Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1889-03-22

/ stayed but n minute or two on deck
Such was the cold that do not know had
ever felt 1t more biting and bitter.
l returned below and sat down. The
Frenchman asked me no questions. He had
his can in the oven and his deaths head in
his great hand, and pulled out clouds Of
smoke OF tho 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. I addressed one or two civil re-
marks to him, which he answered in u SUBJ
dued manner, discovering no resentment
whatever that / could trace in his eyes or tho
expression of his countenance; and being
wishful to show that bore no malice I
talked OF pirates and their usages, and asked
il the Boca del Dragon fought under the red
or black flag.
"Why, the black flag, certainly" said he;
"but if we met with resistance it 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 lockerg said 1.
Gin my berth, he answered.
~ should like to see the black flag" ex-
claimed; ''tis the one piece Of bunting, be-
lieve, have never viewed"
"Ill fetch it," said he, and taking the Ian
tern went aft very quietly, but with GER
tain stagger in his walk, which l should have
put down to the vino If it was not that his
behavior was free from all symptoms of
inebriaton. The change in him surprised
me, but not so greatly as you might SUPPOSE;
indeed, it excited my suspicious rather than
my wonder. Fear worked in him unQues-
tionably; but what l seemed to SEQ best was
some malignant design which he hoped to
conceal by an air of Cancellation and O
quality Of respectful bon homie.
lie came back with flag in his hand, and
we spread it between US; it was black, with
yellow skull grinning in tho middle over
this an hour glass, and beneath cross bones.
"What CONSERVATION has this signal caused
and does still causel" said |, surveying it,
while n hundred fancics of the barbarous
scenes it had flown over, the miserable cries
for mercy that had swept up past it to the
ear of God, crowded into my mind. ~
think, Mr. Tassard,n said |, "that our first
step, should we ever find ourselves ahoat in
this ship, must be to commit this and all
other flags of like kind on board to the
locp. There is evidence il cils piece OF
dr.pery to hang an ANGEL"
&c let fall mis- end Of the flag, and sat down
suddenly.
Yes" he answered, sending curious roll
ing glance around the cook room, and at the
same time bringing his hand to the back Of
his head, "this is evidence to danglo even an
honestcr man than you, sir All flags but
the ensign we resolve to sail under must GO
oil flags, and all the wearing apparel, and
and-hut'-here he muttered a cursc-''we
are fixed There Is TO be no sailing.
lie shook his head and covered his eyes.
liiS manner was strange, and the stranger
/ lor LlS qluctude.
/
sald 10 MN, Arc Nou ILL.,"
II nc heard no dio not need mo- but fell a.
mHtteflng ana CRYING TO himself. Ana now
d4d certainly remark quality IN his voice
tAao was new 10 my ear; 1t Mas not, as no
FAD SAID, 4" labor or thickness OF utterance
but drynesS and parchedness OF Old age,
WIN ilahY preaks from hlSh 70 low notes,
ana a lean NOISE OF dribbhng threading every
word. lie sweated and talked and mutteTed
but TINS was from sheer terror; he dli not
s"oon, but sat with stoop, often pressing
LIS bro"S ana gazing about nm IKE one
whose senses are Gil abroad.
Hraclous mother OF all angels!' he ex-
claimed crossing himself several times but
win feeble most a:ltated hand, and speak
ing IN french ehd English, and sometimes
l'erJeclnS an Invocation III ltailan CT
spanish, though give You what no sad ~
my own tonS'S7-"surely am dying. On
!-or'' roWirlgnIlul 10 dle! oh holf virgin
ne mercllul to me! l shall 60 to hell GA
oeSu' am past forgiveness: for the love OF
hea'oh' MI Aouhey' some bfAhay! VI,
tha1 some SAINT would hterpose Tor me!
oh!y a lew years longer-Trant me lew
years !ohger-l beseecn Tor That time that !
may repent! ana ne extended one qulVerini'
hahd Tor the brandy Cot winch a 1rauehC
stoou iheited III the oven, ana made the sign
OF the cross upon his breast with the other,
while he continued to Whino ont i'll his
cracked pipes the widest appeals Tor mercy,
saying vast deel tnat burst not venture
to set down, so plentiful end awful we're his
clamors for time that he might repent,
though he never lapsed into blasphemy, but
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