The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1899-03-31
Captain Peter.

|. Penelope Cole, commonly called
Aunt Penny, o; the town Of Lynn. in
this wear of oilr Lord 1925. do solemn
" declare that the story | am about TO
no dclusion. nor nio htmarc born Of fear.
as some liyht-nnded people have cur
rently reported
saw Captain Peter with my own
eyes lived barely Il mil, from the
Barrow-that dreary Old house on
Lynn Beach built in colony times. and
pretty much gone to rack and ruin
when Captain Peter leased it for n
, dwellin--place.
The Lord onl y knows what sort Of
lie that man ha,l led in his youth.
When he came to the Barrow he was
gray and old. Shai>v Oh his LEGS. and
u4ly beyond heiicf. His sharp eyes
rolled wickclIy under his hushy hrows;
be wore cold rings in his ears. and Il
| tremendous scar. like a sabrc-cut.
scanned one check from temple to chin.
BLESS me-" said to my nephew.
John Graham. first mate OF the Flying
Dutchman. that voyaged twixt Salem
and the West India ports, that man
wou,l make good tigure-hcad for 4
| pirate craft.
John .old me that he had come
aboard the FLYING Dutchman at Port
| Royal. Jamaica. ust as the vessel was
ready to put to sea. With him was a
young daughter, lovely as a princess,
and female servant. bent with age,
and black as a sloc. In great haste
Captain Peter had taken passage for
the trio to Salem He had little lug
gage. bat, as it seemed, plenty Of
money. He was Englisil-born-a
least, he swore from morning till night
in that language: but his daughter
bore French name-\inon. Though
a creature Of the tropics, she was white
as snow, and her hair swept II her
knees, like yellow silk, when loosed
from the comb. John Graham fell in
love with her on the voyage from Ja-
maica, and |. for one, could never blame
him. The girl was born beauty. and
as sweet and gentle as she was fair to
look upon.
"Whatcver brought Captain Peter
to live over here at Lynn" | said to
Ohm.
May be" answered my nephew, she
doesn't care to encounter the foreign
sailors who throng Essex street and
the wharves of Salem; he might run
afoul OF old mates there. | fancy the
man has reasons for seeking retirement,
and the Barrow possesses two prime
attractions-it is five miles or more
| distant from Salem, and it stands cheek
| by-jowl with the sea. An old salt dis
likes to 90 beyond sounds of the tides,
You know"
John, I'm not much pleased with
your Captain Peter
He laughed. He was bold, good
| looking Young fellow, with an eye like
a hawk, and 4 brave, generous heart
beating under his sailor,jacket.
The West India ports abound in
such characters, he answered. 1t is
not wise to inquire into the past lives
Of some men that you meet at Kingston
and Santa Cruz. Never mind the
captain, Aunt Penny. For my sake"
and the blood burned smoky-crimson
in his bronze cheek, II want YOU to 90
! the Barrow and establish some sort of
acquaintance with that little girl Ninon.
For your sake. .JoIlnZ' | quericd.
"Ah. | see how it is You We lost Your
heart to the West Indian. and her IA
thcr will have nothing to do with YOU"
That's about it" acknowledged
John, sadly. "Captain Peter. amiablc
man, threatens to carve me with Il
shcath-knife. if | attempt to cross his
/ threshold. To tell the truth. We not
poor child since she stepped ashore at
Salem. Sappho, the ncgrcsS, guards
the Barrow cate. and delivers all my
tender messages to the old captain
Come, Aunt Penny, You are a shrcwd
woman give me a little help, will you
not1 Make yourself an entering wedge
over there at the Barrow"
Il II try, John, | answered, for |
WAS very fond Of the lad SO the next
day put on my pucc-colorcd cardinal
and silk bonnet, took my scent-bag and
my turbey-tail fan, and started for the
Barrow.
1t was an old wooden house, bui,t
just above the beach At that time
the spot WAS unspcakahly lonely; no
other dwelling stood near. The gar
den was full Of trees. and surrounded
10y high wall TO the riGht lay the
rocky pastures OF the two Nahants; to
the left stretched that part Of the town
known hy the Indian name of swamp