The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-07-12
MAYNARD'S Revenge
~ r. a. mitchell.

ctationl
Nearly 200 years ago two British
ships Of war were anchored OF the
settlement OF jamestown, in the colony
Of Virginia. On board one OF them
lieutenant Maynard was awaiting his
wife, who was coming out to him from
England, II being their intention tc
settle in the new country. A ship was
seen making slow Roadway up the
stream, and Maynard, thinking the YES.
sci to be the Thetis, in which his wife
had sailed from London, took a boat
and was pulled down to meet her,
"A terrible shock awaited him. The
vessel was not the Thetis, but the Eu.
ropa, and she brought the news that
the former vessel had been captured
by Edward Thatch. a pirate, common
~ called Blackboard. and all on board
had persisted.
Thatch had for some time infested
the coast, running his plumber into
Bathtown, N. @, where he had gained
the protection Of she governor by d.
viding IL with him. The governor Of
Virginia had been appealed to with a
view to getting rid OF the buccaneer
and when this last outrage was per-
petrated stood ready TO act He fur-
nished two sloops. the war vessels fur
nished the crews, and Lieutenant May
nard was placed in command OF an
expedition to hunt down Blackboard.
One day in November the sloops
weighed anchor and sailed away
down the river, followed by the pray
ers Of the sturdy settlers OF the town
and their comrades on the warships.
No one doubted that II Lieutenant
Maynard fell IN with the demon Of the
ocean he would either bring him back
alive or dead or would never come
back himself. And they were ri9ht.
Maynard had been married but short
time before his ship had sailed from
England TO a girl he worshiped and
both being Of an adventurous spirit
had laid their plans to make home In
the new world From the moment he
heard OF her death he knew but one
sensation, and that was to be re-
venged upon her murderer.
-Four days after the expedition sail
ed the pirates were sighted IN an Inlet
near Bathtown. AS It was nightfall
Maynard anchored to wait for light by
which to get at his enemy. when II
came Thatch made an effort to escape,
but In doing SO ran aground May
nard saw that he had bis enemy at a
disadvantage. since. being in a fixed
position, he could neither maneuver
nor get away. Maynard tried to get
near the pirate. but drew too much
water. Throwing out the ballast from
the sloop in which he was, he finally
came within close range.
On the pirates deck stood Thatch.
His bushy black beard, from which he
derived his name, was tied up with
ribbons, the ends Of which were
thrown over hts ears. On bis head
was a fur cap with a lighted match on
either side. Across his shoulders were
sizing three brace OF pistols. In a i
harsh voice he hurled words OF def
ance, 10 which Maynard replied that
he would soon board him, which was
the only offensive method at his dis.
posal. since ne had no guns The an.
swer from the pirate was a broadside,
which put out of the fight twenty Of
Maynard's crew and nine on his sup
porting ship.
Maynard, thirsting TO get at the de.
mon, ran close up alongside his ship.
Suddenly a shower Of hand grenades
fell ON the sloop, and before the crew
could recover from the blow Black.
beard and fourteen Of his followers
were on the British ships deck,
Maynard and Thatch rushed togeth,
or. Hand to hand they fought, now
with sword, now with pistol But,
since the one barrel weapon Of that
day was exhausted in single shot
and six Of them were but equal to one
revolver Of the present 1t was but
few minutes before nothing remained
to them except their swords. Thatch
fought for his life. Maynard only for
revenge. Time aud again be luckily 4
escaped death from his enemy's cut +
lass. His sword broke, and It seemed
that he must fall before Blackbeard's +
still perfect steel. But he fought on
With what remained Of his blade
thrusting, cleaving. hacking.
1t was a terrible sight, those two
men, the one possessed by demon OF
cruelty, the other demon Of revenge,
struggling in death grip, Thatch /
was grotesaue IN his ribboned beard,
Maynard terrible In his greed for
And each knew that the
fate of all his followers depended upon
him.
At last the pirate, who had managed
to get hold of a loaded pistol, stagger.
ing under a dozen wounds, while cock.
ing it fell dead. The end had come,
ana it had come for the pirates. Every
man Of them jumped overheard and
cried for quarter They were taken
III to be reserved for different end.
ing
Five or six days later the settlers Of
jamestown and the crews Of the war
ships saw sails down the river, recog.
nized the sloops and waited anxiously
the results Of the expedition When
they came nearer, on the end Of the
bowsprit Of the foremost vessel was
aeath's head, the head Of Thatch, the
pirate, with its CHASTITY, sunlSen eyes,
IL liyid flesh. its black beard tied up
.s,.1o,r rrbon they knew that tha