Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1888-05-06

/ stood over him till ne chose TO slt erect,
which he presently did, rubbing his poll
snd looking at me with an air Of mingled
bewilderment and fear.
This is scurvy usage to give q shipmate
in distress" said he. "0d's life, man! ]
had thought there was some sense of hu.
&raascr in YOU. You. hand, Mr.. Rodney-I
feel dazsdw
helped him to rise, and he then sat
down in somewhat rickety manner, rub
bing his eyes. 1t might have been fancy,
il might have been the illusion of the fur
mace light combined with the venerable
appearance his long hair and naked pate
gave him, but methought in those few
minutes he had grown to look twenty
years older.
Never concern yourself about my hu-
NOR, Mr.. Tassard," said 1, preserving my
determined air coming close to him again.
"How is it to stand between Us? / leave
the choice to you. You will treat me
eivilly you'll not end me wanting in every
disposition TO render our miserable state
tolerable; but il you insult me, use me in
juriously, and act the pirate over me, who
, am an honest man, by God, Mr.. Tsssard,
l will kill your
He stopped away from me and raised his
hand in posture as if to fend me of, and
cried, in o whining manner: ~ lost my
head this gunpowder business hath been
slhellish Experimentation you, Mr..
Rodney. Come! We will drink can to
our future smity"
answered coldlY that wanted no more
wine, and babe him beware of me; that
he had gone far enough; that our hideous
condition had filled my soul with despers-
ton and misery, and that j would not
have my life on this frozen schooner made
more abOminable than il was by his swag-
ger, lies and insults; and / added, in
loud voice and in menacing manner, that
death had no terTors for me, and that
would dispatch him with rs little fear as /
should meet my doom, whatever shape it
took.
marched on deck, not little astound-
ed by the eowardice of the old rascal, and
very well pleased with the marked impress
ion my bearing and language had produced
on him. Not that / supposed for a mo-
ment that my bold compartment would
save me from his knife or his pistol when
he should think proper to make away with
me. No. All reckoned upon was cow
iug him into civiler posture of mind, and
checking his sgreSsions and insolence.
stayed but q minute or two on deck.
Such was the cold that do not know i
had ever felt it more biting snd bitter.
returned below and sat down. The
Frenehmsn asked me no questions. He
had his can in the oven and his d:ath's
head in his great hand, and pulled out
clouds of smoke of the color of his beard,
and indeed in the candle and FIRE light
looked like figure Of old Time, with his
long nose and bald head. / addressed one
OF two civil remarks to him, which he an
swered in a subdued manner, discovering
no resentment whatever that could trace
in his eyes or the expression of his counten-
snce; and being wishful to show that i
bore no malice talked of pirates and their
usages, and asked if the Boes del Dragon
fought under the red or black fsg.
"Wby, the black flag, certainly" said
he; "but if we met with resistance il was
our custom TO haul it down and hoist the
red flag, to let our opponents know We
should give no quarter"
"Where is your flag locked?" said /.
"In my birth" he answered.
AZ should like to see the black flag" /
exclaimed; '"tis the one piece CT bunting,
believe, have never viewed"
"I'll fetch it," said he, and taking the
lantern went aft very quietly, but with 8
certain stagger in his walk, which should
have put down 10 the wine if il was not
that his behavior was free from all symp-
toms OF inebriation, The change in him
surprised ms, but not 50 greatly as you
might suppose; indeed it excited my sus-
picions rather than my wonder. Fear
worked in him unquestionably; but what
I seemed 10 see best was some malignant
design which be hoped TO conceal by an
air Of Cancellation and quality ofrespeet-
ful bon homie.
He came back with flag in his hand,
and we spread il between Us; it was black,
with q yellow skell grinning in the middle;
over thissn hour glass, and beneath cross
bones.
tsWhat a CONSERVATION has this signal
eussd and does still causel" said |, survey
ing it, while hundred fancies of the bar
barous scenes it had flown over, the miser-