The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-01-14

DeSpard, in the END she yielded, but not
with her heart-it was the yielding of
despair There was as the CGtatina's quarter.
master one Manuel Lagos who in youth
had taken the holy orders-he united the
two in marriage on the vessels deck in
presence Of the crew-Captain Despard
swearing that in Havana the ceremony
should be repeated in due form of church
rites.n
'And did she grow TO love himl" eager
ly asked.
Old Miggles shook his head.
'TShe might but for the treachery 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 wife and
child in Havana, and more, swore on the
Holy Cross that Despard was no honest pri-
vateer but the DO ldest of freebooters who
then few the black flag"
"But it was not true!'' l breathlessly ex-
claimed.
"Q,tiea saber was the cool response-"a
sailor may have wife in every port and
yet cherish 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, 81
braided Despard as only woman in frenzy
can do and then she cursed him.
Here Old Miggles 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:
"'NGy the curse ola ruined dEd betrayed soul
rest upon you, Miguel Despard. In life and
death, sickness orhealH jog or Sorro1o, / curse
you.'"
"And then9" said, wondering not a lit6le
that Old Miggles could so identify himself
with his story as to emotionslize in all the
proper places.
"And then" 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 foreverm
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 mutinied and
finally, in Quarrel over the division of the
HdaLgO'S plunder, Despard, his first lieu
tenant, Lagos, the quartermaster and one
other were marooned on coral cay, sixty
odd miles north and east from Great Ala
CO."
''Marooneda" l said, questioningly.
Lett to perish by starvation and thirst
on an acre OF barren reef FAR out OF the
track OF sailing vessels" explained Old
Mlggles, with savage eXecratlon in Span
lsh. "Despard was gwen his sea chest
winch the Observation-Disclosures upon
them-sald might serve TO bury him In
There was left for the four bottle of
water and pound OF salt pork-ooiLa."
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, de6antly
boosted of having undeceived the unhappy
Carlta 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 torments OF
the damned for an awful eternity OF four
teen daysW
"But for heavens sake" exclaimed, no
longer able to contain my curiosity, chow
could he exist without food or water all
that timem
Something like shudder convulsed old
Miggles' spare frame.
"Qltien SabeFn he hoarsely replied, ''per-
haps that he was harder of frame-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 a piece of
chalk inside his chest lid the verses of the
| song you ask about. Then he was taken off
by passing vessel, representing himself
when he was able to tell his story, as the
only survivor Of brig which laundering in
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