The record-union., 1895-05-18
BEEBE THE PIRATE.

My father and the family. except my
sslf, were travelling in Europe. and was
living all alone in the big oldfashioned
house, one of the homes of the city. For
while l rather enjoyed having a whole
house to myself, with all the well-tTained
servants to wait upon my comfort, and at
the same time none of the expense sucn
an establishment needed for it's malnte-
nance. My friends dropped in often 10
dine. or to spend the evening, and felt
the fascination of smoking recklessly all
over the house. But soon l began to tire
of my loneliness. / hated to turn out the
gas, lock the doors and hear my solitary
FOOTBALLS as / went uptairs to bed; ana
again dreaded going down to breakfast
with no CHEEKY greeting beyond the re-
spectful salutation of the butler, as he
pulled out my chair and handed me Inc
paper.
one morning 1 saw as registered at one
of the hotels the name of a clergy man, an
old friend of my father, who had lived all
his life in the South. a splendid old man
was the doctor, known alike Tor his SIM
Die goodness, profound learning In canon
law, and his wit. At that time ne must
have been over IS years of age, but was
tall and erect in his bearing, large man
in figure and character. his head was
massive and covered with long white
hair that fell in profusion over his shoul-
ders; his eyes were kind, but wrong
could make them severe, but his chm
worked in unison with them and could
bs as softly flexible as stern ana de-
clded. His graceful manners completed
character at once strong and lovable.
l determined TO go Immediately and see
if | could not induce him to be my guest.
! knew that SO popular man would
have many invitations, if 1t were true, as
l imagined, that he had come North to
attend the general convention of his
church. | also imagined that he chose
the hotel in preference 10 being a guest
where he might have 10 give and receive
attentions that would be lrksome 10 so
old a man. He could be as free, how
ever, in my home as at hotel. while MS
company through an evening would be a
treat. So after breakfast l sought him
out and found that my surmises were
correct When | assured him that L was
the only person at home and the house
was at his disposal, he accepted quite
willingly, with a weak smile plnching
my ear and calling me rogue.
The good doctor was with me month.
1t was October and the evenings were
chilly, u ldtBo WOOO ulO DuAiAO0 Al viz
library, and sometimes we sat till late.
The doctor was one of those men who
com bined with a charming personality
the interest that belongs to one who has
known all sorts and conditions of men.
one evening L asked him if he had ever
run across any really dramatic expert
ence Il was looking for plot at the time,
aud he said he had; in fact, several. The
doctor mused for a while, staring into
the fire. Suddenly he awoke from his
reverie.
81 will tell you,' he said, ''ot an expe-
rieuce and character | once met in the
course of my ministry, on the promise
that while l am alive you will make no
use of them. The people connected with
the story have all passed away except
myself, and as l shall give no names
there is small harm in my telling 1t to
you; but / would not wish it to be known
until long after L too have gone"
On my willing promise and hope that
could not have an opportunity OF telling
it for very many years, he began: