Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-02-28

! lsiands-but was never superstltious, and
let the poor thing find its way out az ain un-
moleSted.
In the morning it was still blowing a
whole gale, though the sky was blue for the
most part. Our guest was up betimes and
we walked down to the beach together. 1t
was sight to see the great rollers sweeping
in, overtopping one another like herd of
oxen, and then bursting with a roar, send
ing the Carracuil pebbles flying before them
like crapeshot, and filling the whole air
with drifting spume.
We were standing together watching the
scene, when looking round 1 saw my father
hurrying toward us. He had beenup and
out since early dawn. When he saw us
looking, he began waving his hands and
shouting, but the wind carried his voice
away. We ran toward him however, seeing
that he was heavy with news.
1.-The briggs wrecked, and they're a.
drownedi' he cried as we met him.
"Whatr' roared our visitor.
If ever 1 heard exceeding great joy COM
pressed into a monosyllable it vibrated in
that one.
They RE a. drowned and naething saved"
see"
We followed him across the Combera to
the level sands on the other side. They
were strewn with wreckage, broken pieces
of bulwark and handrail, paneling of
cabin, and an occasional cask.
A single large spar was tossing in
the waves close to the shore, occasionally
shooting up towards the sky like some
giants javelin, then sinking and disappear
ing in the trough OF the great scoopng seas.
Digby hurried up to the nearest piece of
timber, and STOPPING over it examined it in-
tentlv.
"By Godr' he said at last. taking in
long breath between his teeth, you are
right It's the Prosperine, and all hands
are lost. What terrible thingP'
His face was very solemn as ne spoke, but
his ewes danced and glittered. l was begin
ming to conceive great repugnance and dis
trust toward this man.
''Is there no chance of any ore having got
ashore?" he said.
INA, ma, nor cargo neither" my father
answered with real grief in his
voice. "Ye dinna ken this
coast. There's an awful undertow
outside the Winners, and it's a. swept
round to Holy Isle. Dell take it, if there
was 10 be a shipwreck what for should they
the point and let an honest nun have the
pickings instead o. they rascally looms in
Arran? An empty barrel might float in
here, but there's no chance O. sea-chest, let
alane body
''Poor fellows!" said Digby. "But there
we must meet it some day, and why not
here and now? I've lost my ship, but thank
heaven l can buy another. 1t is sad about
them. though-very sad. warned Lamarck
that he was waiting too long with low
barometer and an ugly shore under his lee
He has himself to thank. He was my first
0Hicer, prying, covetous, meddesome
houuu.
Don't call him Names" L said. He's
dead"
"Well said, my young prigr' he an.
swered. Perhaps you wouldn't be so mealy
mouthed yourself if you lost $4,000
pounds before breakfat. But there-there's
no use crying over split milk. Vogue la
galere! as the French say. Things are
never so bad but that they might be worse"
My father aud Digbv stayed at the scene
of the wreck, but l walked over to Corrie-
mains to reassure Minnie's mind as to the
apparition at the window. Her opinion,
when l had told her all, coincided with
mine, that perhaps the crew of the brig
knew more about the stranger than he cared
LOT. W agreed L SHOulu Keep close
eve upon him without letting him know that
he was watched.
But oh, Archie" she said, "ye munna
cross him or anger him while he carries
them awfu' weapons Ye maun be douee
and saft, and no. geinsay him."
l laughed and promised her to be very
prudent, which treasured her little.
1t was wonderful how quickly the stranger
accommodated himself TO our insular wavs.
and how useful he made himself about the
homesteading. Within fortnight he knew
the island almost as well as l did myself,
Had it not been for that one unpleasant
recollection oi the shipwreck which rankIed
in my remembrance, L could have found it
in my heart TO become fond of him. His
nature was tropical one-fercely depressed
at times, but sunny as rule, bursting con-
tinually into jest and song from pure in
stinct, in a manner which is unknown among
us Northerners. In his graver moments
he was most interesting compan-
ion, talking shrewdlY and eloquently of
men and manners, and his own innumer-
able and strange adventures. / have sell
dom heard more brilliant conversational
ist. OF an evening he would keep nv
father ard myself spell-bound by thu
kitchen fire for hours aud hours, while he
chatIed away in a desultory fashion and
smoked his cigarettes. 1t seemed to me
that the packet he had brought with him on
the first night must have consisted entirely
of tobacco. L noticed that in these CONVEX
sations, which were mostly addressed to my
father, he used, unconsciously perhaps, to
play upon the weak side of the old man s
nature. Tales of cunning, of smartness, of
various ways in which mankind had been
| cheated and money gained. came most
readily to his lips, and were relished by an
eager listener. L could not help one night
remsrking upon it, when my father had
| gone out of the room, laughing hoarsely. .and
vibrating with amusement over some story
| of how the Biscayan peasants will strap Ian
terms TO buliock's horns, and taking the
beast some distance inland on a stormy
night, will make it prance and rear SO that
the ships at sea may imagine it to be the
lights OF vessel, and steer fearless!y in
that direction, only to find themselves on a
rockbound coast.
"You shouldn't tell such tales to IN old
man. l said.
MY dear fellow" he answered yery
kindly. you have seen nothing o. the world
vet. You have formed line ideas no doubt.
and notions of delicacy and such things, and
you are very dogmatic about them. as clever
men OF your aye always are. l had notions
of right and wrong once, but it has been ali
knocked out of me. It's just a sort of
varuish which the rough friction of the
world soon rubs off, L started with a whole
soul, but there are more gashes and seams
and scars in it now than there are in nv
body, and that's pretty fair as you'll allow
with which he pulled open his tunic and
! showed me his chest.
GOOD heavens" 1 said, chow on earth
did YOU get those?"
This was bullet" he said, pointing to
q deep blush pucker underneath his collar