Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1904-11-17

as If as many more were left behind.
The black flag was hoisted, and there
could no longer be a question as to the
sort of men we had to deal with.
The passengers of the Kangaroo to
q man volunteered TO assist the crew,
and we were presently prepared to
give a good account OF ourselves. We
reached US that they comprised several
nationalities and that they were a des-
perate lot. The boats divided as they
came on, and when within mile OF us
the fellows began cheering.
Our first shot was from one OF the
big guns and could not have been bet
tered 1t struck one of the boats fair
on the stem and split her open full
length, and OF those not killed outright
only two or three were picked up. The
disaster only made the rascals the
more desperate. Raising q yell, the
three remaining boats dashed at US
and were soon so close that the big
guns were Of no further use.
We met them with bullets and buck
shot, and we hove cold shot into their
boats as they hooked on, and no gang
of pirates ever got a harder drubbing.
Although We lost two men killed and
several wounded, not an enemy got
aboard, and only two boats and eight
cen men returned to the brig.
That night the damaged spars were
replaced, shot holes plugged up, and
there was no reason why we should
not safely make the Cape.
When daylight came we congratu-
lated each other over our victory, and
the captain had just decided to make
a sort of holiday in honor Of the event
when q thunderstorm came racing up
behind us, and in the midst Of the
black cloud was the pirate brig. In
stead of sailing away in search Of a
haven or other prey when she had re-
paired damages she had picked up our
trail and was going to give us another
brush
Such grim persistency at first brought
q feeling Of fright, but this soon gave
place to one Of grim determination to
fight her to the death and show her no
mercy. When we had her crippled the
night before we could have destroyed
her, but Captain Wilson simply sailed
away. He now promised the crew to
sink her II he could, and there was
cheering as the men went to the guns.
Down came the black cloud, and with
1t down came the pirate, with his black
flag flying, and as he ranged up on our
port quarter at half rife shot he
opened fire. His first shot struck gun
and killed three men, and his second
woundsd five men. Then the storm
broke, the sea increased, and. although
the firing continued, no great damage
was done on either side.
Daylight was turned into evening
by the storm. There was heavy rain
with gusts of wind and the keenest OF
lightning and the loudest Of thunder.
Our decks were ankle deep, but every
man stood to his gun and continued to
fight. As the darkness increased the
brig crept closer to us, and during the
last ten minutes Of the fight one could
have heaved a stone aboard Of her.
One saw her in the play Of the light
ming and for an instant could almost
look into the eyes Of the men aboard,
and then for a few seconds she would
be lost In the darkness. So terrific
and continuous was the roll Of thun-
der that the reports Of the guns were
unheard. You felt the concussion along
the deck. but the report was lost In the
war Of the elements.
Loading and firing every gun which
would bear as fast as possible, the
Kangaroo rushed forward on her
course and, hanging to her quarter like
q bulldog to his prey, followed the
Celeste. OF sudden there was q
great crash aloft, and down came fore
and main topmasts together. The men
were called from the guns to clear the
wreckage, and the ship was In danger
of broaching to and being swept wheI
there came such a fash OF lightning al
seemed to burn the eyeballs. This
was followed by a thunderclap whlct
seemed TO lift the ship out Of the wa
ter, and then fifty pairs Of eyes saw q
great spout OF flame shoot up out OF the
sea. In the midst Of the fame were
masts. yards and sails and flying OBJ
Jects.
The brig had been struck by light
ming, and her magazine had blown up
There was Il puff, boom, gust OF
red flame, and that was the end. Sh'
was blown into matchwood, with bel
black flag whipping In the gale an(
her crew working at the guns, and th'
last pirate craft 10 plow the south At
lantic was no more. NJ. QUAD.
NOurIshment.
A man is a very broad. omnlvorous
animal and needs a great variety of
food, both mental and physical. No
matter what element we omit In his
bill of fare there Is n corresponding
loss, omission or weakness in his life
You cannot get a full, complete man
OH half a bill of fare You cannot
nourish his body and starve his soul
and expect him TO be symmetrical, well
balanced poised. Nor can you starve
his body and nourish his soul and eX-
pect him to be a giant on the physical
as well az on the spiritual plane.-Suc-
cess
Must BE Very Good.
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