Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-08-13

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King George himself.
''Egad, sir!" replied the captain, ssthe
beauty of my song is that each verse is
complete in itself"
~ will have no more of the treasona-
BILE stuff!'
''Shamer' cried dozen voices
Perhaps" laughed the captain, "our
British jailer would prefer the ballad
of The Cock-a-Hoop and the Gagged
Eagle?'"
Shelton's eyes blazed with anger at
this mock allusion to their relative
positions; walking quickly to the back
of the captain, he dealt him such a
blow in the face that the sea dog was
knocked into his neighbours lap.
With loud cries of ''villain!'' and
s'cowardv' a dozen men sprang to
avenge this unsoldierlike act But
Mariner was not the man to require
assistance in such matters
''Pray return to your seats, gentle
men," he said; then, in tone of mock
reproof, he added: "What! attack with
your hands poor fellow who has
nought but sword and pistols where
with to defend himself! For shame,
boys!'
u1Ak W CuC1tOus VIII SIOOO Will
his hand on the hilt of his saber, he
said, in an undertone: For a prisoner
of war to lay finger on his guard is, as
you well know, to incur the penalty of
death; besides, you are armed and am
not; but 1 shall repay you before many
days."
81 shall not avoid you-when you
are entitled to wear a sword!' retorted
the major, contemptuously; then, as
the company broke up, in disorder, he
stepped into the inn, to pen line to
the British general, asking for a few
troops ito prevent a certain unscrupu-
lous rebel, one Mariner, from breaking
his parole"
The captain, however, had no such in
tention. Lazily lolling over the now
deserted table, he lit his pipe. and ap-
peared to be lost in peaceful musings.
But he was never SO wide-awake as
when he appeared distracted. A foxy
glance or two at the hosiery showed a
state of hustle therein; presently, upon
the blind of the tap-room, he saw the
shadow of the major and the innkeeper
in earnest conversation. Soon the
shadows disappeared, and Shelton
sauntered out for his evening walk. AS
soon as the wood screened him from
view, the captain raped sharply with
his mug, which brought Mrs. Van Blu
rem to the table.
THE old man has gone to the Eng
lish lines" said Mariner.
Lords mercy, captain, and what
makes you think sop
''The horse has hoofs, and we are to
lew'rd. don't want to know his bust
ness; what l desire to ask you is-are
you daughter of iberty?''
why, really, captain, the master
hasn't decided
but you have" interrupted the cap
tain, land you wish the English were
at the bottom of the sea! You saw that
brig try to shoot away my topm'st?"
st were dirty trick, sir, if it's the
blow you mean
The captain tore a leaf from his
pocketbook and wrote a few lines upon
it.
Mrs. Van Buren," he said, ''can you
ride a horse?"
Indeed, few better, sir; my own
horse, Black Ned, in the stable there
''Gen. Putnam is in Brooklyn; this
slip of paper must be put into his hands
to-night!''
bOIu hOECy. CIlSo ChS uOSCCSS.
''And are we going to have another
battle?"
Il will read it,
changed. and at once? MARINER :"
The captain bestowed a significant
glance upon the lady, who took the bit
of paper and thrust it in her bosom.
Then, running into the house, she re-
turned with pint of the captains par
ticular porter, which he swallowed
gratefully, babe her good night and set
out for the cottage at which he was
lodged. On his return, instead of re-
firing as he should have done under
the circumstances, Maj. Shelton re-
paired to the bar, reclined on one Of
the settees, and to the infinite annoy.
ance of his hostess commenced to DIS
pitiful folly of these provinces in hearl1-
ening to such sordid wretches as Henry,
Jefferson, Washington and Paine
The rumbling of distant thunder now
added to the worthy lady's disgust.
This delay would oblige her to take
the shorter bride path through the
woods, and she had pardonable dis,
like to the proximity of tall pine trees
In a CnunOer storm. so communicative
was the major that the anxious woman
feared lest he should conclude to sit up
for her husbands return; but tre-
mendous thunder crash right over the
inn seemed to bring him to sense of
the proprieties, for he leaped to his
feet, looked at the brass timepiece on
the mantel (which was on the stroke
of midnight) and hurried upstairs.
Without the loss of a moment the
woman assumed her good mans cordu-
roy coat and, taking lantern to the
sta BILE. aroused and saddled Black Ned.
The rain was falling in torrents as she
rose to the saddle and cautiously di-
rected the horse across the turf to the
opening in the woods. Then, tying
the reins to the saddle. she ''shone"
the lantern over the animals head and
urged him to a gentle canter in the di-
rection of Brooklyn.
The sun was up when Van Buren,
(who had prudently passed the night
in the British ca:np) returned to the
Cross Keys. ace ,panied by an aide
de-camp of the british general On
leading the horses to the stable he was
intensely surprised to find Black Ned
stretched upon the straw, his appear
ance indicating that he had been ridden