The rustler., 1891-08-21
AT THE CROSS KEYS.
An Interesting Story OF the Revo.
lutionary War Timea

the open door. and laxily launched a
ring ef tobacco smoke ON the balmy air
of the September evening Good wife
Van nurcn rcclined against the op-
posite side of the door. glad 90 get a
mouthful of the cool breeze. for the day
had been sultry. Jacobus passed 10
and fro. between the bar and the trees.
with tankards Of frothy brown ale:
taking good heed not TO tread ON the
toes OF his master and mistress; pot
boys positions were not going a-beg-
ging in fiatbush town In the year of
grace seventeen hundred and eighty
one.
The inn-keeper was In the act OF
shaping another ring, when a loud
burst of laughter from the trees caused
him To turn his head 30 suddenly that
the smoke was elected in shapcless
cloud.
The Cross Keys" said he. ''has
never known livelier company"
That fat pirate" replied the wife,
-'would make a Quaker Taught"
"Ay, it's merry rascal. and right
welcome to all the liquor II can gulp.
But remember. my dear, Il is the dumb
host that draws the most ale. Let the
congress and the king fight out their
own battles"
Folk say" remarked his helpmect
Howe has written to King George
that we Long Islanders are ready 10
take the oath of allegiance. amt
ready to take such an oath, Joris"
Bah! you're not Long islander;
you're woman. As for me, am too
old to fight on either side, so I'll live in
peace, with my customer for my king"
This English major certainly do
bring us plenty of business, Joris."
'0h, shelton knows on which side
mis- toast Is buttered; he quarters the
American prisoners in this neighbor.
hood, and boards at the Cross Keys
himself free of charge"
And you allow him per cent. on the
prisoners ale, don't you, JorisP"
"Mrs. Van Buren," replied her lord,
'curtly, that's state secrctr
In the modern warfare of civilized"
nations the parole, as il existed in the
time of our revolution, finds scant
recognition; II has gone out with the
slow match and the boarding pike. II
was customary then for large numbers
of prisoners OF war TO be given the
freedom of n certain district, their
word OF honor being accepted that they
would not attempt to rejoin their
friends until given permission TO do so
by the terms of n mutual exchange"
Generally these prisoners were at
tended by n single officer; and In the
pregnant period of the revolution the
life of prisoner of war with the GER
tain shameful exceptions blotting the
pages of Britain's history was by no
means devoid of pleasurable incident
Much has been written regarding the
whaleboat privateersmen of those
days, and, perhaps, considerably more
to their disparagement than circum-
stances justify. They were but the
natural offspring of unnatural con-
ditions. OF these rangers none achieved
a wider reputation than Capt. Mariner
An old record tells us 'he was man
of eccentric character, witty and in
genious, and Astounding In anecdotes"
A careful perusal OF such of his re-
in the chronicles of his time enables
us to form good idea Of his person
ality. lie was as short as Dutch
skipper; so fat that the ransaclSing of
stolen clc thes chests formed no part of
his piratical amusements, and his face
might be likened to copper-colored
moon in state of general volcanic
eruption. The hollow tone of his voice
led to the pleasantly that ''the captain
had swallowed northeaster and was
peddling II out in cupfuls"
1t was indeed jovial party that sat
at the long table beneath the maple
trees.
"Silence, gentlemen cried one.
capt Mariner for song"
A score of tankards beat tattoo on
the board as the captain arose and
bowed, first to the major (who sat,
moodily, a few PAGES from the head of
the table,, then to his audience. TAX
ing the average and speaking relative
ly. Capt. Mariner was not ''half seas
over" although certain premonitory
winks conferred upon his opposites as
he rose ito oblige" were given with
vim that i'll consorted with perfect So
briefly. In voice husky with porter
or emotion he announced sThe Yankee
Sword" and proceeded to sing the fol-
lowing, to the air of an old sea song:
Hurrahl hurrahl for the Yankee sword,
In Heaven 1t was made;
II flashes bright In Freedoms light
Hurrah for the patriot bladel
The tyrant from his castle sees
Its glimmerng afar,
Aud toddles about
And toddies about
Ana toddles about with shaking knees;
For the Yankee sword-hurrahi
II forbid You to finish that tuneless
dogg'rel!" exclaimed Maj. Shelton,
with as much dignity as though he were