The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1893-12-22


to be cruising in neighboring seas, and
descending upon the island take not only
all the rum but the lives of the inhabit-
ants as well. Kidd was man Of his word.
But there was a possibility that he could
not collect fleet of freebooters so easily
as he thought, and there was also the
very imminent possibility that the limited
stock of rum now on hand would be all
consumed before the next sugar cane har-
vest. ''What should be doneY" asked the
governor of the council. "Refuse the or
der" replied the council as one man.
What preference could there be between
losing their life with their rum, or in liv-
ing in misery without it?
So the governor refused the demand, the
pirate vessel faded away on the horizon,
and straightway panic seized the inhab-
itants. The garrison was small, the for
tifications weak, the artillery without sut-
ficient ammunition. The governor was
besought to send vessel after the depart
ed Kidd and tell him his demand would
be granted, but there was no vessel in The
harbor that could hope TO overtake the
nimble pirate ship. The governor reas-
sembled his council. In the midst of the
councils discussions came Reuben Win
terbotham offering to discomfit the pi-
rates, providing he received as reward all
the rum his vessel would hold. The coun-
Gil were ready to promise this, especially
as the General Court was a small vessel
and could not carry more than an eighth
of the islands stock.
The General Court went into dry dock,
and for two days column of smoke rose
from the dock and foated over the city.
On the morning of the third day the ship
lay at anchor far out in the harbor, and
the islanders were surprised to see that
she was no longer painted white, but was
of dingy, uncertain brown hue, and that
the words "New England Pie" had disap-
peared from her sides. While the people
gazed at her, specks appeared on the hori-
zon and rapidly grew into four large pi-
rate ships.
The bells of the city tolled, and those
who led pious lives fastened to the church
es to offer prayers for the islands safety,
while the ungodly, whose prayers were of
no efficacy, bent their eyes on the harbor
to witness the speedy destruction of the
General Court. The pirate vessels bore
down upon the city, giving no heed to the
New Highlander, but that doughty vessel
sent forth a broadside from cannon Dor
rowed of the fort and the pirates lay to
and prepared to engage. "Booml" thun-
dered another broadside from the General
Court; few spars fell from the foremost
pirate vessel its hull was splintered might
lily. "BoomW replied all four of the pi-
rate ships, but beyond little damage in
the rigging the watchers ashore could not
see that the General Court had suffered at
ALL The pirate vessels attempted to Crap
pie and board, but the General Court elud-
ed them, pouring volley after volley into
their hulls, while seemingly unhurt her
self.
"By my troth, the pirate balls bound
back' cried the governor in amazement,
and the watchers saw the shot from Il
broadside at close quarters bound into the
air like so many peas hurled against a
brick wall.
Zone pirate is sinking" gleefully cried
the chief rum monopolist
"Another will soon follow" cried the
chief rum consumer.
1.-THE masts of the third are gone"
screamed the garrison surgeon, most
skillful concocter of punch.
The uninjured pirate ship changes its
tactics and fires into the rigging of the
General Court. Down tumble her two
masts, and the pirate prepares to board
her, but a line of sweeps appear at the
portfolios and impelled by these she moves
faster than the pirate can with the little
wind that blows in the harbor.
clark yep cries the governor to mes
senger. eve can easily repel one pirate
vessel. If the remaining pirate is victo-
rious, it will not dare attack us, and we
will be spared giving the General Court
the reward of rum. Away to the churches
and tell them to offer prayers for the de-
feat of the General Court. l order it."
"Aye," cries the chief rum monopolist.
"Here are 10 louis for the church. have
not been regular in my attendance, but
| thenn-
"And say for me-" quoth the chief con-
sumner, "that all l save on the difference
of the price of rum now and what it will
be if the Yankee carries away a load shall
be given to the church"
But while the onlookers are making
vows and imprecating the destruction of
the purveyor of New England pie she has
hauled across the bows of the pirate vessel,
ready to rake it, and the pirate crew have
hastily tumbled into their boats and are
rowing away for dear life. The crew of
the General Court go aboard the pirate
ship, and leaving their own vessel to float
whittier it will, bring the captured vessel
| to the wharf.
81 crave the promised reward" said
Reuben Winterbotham humbly to the gov
ernor. "My vessel awaits its cargo"
"Your vesselr' said the governor in
| blank amazement.
Eyes, my vessel, captured from the free
traders in a fair fight"
"But this is a much larger vessel than
your old one. She will hold all the rum
on the island"
"Even so" murmured Reuben Winter
botham, with beatifc smile.
A promise was a promise to the govern
or. He would willingly have poniarded
the Yankee, but the promise must be kept,
and the pirate vessel sailed away, leaving
not so much rum as would serve to open
the governors left eye at one reveille.
However, we have the wonderfully in
vulnerable vessel. That is one consola-
ton" said the surgeon, and they all went
forth to examine the General Court. They
found that her sides were covered with a
great thickness of New England pie crust,
which had been baked on at the dry dock.
A heavy rain was falling, and the pas
try, which had withstood the cannon of the
pirates, was swelling and dropping away
into the sea.-W. A. Curtis in Kate Fields
Washington.
Japanese Politeness.