nudge; then, turning again To
Brinkley, he said: "Be them tales true, mas
terl"
"Eh' Oh, yes, perfectly true" said Brink
lev, being i'll lively humor, and determined
to give his host treat.
The expression in thceycs of William d ones
became even more greedy.
"P'raps," he said, you've seen some OF
them wrecks"
"Dear me- yes" answered Brinkley, de-
termined to give the reins to his imagination.
GIVE seen any number of them. Huge ships
broken up like match-boxcs, and every soul
OH board them drowned; then afterward--"
"Ah, yes, mister" sad William Jones,
eagerly, Us the other paused; ''arter-"
HWell, afterward, my friend, I've seen
treasures come ashore that would have made
YOU and me, and dozen others such, rich Tor
life"
"Dear, deari and what bccame Of it, mis-
ter-tell me thatr
"What became Of it," repeated Brinkley,
whose imagination was beginning to give
way; "why, it vas appropriated, of course,
by the population"
"And didn't you take your share, mister"
"Ir' repeated Brinkley, who was getting
muddled; "well, no; firstly, because didn't
wish to- have superstitious horror of wear
ing dead mems things; and secondly, because
could not have done so had i wished. The
people are clannish; they wanted it all for
themselves, and would have killed any inter
fering stranger"
II suppose, mister, there be no coastguard
chaps theret" said William Jones.
"Oh, dear, no! No coastguards."
"Ahr' sighed thu old man, coming out OF
his trance. 1T vnrnt SO long ago when
there warn't no coastguard chaps here
neither. Then times was better for honest
men. On dark night twas easy to put
light ON the headland, and sometimes We got
a prize or two that way, didn't We, William
deori But now"
'You shut up!" roared William, giving bus
parent a very forcible dig in the ribs. "fou
don't know what you're talkin' about, you
don't Tho old 'un is a bit queer in the head,
master" he explained land he's allus
dreamin', he is. There amt no prizes here,
the Lord knows; it's Almost as much as we
can do to git bit o. bread. Matt knows
that; don. &c. Mattp