Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1888-01-18
crimes, was honorable In the love he Sore


''Ay 6ue'Io," continued Old Miggies draw
ing u long breath, ''whether wearied by her.
nurses opportunities or it ma be a little
softenod by the impassio ned pleading of
Despard, in the end sho yielded, but not
with her heart-it was the yielding of
despair. There was as the Catalina's quarter
master one Manuel Lagos who in youth
had taken the holy orders-he united the
two in marriage on the YES sel's deck In
presence Of the crew-Captain Despard
swearing that in Havana the ceremony
should be repeated in due form OF church
rites"
''And did she grow to love himw eager.
~ asked.
Old Miggles shook his head.
"She might but for the treSchery Of the
accursed Manuel Lagos" he replied be-
tween his clenched teeth, who himself was
infatuated with Carita's beautiful face.
He-the vile traitor told her in secret that
Captain Miguel Despard had q wife and
child in Havana, and more, swore on the
holy Cross that Despard was no honest pri-
vateer but the oldest of freebooters who
then few the black flag"
''But it was not true!" breathlcsslv ex-
claimed.
"Qwien sabeP' was tho cool response-"a
sailor may have wife in every port and
yet cherish Q love that Is honorable; and as
for freebooting, how different was it in
those times, from the privateerlng OF Shell
velock and his kinda" And without giving
me a chance to reply, Old Miggles con-
tinued:
"Carita was like one insane when she
made this discovery. She delayed not, but
rushing upon the schooner's deck, up-
hr0i a1 ND n1Vyo to-
can do and then she cursed him.
Here Old Migglos paused and moistened
his thin lips, while on his yellow forehead
stood beads OF perspiration which even the
warmth Of the fire famed into fierce activi-
ty by the terrible wind in the chimney could
not have produced. After which, as one who
repeats words which some terrible associa-
ton have served to grave on the memory,
he said:
"'Wav the curse cfa ruined and betrayed soul
rest upo" you, Miguel Despard. In life and
death, sickness or health, joy or. sorrow. curse
you'"
"And then!" said, wondering not little
that Old Miggles could so identify himself
with his story as to emotionalize in all the
proper places.
"And them" responded Miggles, covering
his face with his qulvering hands, and
shaking like one in an ague fit, "she sprang
over the taffrail into the sea, which closed
above her forever!"
Louder and louder doomed the surf on
yarmouth Point. Mingled with the rain
were drops Of salt spray blown from the
wave crests by the gale, which was at its
height.
''Whether Of the curse or no." continued
Old Miggles, uplifting his voice to be heard
above the elements, 'from that day forth
Captain Despard's luck turned. His vessel
was followed by armed cruisers, bent upon
her destruction. His men mutined and
finally, in a quarrel over the division Of the
Hdalgo's plumber, Despard, his first lieu
tenant, Lagos, the Quartermaster and one
other were marooned on coral cay, sixty
odd miles north and east from Great Aba
coz
"MaroonedW said, questioningly.
cleft to perish by starvation and thirst
on an acre Of barren reef far out Of the
track Of sailing vessels" explained Old
MiggIes, with a savage execration in Span
ish. "Despard was given his sea chest
which the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. upon
them-said might serve to bury him in.
There was left for the four a bottle of
water and pound of salt porlx-voika."
"Before the Catalina was hull down on the
horizon" continued Old Miggles, "there
was quarrel between Captain Despard
and Lagos, who, in his hot anger, defantly
boasted Of having undeceived the unhappy
Carita. Blows were struck and Despard's
dagger pierced the traitors heart. Three
days later the second lieutenant died raw
ing mad, and twenty-four hours later an
other, leaving Despard alone-famishing
with hunger, choking with thirst, scorched
by the tropic sun and chilled to the bone by
the night winds, to suffer the torrents of
the damned for an awful eternity OF four
teen daysl'
"But for heavens sake" exclaimed no
longer able to contain my curiosity, show
could he exist without food or water all
that time?"
Something like shudder convulsed old
Miggles' spare frame.
"Quien sabe?' he hoarsely replied, t'per-
haSs that he was harder of fl:ame-who
! shall say. Certain it was that he had
strength to bury out of sight, one by one,
in holes scooped in the sand, the-the re-
mains of his companions. And one day, in
half insanity, he wrote with piece of
chalk inside his chest lid the verses of the
song you ask about. Then he was taken OF
by passing vessel, representing himself
'
/ only survivor of brig which laundering in
| a gale had driven himself and his sea chest
| to the cay. Whether he was believed or
| not no questions were asked, and under a
| name not his own, he sailed the seas over
till age and inirmities forced him to sock a
home on the land"
HE was shrewd-th2 Miguel Dcspard,"
| continued Old Miggles, who had with
| drawn his colorless face from his hands,
land in the division OF spoil had hidden un-
der the false bottom Of his sea-chest
jewels of great value, which he disposed Of
| from time to time as years went by. BY
| aims giving to the Holy Church, by confess
sion and by penance he sought to atone for
the past, but sleeping or waking"
Here Old Miggles stopped abruptly and
seemed to pull himself together, folded his
arms across his chest and glanced at me
furtively from under his white bushy
broWs.
"And you say Captain Despard, who
wrote the strange song, is dead?" l ven
tured to remark.
"Miguel Despard is Dead" said Old Mig
giles laconically.
"Then, of course. the curse died with
him." persisted, land So"