St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1889-12-21

even II It were not soon cut In twain b.
the pirate. whose shot were 80 rapidly
flying about itf
called for volunteer from among
the men. but noticing how they hung
back. and feeling that had not q mo
ment to spare. ! was about to pick up
the lantern and spring into the rigging
myself. when Shelburne. seizing L,
cried out:
No. no. Lieutenant; you are com
man6er here! Better I should take
the risk!''
Ere l could object he was mounting
the rigging OF that perilous, swayine
mast. needless Of the frequent shots
from the pirate
watched him anxiously. He soon
gained the tOp-gallant-masthead. and
began waving the lantern to attract
the attention OF the sioop-of.war.
A moment later shot struck the
top-gallant-mast. a splinter shattered
the lantern. and believed the youth
would be lost but ere the spar went
over. he dropped as lightly as a falcon
into the t0pmast shrouds below, and
then slid. hand over hand. down a
backstay to the deck.
The pirates now stopped firing.
The thunder. too. had ceased to boom
in tho darkcned heavens. and the
lightning no longer flashed. There
was something ominous. it seemed to
me, in their sudden cessaSea- Nor
was l mistaken. for all ut once the
tempest broke upon us with such ter
rifle fury that for several minutes !
thought it would sink us.
1t quickly passed to leeward. how
ever. although it still blew hard gale.
and there was rather rough sea ]
| could no longer make out the sloop-
of-war's light. for now black
masses Of flying rack shrouded
the foaming waters ahead Of us.
adding to the gloom in her
direction, although astern the
weather was not yet 50 thick" as tn
prevent my discerning with my night
glass the pirate schooner, still In pur-
salt Of us. could perceive that shn
had lost her jib-bOom rs we'll as one
Of her sails in the late tempests, and
BY getting up canvass on the stumps
Of my masts I was enabled to clude
her for some time. but at last l heard
the yells Of her rascally crew close on
our starboard quarter.
got my fifteen men ready for com.
bat. though knowing a combat would
be hopeless Shelburne. however,
grasping his sword. stood there like a
young lion. prepared to fight to the
death. and my other brave fellows
from the sloop bore o promising
aspect. with their set teeth and fam
ing eyes. A few more seas brought
the pirate craft nearly alongside Of us.
and already her fierce. well-armed
men were crowding up. ready to board
us, while others. with ropes having
grappling-irons at the ends. were
about to make fast to us, when sud-
denly there came a broad. bright
flash. followed by roar rs Of hum
dred thunders, and the schooner. shut
tered to fragments by the heavy shot
that went crashing through her light
timbers, disappeared from our sight.
the last despairing yells Of her MANNED
and drowning crew rising wildly
above the bowling OF the gale.
The next moment like some black.
winged giant. our sloop-oi-war came
bursting from the thick rack which
had concealed her approach. and.
booming along over the ruin she had
made. passed us. while the clear trum-
pct ring OF her captains voice broke
upon my ears:
''IIard-a-starboard. Lieutenant and
keep in our wake! Will send q boat
aboard as soon as / can. We saw your
signal lantern aloft in good time"
lnOw went up to midshipman Shell
burne and grasped his hand. telling
him he had saved US all by his daring
in mounting the perilous mast to wave
that signal. and that l would not fail
to speak OF his gallant conduct to the
Captain.
Miss Melton. being near with the
other passengers. heard me. and saw
her soft black eyes fash with unmis-
taxable pride and tenderness on the
gallant fellow. In my gratitude was
no longer jealous OF him. but acknowl-
edged to myself that he deserved her
love. and that the two young people
were well mated. never treated him
gruffly af;er. and when. months later.
while we werc at Manila. to which
port we had finally brought the disa-
bled ship. I heard that Miss Melton
and he were engaged. filed my briar
pipe and smoked it feeling quite con-
tented and happy.-Rufus Hale. in N.
\. Ledger.
The Age Of Electricity.