The Cairo bulletin., 1904-07-27

4 THE GREAT PIRATE BIACKBEARD,
INACTIVE AND TAKING HIS EASE,
WAS SEATED ON THE QUARTER
DESK or HIs R4NL, VESSEL
the evil Of my ways, and | have made
up my mind that you shall do it. Yor
are a good and pous man and il Is
not often that | get hold of one OF that
kind or. if do. / slice OFF, his head be-
fore discover his quality"
4 Il fear me, said the truthful Scotch
man. that the job is beyond my abeel-
ity."
mot a BIZ OF IT, not bit OF it,,
shouted the pirate, = am SO times
cap Of yours, and hundred times bet
ter worth the trouble put no trust
| in that domnfaced farmer When he
/ shouts loudest for the black flag he is
most likely to go into priestly orders,
/ and the better he is reformed the
\ quicker he is to rob and murder He Is
OF the Kind the devil wants. but il is
! OF no use for any one to show him the
1 way there he is well able to find II
/ for himself But it is different with
me, you canny Scotehman, it is differ
/ ent with me. | am an open-handed and
an open-mouthed scoundrel, and new
or pretended to be anything else,
! When you begin reforming me you
will find your work half done"
The ScQtchman shook his head Il
fear me-" he said
mo, you don't fear yourself" cried
Blackboard. and | won't have II, !
don't want any Of that lazy piety on
board my vessel II you don't reform
me, and do it rightly, I'll slice of both
your ears"
AT This moment man came aft
carrying q great tankard Of mixed
drink. Blackboard took it and held it
in his hand.
,Now then, you baking chaplain"
he cried, here's chance for you &c
begin What would you have me do
Drain off this great mug and go slash
ing among my crew, or hurl 1t, mug
and all"
NAV, nay" cried Greenway, but
rather give half o il to me, then vii
it no disturb your brain, an mine viii
be comforted."
"Heigho!' cried Blackboard. Truly
you are a better chaplain than
thought you. Drain half this mag anG
then, by all the powers OF heaven and
hell you shall convert me. Now, lool
ye," said the pirate, when the mug
was empty. and hear what brave re.
pentance | have already begun | an
tired, my say gardener. of all these pi-
racies; have had enough of them.
Even now my spoils and prizes are
greater than | can manage. and why
should | strive TO make them more?
told you Of my young lieutenant, who ran
away and who gave his carcass to the
birds of prey rather than sail with me
and marry my strapping daughter.
liked that fellow, Creenway, and if he
had known what was in store for him
there might be some reason for me 10
keep on plling up goods and money.
but there's cursed little reason fer II
now / have merchandise of value at
Belize and much more of it in thes,
ships. besides money from Charles
Town which ought 10 last an honor
able gentleman for the rest Of his
days"
Aye" said Ben. "but an honest gen
tleman is sparing of his expenditures.
And you think ! am not that kind
Of a man, do you?" shouted the pirate.
But let me tell you this. ! am sailing
now for Topsail Inlet. on the North
Carolina coast. End am going TO rnn
in there. disperse his feet, sell my
goods. and"
BE hansed?" interpolated Greenway
in surprise.
Not a bit OF IT. You croaking crow
reared he piraie. Not q bit of it,
Don't lou know. you dullhead thai
our good King George has issued
proclamation TO the Brethren Of the
Coast 10 come in and behave them
selves like honest citizens and receive
their pardon2 ! have done that oace.
and so I know all about il; but
backslid, showing that my conversion
was badly done"
An Master Bonnet" be asked III
ye go oar o. piracy he may go too. and
take the oath
"Of course he may. cried the pirate.
and Of course he snail. viii see 20
that myself Then viii give him back
his ship. for ! don't want il. ard let
him become an honest merchant
Give him back his ship, exclaimed
Greenway. his c0uutenance downcast
THAT will be putin into his ssnds the
means o beginnin again a life o. sla.
! pray We don't do that"
Black beard leaned back and laughed.
4 swear that ] thought 1t would he
one Of the very frat steps 90 CONVEX
sion for me 10 give back 70 the fellow
the ship which is his own and which
have taken away from him But fear
not. my nsb.e pirates clerk: he Is not
The man that am, be is a vie coward /
and when he has taken the oath he
vili be afraid 10 break IT. More /
over"
And If. Vilh that ship.~ said Cresn-