Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1898-05-13
that's summons. mate. I'll tell

weather-eye open, jim, and LII share
with you equals, upon my honor"
He wandered little longer, his voice
growing weaker; but soon after7l had
given him his medicine, which he took
like child, with the remark, "if ever
seaman wanted drugs, it's me-" he fell
at last into heavy, swoon-like sleep in
which left him. What should have
done had all gone well do not know.
Probably should have told the whole
story to the doctor; for was in mortal
fear lest the captain should repent of
his confessions and make an end of me.
But as things fell out, my poor father
died quite suddenly that evening,
which put all other matters on one side.
Our natural distress, the visits of the
neighbors, the arranging of the funeral,
and all the work of the inn to be car
ried on in the meanwhile, kept me so
busy that had scarcely time to think
Of the captain, far less to be afraid of
him.
He got downstairs next morning, to
be sure, and had his meals as usual,
though he eat little, and had more,
am afraid, than his usual supply of
rum, for he helped himself out of the
bar, scowling and blowing through his
nose, and no one dared to cross him.
On the night before the funeral he was
as drunk as ever; and it was shocking,
in that house of mourning, to hear him
singing away his ugly old sea-song;
but, weak as he was, we were all in fear
of death for him. and the doctor was
suddenly taken up with case many
miles away, and was never near the
house after my fathers death. I 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
as he went for support, and breathing
hard and fast like man on a steep
mountain. He never particularly ad-
dressed me, and it is my belief he had
as good as forgotten his condolences;
but his temper was more flighty, 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 thesea.
So things passed until, the day after
the funeral, and about three o'clock OF
Il bitter foggy, frosty afternoon. was
standing at the door for a 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
if with age or weakness, and wore
huge old tattered sea-cloak with a hood
that made him appear positively de-
formed. I never saw in my life moro
dreadful-looking figure. He stopped q
little from the inn, and raising his voice
in an odd sing-song, addressed the cir
in front of him:
"Will any kind friend inform poor
blind man, who has lost the precioue
sight of his eyes in the gracious defense
of his native country, England, and God
bless King George!-where or in WHIST
part of this country he may now be?"
"You are at the Admiral Benbow
Black Hill Cove, my good man" said Z
II hear voice." said he, "a young
voice. Will you give me your hand, 1ay
kind young friend, and lead me in?"
held out my hand, and the horribie,
soft-spoken, eyeless creature gripped 1t
in moment like wise. was SO mu:h
startled that I struggled to withdraw;
but the blind man pulled me close upto
him with single action Of his arm.
"Now, boy" he said. stake me in to
the captain"
"sir," said 7, "upon my word I dare
rot"
ooh" 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," said I, cit is for yourself I mean.
The captain is not what he used to be.
He sits with drawn cutlass. Another
gentleman"
"Come, now, march" jNterrupted he;
and never heard a voiys so cruel, and
cold, and ugly as that bliEu mss1's. It
cowed me more than the ;'ain; and l
began to obey him at once: walking
straight in at the door and toward the
parlor, where the sick old buccaneer
was sitting, dazed with rum. The
blinG man chung close to me, holding
me in with one iron fist, and leaning si-
most more of his weight on me than
could carry. Lead me straight up v,
him, and when I'm in full view cry oNt:
Here's friend for you, Bill If yco1
don't, I'll do this and with that he gase
me twitch that I thought would har.
made me faint. Between this and THAI
I was so utterly terrified by the blin1
beggar that forgot my terror OF the
captain, and, as opened the parloa
door, cried out the words he had OF.
dered in trembling voice.
fro BE Continued
=
He Had Tried 1t.
ut is very sad, admit" conceded tia
African chief, "but after living ON