Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1909-04-29

i
Chalice and plate from churches borne,
And gems from shrieking beauty torn,
Each string of pearl, each silver bar,
And all the wealth OF western war.
RoREBY.
As the skipper strobe towards
the town. his dogged air and
lowering brow evinced the dis
quiet OF his spirit at what bad
just occurred. He was nettled bv
the maiden s rejection of his proffer
cd gift. and still deeper feeling of
resentment agitated bis mind against
the Secretary. Far other man was
he thaa he was deemed by the
burRhers Of st. Mary's. In truth,
they knew but little more of him
than might be gained from his few oc-
casional visits to the port in a call
ing which, as 10 brought him q fair
harvest OF profit. laid hiq under q
necessity TO cultivate, far the nonce.
the good opinion OF his customers
by such address as he was master of.
Cocklescraft belonged to that tribe
OF desperate men, until near this
period in the full career of their
bloody successes. known as "The
Brethen OF the Coast" His first
breath was drawn upon the pillows
OF the ocean, and his infancy was
nursed in the haunts OF the buc-
cancers, amongst the Keys OF the
Bahamas. When but a lad, attend
ing upon these wild bands in their ex-
peditions against the commerce OF
the Gulf, he chanced to attract the
notice OF the famous Captain Nor.
gan, whilst that most rapacious oil
all the pirate leaders was preparing
al Jamaica, for his incursion agains,
Maracaibo. The freebooter was
charmed with the precocious relish
for rapine conspicuous in the charac.
ter OF the boy: and, with an affec
tionate interest, took him under his
tntelage, assigning to him a pos
near his person, rather of pageantry
than service-that OF a page or arm
or-oearer. according to the yet lin
, gering forms oJ chivalry. The in
credible bravery of the buccaneer:
: in this exploit, and their destestabl.
cruelties were Witnessed by thi.
callow imp of the sea, with delight
: and shrewdness of apprehension
which gave to his youthful natur,
1 the full benefit of the lesson. Fl,
was scarce two years older when
in the due succession OF his hopefu
experience, he again attended hi.
patron upon that unmatched adven
ture of p!under and outrage, th,
Lacquer of Panama; aud it was re
7 marked that amidst the perils of th,
Z cruise upon the Costa Rica, the toll
of the inland march over moor anC
| mountain, and the desperate hazard
: of the storming of the city. the page
graceful and active as the minion O
q lady's bower. and fierce as a youns
/ ea-wolf, was seen every where, lik
an elfish sprite, tracking the foot
steps of his ruthless master. Th,
, history OF human wickedness ha
not more appalling chapter thar
] that which records the fate of th,
wretched inhabitants of Panama il
this assault; and yet, in the mids
of its shocking enormities, the ga,
and tasseled familiar of the ruffiaI
pirate chief tripped dainty througl
the carnage. with the light step Of
: reveller, and pursued the lyin,
u virgins and affrighted mstrons, fro1
house 10 house, as the flames en-
veIoped their roof trees, with th
mockery and prankishness OF an &C
tor in q masquerade. This expsdi
tion terminated not without addins
S another item to the experience G
the young freeboOter-the only one
perhaps, yet wanting 10 bis pertec