The Lamar register., 1920-05-26
SPARED FAIR SEX
0ldtime knights of the Road"
Not Always Stern.
Even Notorious Freebooters Have
Been Known to succumb to
Feminine Wiles-captain Kidd
Among the Number.

Hlghwaymen, If ancient ballads and
traditions concerning famous ''knights
OF the road" may be believed. have
often been polite to ladies'; but pirates.
rarely. Nevertheless, the late Eliza
beth Christophers Hobson, in her de-
lightful "RecollectiOns of Happy
Life" relates an instance of a polite
pirate who not only spared one of her
ancestresses from molestation but
made her a valuable present. To be
sure, the lady in the case. who was
Mrs. John Lion Gardiner of Gardiner's
Island made the first polite advances.
and the pirate, who was none other
than the notorious Capt. Kidd himself
merely reciprocated In kind
The owner of the island was absent
when Kidd landed upon it, and Mrs
Gardiner, terrified but keeping her wits
about her invited the formidable free
booter to dinner in the hope Of placat-
Ing him. He accepted and she so
wisely and Willy fed or charmed him
or both, that he later sent to her two
rich gifts. both of which are still pre-
served by her descendants: the Kidd
pitcher" now strengthened by silver
band hearing an Inscription recording
It's history, and the kidd blanket" a
piece of superb embroidery two yards
long. In crimson. green and gold. When
the pitcher was presented. il Wns full
Of rare East Indian sweetmeats: the
blanket is sometimes called the Kidd
altar cloth" since It was presumably
CT frnT q.
can church In some plrntlcal raid
Among the most famous names In
the reprehensIble but picturesque roll
Of British hghwaymen is that Of
Claude Duval. who. along with his
French name. possessed dash of
French politeness. al least toward the
fair and easily frightened sex He is
reputed on vnrious occasions to have
spared pretty ladies their rings or
lockets. II they begged him winnlngly
enough. or had the art. which one not
able belle Of his era professed such
useful one to a woman. OF being able
to Weep knowingly. and that without
Streaking Of Cheeks, of Redulng OF
Nose, but soc onely that Crate Teares
Of Pure CristnIl Slide softely from Lids
to Chime. Like as Dew Droppes upon
a Rose" His most notable concession
10 feminine charm was not. however.
a complete surrender: It was n bar
gain. The lovely lady with whom II
was made was promised immunity for
nll her rich Jewels. n she would but
descend from the coach and forthwith
dance cornnto on the heath. with the
gallant and graceful Claude for her
partner-a condition with which she
readily complied.
A Knight of the road" OF less note
than Duvnl-indced. quite minor.
modest figure In the annals OF crime
nevertheless figured magnanlmously in
an old broad-sheet ballad. IN which he
assisted. instead OF despoiling lady
In ~dlstress. She was. the story re-
lhtes. the poor but beautiful widow of
riotous young nobleman just killed
In duel. Although OF gentle blood
she wns beneath him In rank. and the
match had been secret When the
coach was held up she was on her way
to seek out her husbands parents aud
ask their forgiveness and protection
for herself and her baby boy. All she
had to prove her case was her wedding
ring and her certificate Of marrIuge.
penned and signed In miniature and
carried In locket round her neck.
When these two precious trinkcts were
demanded al the point Of pistol. she
was In despair; but the robber. hear
ing her story. was moved 10 pity.
He gave ner back her small gold ring
He put It her nnger on.
says Yours and mine and yours again
Though hardly q was won
He gave her back her golden l1raets
Says. Now think we'll Of me-"
And gold and rubies 10 uIi her pocket
20 thanks. klud sirf" says she
II the grateful pocketing Of such
dubious gold and rubics by au innocent
and lovely heroine in distress seems
somewhat strange. the reader must re
member that broad-sheei ballads Of the
road are concerned only with rlorifica-
tion of their highwaymen heroes con
sistency. conscience and the herolnes
themselves are alike unimportant and
incldental.-Youth's Companion.
Not Dead Ones.
was using my seven passenger