The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1899-01-28

'''N'
eral children and married a woman with
one son, who had already reached the
years of manhood, and to say that cross
eyed Ben, as he was called, was homely
is putting it mildly, for the cruel wretch
was the most hideous looking object that
ever passed through the streets Of Elkton.
Cross eyed Ben followed the water before
he come to the Frog, and the Frog is where
he first lived after leaving off sailing.
After George welded Ben's mother they
drifted to the Neck, where he and his step
father followed the occupation of cutting
cord wood Many times has cross. eyed
Ben rehearsed this terrible story, which
happened while he was aboard ship.
One night | was standing on the upper
deck, when a sailcr whom | did not like,
because he called me the crooked eyed
puppy, and was always plaguing me,
walked past me and after passing turned
and spit at me and called me an ugly
name. watched him aud soon SAW him
iShIihS oNCi eiC sluC VI sup. lutit
was no moon but the night was not very
dark. | could see the man plainly. He
was leaning well over, looking down into
the ocean, when slipped up behind him,
reached down and grabbed him by his
feet and away he went over into mid
ocean. And cross-eyed Ben would break
out in a fit of laughter when he got to this
point in his narrative, when his crooked
eyes would be running over with tears Of
genuine mirth. And after cross-eyed Ben's
outbreak Of mirth would subside he would
resume. And l did't say word till
knew that he had gone under for the last
time, and then l yelled man overheard,
but when boats were lowered and search
made he could not be found, and OF course
none ever saw Bill Dempsey again"
Now at first, very few believed GROSS
eyed Bens terrible narrative, but after he
had committed two diabolical murders
right near the Bull Frog, then they believ
ed that he was fiendsh enough for any
thing. In the spring Of fifty eight, Ben
and his step-father were cutting coId-wood,
almost at the furtherest end of the Neck.
1t seemed that they were in partnership,
and on every payday, Ben's terrible eyes
would be more cross-wise than ever, and
would flash hellish sparks of fire at his
kind hearted tep-father which would SAVIOR
OF birthstone ITSELF after having been set to
burning. He always claimed that George
had cheated him after having settled up on
payday. Many people who are living at
and near Elkton to day, know what kind
hearted man the step father was. Why he
would take off his coat on a cold wet day
and lay it over the shoulder OF another, and
go shivering himself. But poor old George
had his failing, he loved and drank the
ardent to excess, but even when in his cups,
he was kind and pleasant to all with whom
he came in contact. After each pay day
Ben and George would invariably come to
the Frog, each with his gallon jug in hand,
and Ben would have old Becky Jane under
his arm
Becky Jane was Ben's pet, and she was
tue only object on earth, either animate or
inanimate that Ben loved, it was his violin,
and he carried Becky Jane wherever he
went. Ben played for all the dances at the
Frog, and even came to Elkton many times
He played altogether by air All, many
night has the old writer swung his pretty
partner, while cross-eyed Ben would be
causing Becky Jane to be sending forth the
sweet tune of "The Girl | Left Behind
Me-" and then switch off on the old, old
tune of 81 Won't Go Home Till Morn
ing" when at the very time, the gray
streaks of light yonder in the east, would
tell OF the near approach OF the coming orb
of day, and old Becky Jane still was beg
giDg US to tarry.
On this the last night that they came to
the Frog together, Ben played old Beck as
he sometimes called her, until long after
twelve o'clock, when they gathered up
their jugs, and Ben with his loved Becky
under his arm, they started for their homes
in the Neck. When they got opposite to
the store on the east side OF the road they
having crossed to that side because the
walking was much better over there, poor
old George staggered against Ben, forcing
him against hitching post in front of the
store, and Becky Jane being on that side
next the post, came in contact with the OBJ.
stacle, when string on her lovely bosom
was snapped asunder. Then Ben's wrath
knew no bounds and he was heard to prom
Use poor old inotfensive George that he
would cut his heart out for breaking his
fiddle, and just how faithfully he kept his
word will appear further on. 1t was late
in March and Ben and George had worked
hard all week, nothing had been said about
the breaking of Becky James string,
only George had promised Ben that he
would buy set of costly strings, which
would lace the lovely Jane from side TO
side, when Ben had merely said, while His
ugly optical organs would be trying to look
in George direction, but really they would
be cast in several other directions, because
OF their crookedness Eyes, you win pay for