Mrs. Grundy. (Tracy City, Tenn.) 1903-1930, 1904-05-19

NsssSss& OF the afternoon when
esAsNNhA--S large boat, well filled,
was seen approaching the Revenge
from Blackbeard's vessel. AS soon as it
had become known that this chief If
all pirates OF that day, this Edward
Thatch Of England, was really coming
on board the Revenge, not one word
was uttered among the crew on the
subject Of going ashore, although they
had been long at sea. The shore could
wait when Blackboard was coming
Even to look upon this doughty desper
ado would be an honor and Joy to
the brawny scoundrels who made up
the crew of the Revenge
1t might have been supposed that
everything upon Capt. Bonnets yes
sci had been mace ready for the ex-
pected advent Of Blackboard. but moth.
ing seemed good enough, nothing
seemed as effectively placed and ar
ranged as it might have been; and
with execrations and commands, Bon,
net hurried here and there, making
everything, If possible, more ship
shape than 1t had been before.
Stay you two in the background"
he said to Ben Greenway and Dickory;
you are both landsmen, ana you don't
count in a ceremony such as this Is
going to be. Station your men as
told you, Bittern, and man the yard
when 1t is time"
In, bro
and wearing a cooked hat with &
feather, his hand upon his sword-hil'
stood up tall and stately. When tht
boat was made fast and the great pi
rates head appeared above the rail
six cannon roared welcome and Bon
net stepped forward, hand eXten To-
and hat uplifted.
The instant Blackbeards fec
touched the deck he drew from thoiE
holsters a pair of pistols and fire"
them In the air
Now then" he shouted, I'VE are
even, salute for salute, for my pistoi'
are more than equal to the cannon OF
any other man. How goes 1t with you,
Sir Nightcap-Bonnet, ! msan?" And
with that he clasped the han1 reached
out to him in bone-crushing grasp.
His fingers aching and his brain as
tonished Bonnet could not compre.
bend what sort of a man 1t was who
stood before him. With hair purpOsely
dishevelled; with his hat more
slouched than usual; with his beard
divided into tails, each tied with a
different-colored ribbon; with half
dozen pistols strung across his breast
with other pistols and a knife or two
stuck into his belt with his grot'
sword by his side, and his eyes CLEAN
ing brighter than ever and a general
expression, both in face and figure, of
an aggressive impotence, Blackboard
stood on his stout legs, clothed in
rough red stockings, and gazed about
him. But the captain Of the Revenge
did not forget his manners. He vel
coined Blackboard with all courtesy
and besought him to enter his poor
cabin
Blackboard laughed. Poor cabin,
say you? But I'll tell you this one
thing, my valiant Captain Cap; you
have not a poor vessel, not poor YES
sell | swear that to you, my brave cap
tain, swear that"
Then, with no attention to Bonnet's
invitation, Capt, Blackboard strolled
about the deck, examining everything,
cursing this and praising that, and fol-
lowed by Capt. Bonnet, Black Paul,
and a crowd of admiring pirates.
Ben Greenway bowed his head and
groaned. Il doubt II Master Bonnet
will ever go to the dell as | feared he
would, for now has the dell come 10
him. Oh, Dickory, Dickory! this mas
ter O. mine was a worthy mon an
good ane when l first came to him,
an a. that ! hae | owe to him, for
was in sad case, Dickory, very sad
case; but now that he has Apollyon for
his teacher, he'll cease to know right
eousness altogether
Dickory was angry and out OF spirits
"uA is vile poltroon, this master Of