The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1888-04-20
A PIRATICAL CRUISE.
A Eoy's Story Of One That He VIII
New or Forget.


pirates! just take it away will you.
for as long as l live l don't want to
hear about pirates. Eve had enough of
'em. I haze; and bad as I've had the
measles, with my eyes all bunged up.
so can't see, and can't do nothin' to
amuse myself. but lie here on this hor-
rid old bed, yet tell you amt goin'
to listen to nothin' about pirates. even
if you don't read me another word.
Yes I'll tell You why hate EN- SO.
1t all happened last year. before came
to this school, when was at home in
the country.
ben. he's my Oldest brother. you
know, and he's about fourteen now.
used to like pirate stories. and SO did I.
We couldn't get enough of 'em, and
we'd rather have been pirates and
raised the black flag. than been George
Washington himself 1t sounded so
grand. you know. and SO brave to be
men who defied the whole world.
"Well. one day pa and ma started
off for Stanfield. to see Aunt Maria
Lynn. who was very sick. They couidn' t
get back under two days. and they
didn't much like leaving us children
without any white person on the place.
But they thought heap of Aunt Dora,
our colored cook. and they knew little
Susy would be safe with her
''Of course, they knew Ben and me
could take care of ourselves; and so we
didn't tumble off the big walnut tree
or shoot ourselves with pas rifle, ma,
she felt perfectly easy. for she couldn' t
think of any other thing that would
hurt US.
I'VE promised her faithful, the wal
nuts might drop on our noses, but We
wouldn't climb to the first notch for
'em, and, as for the rifle, we wouldn' t
even look at the rack where it lay. We
kept our promise, too, but gracious
knows what good it did US
I'VE played about for some time.
when all of a sudden Ben turns to me.
Nolan he says don't you want some
fun?'
''Of course, 1 wanted fun. Wasn't
lookin' for it all the time?
''.Let's be pirates;' he goes on to
say.
Pirates l opened my eyes wide. 1
tell you. why. Ben. who ever heard
of pirates on land"
"'You silly he says. in his scornful
way, who said any thing about pirates
on land' Isn't Red Clay Lake only
about mile of, and amt there two
little islands in it? Well make one of
'em our stronghold. and on the other
We'll put our prisoners. you see.'
Prisoners said, where on earth
are We goin' to pick 'em up?"
"'Well, there's Aunt Dora Nathan.
and we can take Susy. I've been look
in at grandpa's big revolutionary
sword. 1t will be just the thing for q
pirate captain, and, of course, I'm to
be captain.
He always was captain and more.
in all our plays. SO l didn't think of
disputin' the matter.
"'Aunt Dora will never let Susy CO.
says.
81 suppose as we're pirates we're
not goin' to beg anybody for any
thing. Wen steal Susy, and Nathan's
up to any fun. All we have to do is to
swear him over not to tell his NANNY
Shell be lookin' for Susy. and
turnin' every thing upside down. 1
said. for was beginnin' to feel scared.
hated noise and fuss. and knew
that of all screechin' and squeakin' and
runnin' about like a mad woman, with
her head-handkerchief streamin' in the
wind. old Dora would take the lead
when she found Susy was missin'.
You're a plumb fool. Nolan Lee
says Ben. gettin' as mad as fire. What
do you mean by throwin' cold water
on every plan. sir? lust wish I could
play pirate without you. you mis- able
wet blanket. wouldn't l do it in a hur-
ry. Come along, and let us look for a
black flag
''Of course. one of mas black skirts
was to be the flag. and we took her
very best cashmere; but. bless you.
how were we to know the difference
between cashmere and cotton? We
weren't shop boys. and I always shall
think and say that we oughn't to have
had extra punishment for that skirt
".Now, what are we goin' to do
about the red fag?' Ben says
".Do pirates have red Gags. tool" l