The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-10-14
Selected Storp.
A Story of the Revolution.

chin, leaned against the framework OF
the oren door. A loud burst of laugh
ter from the trees caused him to turn
his head suddenly.
"The Cross Keys" said he "has
never known a iveiier company"
"That fat pirate" replied the wife,
would make Quaker taught"
I" Ay, it s merry rascal"
Folk saw" remarked his belpmeet,
Howe has written to King George
that we Long Islanders are ready to
take the oath of allegiance. | amt
ready to take such an oath, Joris."
'Bah you're not a Long Islander;
you're a woman AS for me, l am too
old to fight on either side, so I'll live in
peace, with my customer for my king"
"This English mai r certainly do
bring us plenty of business, Joris."
ooh, Shelton knows on which side
his toast is buttered; he quarters the
American prisoners in this neighbor
hood aud boards at the Cross Keys
himself, free of charge"
"And you allow him per cent on the
prisoners ale, don't you, Joris ?''
"Mrs Van Buren," replied her lord,
CURLY, that's state secret !"
In the modern warfare of civilized"
nations the parole, as it existed in the
time of our revolution, finds scant re-
cognition; it has gone out with the
slow match and the boarding-pike. 1t
was customary then for large numbers
of prisoners Of war to be given the free
dom of certain district, their word of
honor being accepted that they would
not ate mpt TO rejoin their friends I'M
til given permission to do so by the
terms of mutual exchange" Gen
orally these prisoners were attended by
a single officer: and in the pregnant
period of the revolution the life of a
prisoner of war with Gel tain shameful
exceptions blotting the pages of Brit
aims history was by no means devoid
of pleasurable incident.
Much has been written regarding the
whale-boat privateersmen of those days /;
and, perhaps, considerably more to
their disparage than circumstances
justify. They were but the natural off
spring of unnatural conditions. OF
these rangers none achieved wider
reputation than Captain Mariner. An
old record tells US that she was man
of eccentric character, witty and in
genious, and Astounding in anecdotes. ."
malkable adventures as are preserved
in the chronicles of his time enables us
to form a good idea Of his personality.
He was as short as a Dutch skipper; so
fat that the ransacking of stolen clothes
chests formed no part of his piratical
amusements; and his face might be
likened to copper colored moon in a
state of general volcanic eruption. The
L411 +nx &c l. la - L.
pleasantly that "the captain had swal-
lowed northeastern, and was peddling
it out in capfuls." 1t was indeed a
jovial party that sat at the long table be-
meath the maple trees.
"Silence, gentlemen" cried one:
"Captain Mariner for song"
The captain arose and bowed, first
to the major (who sat, modify, few
PAGES from the head of the table,, then
to his audience announced "The
Yankee sword" and proceeded to sing
the following, to the air of an old sea
song:
Hqrrahl hurrahl for the Yankee sword
1t flashes bright in freedoms light;
The u grant toF re as RhG1St Ss ssss
And toddes about,
And toddles about with shaking knees
For the Yankee sword-hurrahl
81 forbid you to finish that tuneless
doggerel!" exclaimed Major Shelton
with as much dignity as though he were
King George himself.
"Egad, STRIP replied the captain
the beauty of my song is that each
verse is complete in itself -
I" will have no more of the treason
able stuff"
" Shamel' cried a dozen voices.
Perhaps" laughed the captain
"our British jailer would prefer the
ballad of THE Cock-a hoop and the
Gagged Eaglep"
Shelton's eyes blazsd with anger al
this mock allusion to their relative pc
sitions; walking quickly to the back o.
the captain he dealt him such blow il
the face that the sea dog was knocked
into his neighbours lap. With louC
cries of "Villainn and Coward" {
dozen men sprang to avenge this un
solder-like act. But Mariner was MOI
the man to require assistance in such
matters
Pray return to your seats, gentle
men," he said then in a tone of mock
w
your own hands poor fellow who has
naught but sword and pistols wherewiti
to defend himself For shame, boysr
Turning to Shelton, who stood with his
hand on the hilt of his saber, he said il
an undertone: For prisoner Of wa
to lay finger on his guard is, as yol
well know, to incur the penalty of death
besides, you are armed and / am not
but | shall repay you before many
days."
81 shall not avoid you-when you
are entitled to wear sword!" retorteC
the major, contemptuously; then, as thu
company broke up, in disorder, h'
stepped into the inn, to pen line t.
the British general, asking for few
troops {" to prevent a certain unscrupu
lous rebel, one Mariner, from break
ing his PAROLE"
The captain, however, had no sucl
Intention. A glance or two at the hos