Mrs. Grundy. (Tracy City, Tenn.) 1903-1930, 1904-07-14
The attentions paid to Ben Green

us OWN case whenever ne TAU q Nua'NS
to do so. but his complaints received no
attention, and he might have remained
with the crew of the Royal James as
long as they were shut up In the
watch-house had not some of the hairy
cut-throats themselves taken pity upon
him and assured the guards that this
man was not one of them, and that
they knew from what they had heard
him say and seen him do that there
was no more determined enemy OF
piracy in all the Western continent SO
1t happened, that after some weeks OF
confinement Greenway was let out OF
the watch-house and allowed to ind
| quarters for himself
The first day the Scotchman was free
he went to the provost-marshal' houSs
and petitioned an interview with has
old master, Bonnet
'Heigho!" cried the latter, who was
comfortably seated in chair reading a
letter, And where do you come from,
Ben Greenway? | had thought YOU
were dead and buried in the Cape Fear
River"
"Ye did not think was dead" re-
| piled Ben, when | seized ye an held
ye an kept ye from buryiu' yoursel in
that same river.
Bonnet waved his hand. mo moro
Of that" said he; Il was unfortunate,
but that is over now and things have
turned out better than any man could
have expected"
Better" exclaimed Ben. Il vow
know not what that means"
Bonnet laughed, He was looking
very well; he was shaved, and wore 4
neat suit of clothes.
Ben Greenway," said he, you are
now looking upon man OF high dis
tinction, At this moment | am the
greatest pirate on the face of the earth,
Yes, Greenway, the greatest pirate on
the face of the earth. | have a letter
here, which was received by the pro-
vost-marshal and which he gave me to
read, which tells that Blackboard, the
first pirate of his age, is dead, There
fore, Ben Grcenway | take his place,
and there is no living pirate greater
than am"
AN we pride yourself on that, an at
this moment?" asked Ben, truly
amazed.
That do l." said Bonnet And
think of It, Ben Greenway, that pre-
sumptuous, overbearing Blackboard was
killed, and his head brought away
sticking up on the bow of a vessel.
What a rare sight that must have been.
Ben! Think of his long beard all tied
up with ribbons, stuck up on the bow
of a ship!"
An ye are now the head dell on
earth?" said Ben.
You can put it that way, IL you
like" said Bonnet, but am not
so looked upon in this town. am IN
honored person. | doubt very much IL
any prisoner in this country was ever
treated with the distinction that Is
shown me, but | don't wonder at IT.:
| have the reputation OF two great
pirates joined in one--the pirate Bon
net, of the dreaded ship Revenge and
the terrible Thomas of the Royal
James, My man, there are people in
this town who have been to me and
who have said that a man so famous
should not even be imprisoned, have
good reason TO believe that it Will not
be long before pardon papers are made
out for me, and that | may go my
way"
An your mem" asked Greenway
will they go free or will they be hung
like common pirates?"
Bonnet frowned impatiently Il
don't want to hear anything about the
men," he said; "of course they will be
hung. What could be done with them
If they were not hung? But it is en-
tirely different with me, | am most
respectable person, and now that | q
willing to resign my piratiCal career
having wen in 1t all the glory that col
come to one man, that respectable!
T must be considered"
"Weel weel," said the Scotchman
AN when it comes that respectabeelit.
Is better for mans soul an body thu
righteousness, then | am no fit coul
sellor for We, Master Bonnet" and II
took his leave.
The next morning. when Ben Green
way left his lodging he found the tow
In an uproar. The pirate Bonnet h.
bribed his sentinels and, with so.d
others, had escaped Ben stood stil
= and stamped his foot. Such infam.
5 such perfdy to the authorities who h.
r treated him so we'll the ScOtChml
4 could not at first imagine but Nht
e the truth became plain to him, his "a
I glowed, his eye burned; this vile coA
p duct of his old master was a triumj
e to Bens principles. Wickedness ~
wickedness, and could not be WASH.
e away by responsibility.
- The days passed on; Bonnet was re
t captured, more securely imprisoncC
S put upon trial found guilty, and, i
n spite of the efforts of the advocates c
). responsibility, was condemned to h
= hung on the same spot where nearl
i all the members Of his pirate crew ha
: been executed.
d During all this time Ben Greenwa
= kept away from his old master he ha
d borne ill-treatment of every kind, BIZ
d the deception practised upon hir
Il when, at his latest interview, Bonnf
y talked to him of his responsibility, haV
d ing already planned his escape and re
3 turn to his evil ways, was too much fc
the honest Scotchman, He had don
IS with this man, fathless to friend an
Y, foe, to his own blood, and even to hi
J. own bad reputation
Is But not quite done. 1t was but ha
a an hour before the time fixed for tn
10 pirate's execution that Ben Greenwa