Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-06-12
story TO the doctor; for 7 WIN. n no,,s,

winch put all other ma tiers 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 l 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, 1
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 a case many
miles away, and was never near tho
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
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 n steep
mountain. He never particularly adj
dressed me, and it Is my belief he had
as good as forgotten his condolences;
iuht to
allowing for his bodily weakness, more
violent than ever. Tie 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 insta nee, 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
bitter, foggy. frosty afternoon, was
standing Mt 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 great green shade over his
eyes and nose; and he was hunched, as
IL with age or weakness, and wore a
huge old tattered sea-cloak with hood
that made him appear positively de-
formed. l never saw in my life more
dreadful-looking figure. He stopped
little from the inn. and raising his voice
in an odd sing-song. addressed the air
in front of him:
"Wll 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 beY'
"You are at the Admiral Benbow,
Black Hill Cove, my good man." said /
Il hear 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 il
in a moment like wise. l was 50 much
startled that | struggled to withdraw;
but the blind man pulled me close up to
him with single action of hsarm.
Nov. boy" he said, take me in to
'se captain"
Sir" said l. upon my word dare
not"
oh" he sneered. that's 1t! Take
me in straight, or III break your arm"
He gave II. as he spoke, wrench that
made me cry out
Sir said |, iii is for yourself mean.
The captain is not what he used 10 be.
lie 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. |.
cowed me more than the pain; and !
began to obey HIM at once, walking
straight in at the door and toward the
parlor, where the sick old buccancer
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:
Heres n 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,
1 was so utterly terrified by the blind
beggar that forgot my terror of the
captain. and, as ! opened the parlor
door, cried ont the words he had or
dered in 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
to rise, but do not believe
he had enough force left in his body.
Nov, Bill, sit where you are" said
the beggar. If can't see, can heara
finger stirring. Business is business
Hold out your left hand. Boy, take his
left hand by the wrist, and bring it
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 out
nf ha, 81 ,,,t y. n.