Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1909-10-14

And she swore BY the mould,
~ would not Be your love-" said she,
"For that church fmi OF gold"
He turned him 70 aud round about,
And no awore by the mass,
z Sd goid " . K III lave lSs iss saA be-
OLD BALLAD.
When Cocklescraft and his Grew
had again doubled the point Of ST
Inigo's, on their retreat, th,
sail Of the yawl was spread be
fore the breeze, and she skinned
the waves like q bird Of the sea
Blanche had yet scarcely shown
| signs OF animation. except In tn,
low and smothered moan that escap
ed from beneath the folds OF the
cloak which, With an officious care
the leader OF the pirate gang had
disposed for the protection OF hei
person from the cold. Beside her
crouched the housekeeper, sobbinQ
and signing and uttering ejacula.
tions OF alarm-One moment for her
own fate--at the next, for the lot Of
her young lady and at intervals
shrleking with o causeless terror,
as the little bark, bending to the
wind, dipped the end OF her sail into
the wave.
| The seamen, now released from
the oars, were called to the care oil
their bleeding comrades. Roche del
Carmine, the mate, was already
dead, aud the other writhed in the
torments OF an unstaunched wound.
The band were 700 familiar with the
accidents Of war to be much moved
by the fate Of their companions, and
accordingly, after applying q band
age TO the hurt Of the living man,
and merely dispOsing the body of
the dead one Ia b position least In
convenient TO themselves, they as
sumed that Indifference to the haz-
ards of their condition, which has
ever been characteristic trait OF
the reckless temper engendered by
the discipline Of the buccaneers
life.
The beams OF the sun had begun
to flicker on the face OF the waters
when the fngitiyes reached the is.
land OF ST. Georges, the first OF
those few scattered islands In the
Potomac which passed under the
general name of the Heron Islands.
During this brief voyage. Cookies
craft had Ia vein endeavored to
soothe the maiden with kind words
and protestatiops that no harm
should befall her. He took her cold
hand II qulvered in bis grasp; and
when be released it,sit fell lifeleas
! hack lir0sy ;0s I II he lNid palm
upon her brow Sud clamlny niois-
ture bespoke the agony that wrung
II.
Dame, = he said, addressing Mis-
tress Coldscale; you are better
skilled than /, 10 these woman
qualms, look 10 your lady, and tell
me OF what shesmay stand In need.
You shall take her presently on
board Of the 4brigantine, and the
whole vessel, II she require 1t, shall
be given up to her comfort"
"She stands Ia need OF her faith
er's house," replied the dame, with
more spirit than she might have
been thought. from her previous
fright, to possess. "She stands In
need OF friendly faces and kind
hearts:--her soul Is bowed down by
misery. She will never open her
eyes again, never, never unless II
be to look upon the friends from
whom you have stole her. Oh, Mas
ter Cocklescraftr-you have broken
bread under her fathers roof, and
have sat In the warmth OF his fire.
side--his old eyes have looked kind
ly upon you, and he has spoken
words OF welcome that have gone to
your heart with a blessing 10 the
very sound Of em:--how can you
heap torments on the head OF his
child. In sorrow and waillng have
you borne her away. and she will
quickly wither In your hand ;--you
have stolen a flower that dies 10 the
cropping And oh, her gray-hsired
fatherl--with a broken heart, you
have cast him down to the tomb. F"
by ST. Mary, woman, but |
honor, love, and cherish the maidl"
returned Cocklescraft. Have | not
loved her long. as never father loved
her;-thought OF her on the wide
waters OF the ocean, under every
sun ;--dresmed Of her night after
night, In many weary VOYAGE
borne her image before me In
storm and battle, In the chase and
Ia the fight, beneath the stars In
the dead hour OF midnight, and at
the feast at high noon2 Have / not
made honorable petition for her,
from her father--and been refused
with scorn and foul insult? And
have | not now, at last, entrapped
her as gently as she doth the winter
bird that seeks crumb upon her
window sill2 BY my faith, fairly
have ! won her. and proudly will |
wear her, daniel Her fatherl--I owe
him nothing for his kindly greeting
and warm Preside, and breaking OF
bread: he hath paid himself by bis
disdain and mOckery OF my suit.
Have | not there" be added, speak
ing with an angry vehemence and
pointing towards the bow OF the
boat given the life. blood Of two
OF my best and bravest comrades TO
the old mans wrath, and yet did
/ not myself turn aside the blow
that would have laid him upon the
floor OF his own ball?"
Better that be had so fallen, re-
piled the dame, than live to wit
ness what his old eyes saw last
night. Better that be died outright,
than live 10 lose bis child"
BE silent, woman" exclaimed