The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1908-11-27
A Captured Thanksgiving Dinner

the pot which IL had brought from
the fire, shielding her face from the
blaze with a pretty. plump hand. Some
one had TO stay at home 10 look after
things. and this morning Mercy had
insisted on the others going 10 meet.
ing and leaving her 10 this task, and
she had been utilizing the three hours
OF the long sermon In adding TO the
stock OF food. There were a goodly
number OF home folks and guests. and
no one knew how many her father
and mother would bring from the sery-
ice.
so. no. mistress" came deep.
hooking voice: ''ye have been prepar-
ing for our coming. II seems. Beshrew
me. but the odors are good. What say
ye. boys" turning To line of pratt
cal, sailor-looking men who were fol-
lowing him into the room. shall we
sit for a while and let this fair wench
minister TO our appetites? Twill be
a difference from our blackamoor's
cooking. am thinking"
A hoarse growl Of assent came from
.he line-from all but one, who looked
doubtful.
"will It be safe. captain?" this one
asked
"Safe," the deep voice echoed grim
ly. What have we with a land word
like that? Besides. IL sounds weak in
thy big mouth. Turbell IL is their
Thanksgiving time here, and they word
long sermons. Let US be thankful. TOO
and partake OF their good cheer We
shall then be fitted. when they return
from service. TO pick out good men
and true for our vessel. And for thy
word safe. the soldiery are at their
gorging a mile away from here
We can eat and be merry. Gull our
need from the praise singers when
they come back. and be dipping across
the water before news Of the exploit
can get over the loaded tables TO their
ears. Now. Turbell," his keen. sco-r-
full eyes flashing about and seeming to
see and comprehend everything: get
all the men inside. You fill up the
table here and | will take charge OF
the one in the next room. Ii will be
time enough to bag chickens and pigs
and other live stock when We are
through; and perhaps there will be
few scraps left from our feast that
We can carry back to the vessel. II
Will be change from the blackamoor."
All this time Mercy had been stand
ing by the fireplace. and her eyes.
which had al first dilated with terror
gradually calmed and grew watchful
and speculative. She had thought they
might be kings men, on a raid to i'm
press seamen. Now she believed they
were buccaneers. or pirates; but 1t
amounted TO the same The one i'm
pressed in the kings name. the other
In their own. In either case the pos
sibility OF release or escape were
equally small; only, with the pirates.
In the event OF capture, explanations
might be difficult. and then punish
ment would be quick and certain
AS she hurried from table TO table.
trying to meet the demands for hot
coffee which were hurled at her from
all sides. the lips OF the young girl
were pressed firm, her brain busy.
Something must be done. and she was
the one who must do IL. In another
hour the fathers and brothers and
uncles and cousins, and all the men in
the neighborhood would be coming
from service. and, unwarned, would
fall into the hands of these evil-eyed
freebooters. who would pick out the
strongest among them and bear them
away TO slavery that would be worse
than death.
Mercy knew what Il meant. The
coast was an exposed one, and press
gangs had visited II before. Men had
been carried away and not one OF them
had ever returned. Occasionally stor-
les had come back of hardships and
cruelty and even OF death until the
word pressgang had become a word to
whiten the cheeks Of women and
clinch the fists OF the men Cnly the
year before the son Of their nearest
neighbor the most promising young
man around, and the playmate and
dear friend OF Mercy. had gone out in
a boat for days fishing. But he
had rowed too far. A schooner had
slipped from behind an island, a boat
had been dropped from her dayits
filled with dark-faced men. Mercy
had been on the shore with others
and had witnessed II all. And from
that day to this no tidings had come
back of Robert Wade.
Mercy was thinking OF her play
mate as she tried to keep the cups of
the men filed. and OF the similar fate
that was pending over her dear ones.
And doubtless there would be blood
shed, for the dear ones would resist
TO the last.
For the most part the men ate
noisily, with loud outlaws OF enjoy
ment and rude badinage The viands
were before them. and they helped
themselves literally. with long reach
ings. II was only the cups that need.
ed replenishing: but the men seemed
to throw the contents down their
Threats at a single gulp, and then
cried Justify for more
Four times the big pot was refiled
and emptied, fresh coffee being added
with each reflling But the mems
Impotence would not allow for boil
ing. and when hot water was poured
In for the fifth time Mercy had an I'M
easy apprehension that the coffee was
very weak.
Suddenly a cup few across the
room, crashing against looking glass
and breaking them both.
ITO blazes with dish water" a man
yelled. Here. girl. what We got that's
good to drink-strong?"
Nothing, sir answered Mercy.
keeping her voice steady with an ef.
fort
mo wine or cider?" threateningly.
mo. The only barrel OF cider that
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