Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-02-04

of death for him, and the doctor was
taken up with case many
miles away, and was never near the
house after my fathers death. have
said the captain was weak; and indeed
he seemed rather to grow weaker than
regain his strength. He clambered up
and downstairs, and went from the
parlor to the bar and back again, and |
sometimes put his nose out-of-doors to |
smell the sea, holding on to the walls
us he went for support, and breathing |
hard and fast like man on steep
mountain. He never particularly adj
dressed me, and it is my belief he had
as good as forgotten his condolences;
but his temper was more fighty, and,
allowing for his bodily weakness, more
violent than ever. He had an alarming
way now when he was drunk Of draw
ing his cutlass and laying it bare be-
fore him on the table. But, with all
that, he minded people less, and seemed
shut up in his own thoughts and rather
wandering. Once, for instance, to our
extreme wonder, he piped up to diff
ferent air, kind of country love-song,
that he must have learned in his youth
before he had begun to follow the sea-
So things passed until, the day after
the funeral, and about three o'clock of
u bitter, foggy, frosty afternoon, was
standing at the door for moment, full
of sad thoughts about my father, when
I saw some one drawing slowly near
along the road. He was plainly blind,
for he tapped before him with stick,
and wore a great green shade over his
eyes and nose; and he was hunched, as
II with age or weakness, and wore
huge old tattered sea-cloall with hood
that made him appear positively de-
formed. never saw in my life more
dreadful-loolling figure. He stopped
little from the inn, and raising his voice
in an odd sing-song, addressed the air
in front of him:
"Will any kind friend inform poor
blind man, who has lost the precious
sight of his eyes in the gracious defense
OF his native country, England, and God
bless King George!-where or in what
part of this country he may now be?"
"You are at The Admiral Benbow,
Black Hill Cove. my good man." said I.
II hear a voice." said he, "a young
voice. Will you give me your hand, my
kind young friend, and lead me in?"
held out my hand, and the horrible,
soft-spoken, eyeless creature gripped it
in moment like wise. was SO much
startled that l struggled to withdraw;
but the blind man pulled me close up to
him with single action of his arm.
"Now, boy" he said, take me in to
the captain"
Sir" said /, upon my word / dare
not"
"Oh," he sneered, that's it! Take
me in straight, or I'll break your arm"
He gave it, as he spoke, a wrench that
made me cry out.
Sir" saidl, lit is for yourself mean.
The captain is not what he used to be-.
| He sits with drawn cutlass. Another
gentleman"
"Come, now, march," interrupted he;
and never heard voice SO cruel, and
cold, and ugly as that blind mans. It
cowed me more than the pain; and
| began to obey him at once, walking
straight in ut the door and toward the
parlor, where the sick old buccaneer
! was sitting, dazed with rum. The
blind man chung close to me, holding
me in with one iron fist, and leaning al
most more of his weight on me than
could carry. Lead me straight up to
him, and when I'm in full view cry out:
here's friend for you, Bill If you
don't, I'll do this; and with that he gave
me twitch that thought would have
made me faint. Between this and that,
l was so utterly terrified by the blind
beggar that | forgot my terror of the
captain, and, as | opened the parlor
door, cried out the words he had or
dered in u trembling voice.
The poor captain raised his eyes, and
at one look the rum went out of him,
and left him staring sober. The express
sion of his face was not so much of ter
ror as of mortal sickness. He made a
! movement to rise, but do not believe
he had enough force left in his body.
'Now, Bill, sit where you are" said
the beggar. IF can't see, can hear q
finger stirring. Business is business
Hold out your left hand. Boy, take his
left hand by the wrist, and bring il
near my right"
We both obeyed him to the letter, and
saw him pass something from the
hollow of the hand that held his stick
into the palm of the captains, which
closed upon it instantly.
"And now that's done," said the blind
man; and at the words he suddenly
left hold of me, and, with incredible
accuracy and nimbleness, skipped ou
of the parlor and into the road, where
as l stood motionless. could hear hi.
stick go tap-tap-tapping into the dis
lance.
1t was some time before either o,
hecaptain seemed to gather our senses
but at length, and about the same mo
ment, / released his wrist, which I wa
still holding, and he drew in his hand
and looked sharply into the palm.
"Ten o'clock!" he cried. "Six hours
Well do them yet" and he sprung to hi
feet.
Even us he did so, he reeled, put hi
hand to his throat. stood swaying TO
a moment, and then, with a peculia
sound, fell from his whole height fac
foremost to the floor.
ran to him at once, calling M
mother. But haste was all in vain
The captain had been struck dead b.
laundering apoplexy. 1t is a curiou
thing to understand. for 1 had certain
ly never liked the man, though of lat