The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-05-11
ROMANCE OF A
PRlvAIEERSMAN
fOriHinal.1

OuAAAS lAC AACNOlutAOAOAy wall VIGIL
privateering was largely practiced BY
the colonies, there lived in Philadelphia
an old Quaker named Anthony Nutter.
He was q widower and lived alone ex-
cept for Edna Pattee. his ward. Edna
was a relative Of his dead wife and
no blood relative of his. A fortune of
some $1,000 was awaiting her when
she came of age. and her guardian was
keeping her out Of the world, proposing
to marry her and secure the money.
When he was sixty and she seventeen
he announced his plan to her, and, she
demurring. he practically shut her up
within the house and the garden. The
latter was as safe as the former, for
gardens In those days were surround
ed by a high wall. Old Nutter's gar
den was flied with flowers. Of which
he was very fond, and there were sew
eral fruit trees. One-an apple tree
stood very near the wall.
Now it happened one September day
that Clinton Rackle, a young priva-
teersman, barely nineteen years old.
seeing an apple hanging high on this
tree, coveted it, and, being a sailor,
found it easy to throw a rope over
projecting branch and climb to the top
of the wall. Looking down into the
garden he saw a vision Of loneliness re-
clining in a hammock. The sailor lad
appeared equally attractive to the girl.
He was a handsome boy, and the brass
button on his short jacket cut to the
waist and his cooked hat were beauti-
full in her eyes. He apologized for his
intrusion in frank, engaging way, ad-
hitting he was after the apple and,
plucking 1t, threw 1t down to her.
Romancers do not usually depict the
birth of love with the lady munching
an apple, but it was so in this case.
The youth sat on the wall, his legs
dangling, his hands under them in lieu
of q cushion. Nutter was in the front
Of the house reading a newspaper.
Clinton Rackle did not remain very
long on the wall, but quite long enough
to get the girls autobiography, the
only interesting feature Of which has
been given. His ship was In port re-
fitting, and he was living with his
mother directly opposite Mr.. Nutter's.
He climbed the garden wall once more,
then his ship sailed away, to return
the following December with fat
prizes. Meanwhile Edna was protest
ing against her confinement and beg
ging her guardian to give her amuse-
ment He finally consented to take
her to a ball in the town hall, it being
expected that those attending would
go in character. He gave her a monk
costume and made her promise to keep
her cowl over her face. All this he
thought would keep her from the at
tentions Of men.
It happened that the ball came of the
night of Rackle's return, and, standing
on his mothers doorstep, he saw q
bishop in full canonicals and monk
leave old Nutter's house. He followed
them. saw them 60 into the town hall,
where it was evident ball was to
take place, and. dressed In his simple
privateer's uniform, purchased an ad-
mission and entered himself.
One glimpse of Edna's face she gave
him assured him of her identity, and,
siding up to the bishop. he entered in
to conversation. addressing an occa-
sional remark to the monk.
young sir" said the bishop. "why
do you keep company with two men
when there are so many pretty girls &c
be courted?'
Indeed, SIR" replied Rackle, ''I'm no
hand for the girls, preferring mems
society. Your companion is a monk
indeed. Why do you not send him OF
to the dancers?"
"He knows none of the girls to serve
for partner" replied the bishop.
81 will introduce him."
Nutter was ready to do anything to
get rid of the boy. and since he was 70
Introduce his ward to girls. surely no
harm could come of it. So the sailor
and the monk went skipping off to the
thickest of the crowd. where they soon
managed to get lost to the bishops
view. Nutter followed to regain sight
OF his ward and was just in time to
see a sailor and a monk go downstairs
to the street. Rushing out of the hall,
he espied the pair skimming along
ahead Of him. but before he could
catch them they had gone into the cot
tage of Rackle's mother, and the door
was slammed and bolted in his face.
When colonial house was closed to
outsiders it could not be entered with
out battering ram, for door and door
case were of oak, and there were al
ways bars within. Nutter banged for
awhile, then went off to report the
matter to the watch. Going to the
watchhouse, he called upon them to
come with him, declaring that a young
monk Of his acquaintance had been
kidnapped. There was no love between
the Quakers and the Catholics of those
days, and the chief of the watch took
his time before sending a man to help
the bishop. When an hour later the
bishop and a Waterman knocked at
Mrs. Rackle's door and the Waterman
demanded the person of the monk.
Clinton threw open the door and de-
clared that there was no monk in the