Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1897-10-14
hast come into thine ain; now belize
fhnuldSt wed Clara Hill ,,

hast come into thine ain; now belize
thouldst wed Clara Hil1.''
''Hush, mother"
t'Here be a letter, son, and box tibet
wur left with me at midnight by the
pirate Black Beard not a week before
the Mervine went down.
Angus hastily tore open the envelope
and read as follows:
Capt. Angus Bruce-Dear Sir: When
landed you at Beaufort that night, little
thought to fall back to my old vocation, but
l knew must keep off the coast for few
days, and give you chance to get away,
then gradually the feeling came over me.
to fall back to my former life-with a good
stanch craft like the Clara Belle, it over
mastered me; 1 sailed for San Domingo,
Where shipped some men, and brought
away cargo of negroes; OF my other ex-
ploits you will probably read. You have
always treated me a man; I know you
to be as innocent of the murder of Lloyd, as
you are OF being Black Beard, but 1t is
supposed that you were he, and better so
for you, they will not search for you
elsewhere In time your innocence may be
established; have made my last trip as
Black Beard, the Pirate. shall make but
one more on this coast, and that will be to
endeavor to capture Lathrop on the night
of his marriage to Miss Hill, in which
event I shall cause him to confess his
crime, and to sign a written document
setting forth all circumstances This con-
fession, If obtained, I shall send to your
mother, and should capture Lathrop. and
not be able to obtain 1t, I shall hang him
at the yard arm of the Clara Belle.
A word more and I am done. You little
knew when you employed the stranded
seaman that morning, and afterwards made
him your mate, that you were placing your
craft in the hands of San Domingo, the
pirate captain of the Nancy, which was
lost off this coast nearly three years ago.
but such was the case-now as you will
probably never see the Clara Belle again,
and as 1 have not the disposition to rob
benefactor, and man in trouble, I shall
leave this letter with box containing 800
600 in gold, with your mother: as much as
dread to meet her, to renunerate you for
the loss of the schooner, in case you are
ever able to return home, and if otherwise
it will provide for the needs of those you
love.
This money is not blood money, neither
did 1T come from the treasury in Washing
ton, but it was received for the negroes we
captured in San Domingo, whose condition
was rather improved than otherwise, by
being transplanted to American soil, even
as slaves, SO you need not hesitate to make
use of it. Now, as we will probably never
meet again, wishing you all manner of
good luck in the future, that your inno-
cence may be established. and that you
may yet win the woman you one day saved
from the depths of the Cape Fear, am
unworthily your old Mate.
CALVIN STEWART.
''There is tie gold, son. I tried
tried-but ] could ma give the mon ava.
When he left the house, I started to
call the oofficers, but I could ma doot.
What wilt do with the gold, SOM"
81 don't know, mother. We can't send
it back whence it came: give it to Jennie
for a marriage portion
''Why, the lass wilt not cen look at
sweetheart
Give her time, mother, give her time;
our Jennie is particular"
At two o'clock on the following day
the yacht made fast to Orion landing,