Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1920-07-30

written six volumes to prove he's ms
good n lord" An English MAGAZINE
described him as "btlious bruggnrt,-
"1iar.v n Gull jackass.v an sfnsect,"
q Sgrub," and a ereptile." The 'sNew
Yorker pleasantly wrote of hims die
n ms proud of Safeguarding as a fish,
woman f. of biIlingsgate. 1t is as
natural to him as snnrIing to q tomcat
or growing to bulldog. He has the
scorn and contempt of every well In
formed American"
|NN late afternoon of a winters
day, during the American Rev.
olution, rakish schooner and a
majestic frigate anchored well inside
little bay on the northeastern coast of
England. A whaleboat drove shore
ward, young officer scrambled up
the steep cliffs and few minutes later
a mysterious stranger was transferred
to the frigate's. deck. He answered to
the name of "Mr. Gray" and was said
to be merely pilot, but he was greet
ed with surprising Difference.
For no ordinary man would these
vessels have ventured so near that
coast Of sandbars and hidden rocks.
The wind was mere ruffle of air. But
the incessant mutter of the long, slow
waves foretold that storm was
brewing. Ever more fitfully and faint
ly blew the land-breeze; the mutter of
the waters grew deeper. Only here and
there did few stars twinkle between
the fast gathering clouds. 1t was time
to beat out to open sea, if 1t were not
even now too late. Men swarmed aloft
and hung up the yards; sails fluttered
out; the anchor was pulled in; the
frigate gathered Roadway, Then the
faint breeze died. The spread of cam
vas hung useless; the currents drove
the ship shoreward
With roar the wind came suddenly
from the east. White spray dashed
from the bow. Yet the Pilot paced the
quarterback seemingly oblivious to
danger. But open water was far
ahead and suddenly from the forecas-
tie came that dreaded cry, Breakers
breakers, dead ahead" The Pilot
shook off his trance of thought His
orders Numbered forth, sailors sprang
hither and thither at his bidding, the
frigate swung about at his cry of
"Hold on everythingp Tortuously she
picked her way through the twisting
channels, in darkness amid the howl
ings of the great winds.
She shivered from bow to stern as
hundred men loosed the huge main
sail. The jib was torn free with a
crash like lannon's blast, but the big
sail held and the frigate bowed like a
reed in the wind. White foam showed
dimly upon both sides. but the Pilot
kept the ship. as by miracle, within
narrow ribbon of dark water. He
took the wheel himself. Time and
again the frigate seemed to have
reeled free from peril time and again
she plunged anew toward welter OF
white water. But she drove ever on
and at last she rode the great waves
| of the open sea.
Not the storm alone had these ships
dared. They were American vessels
lurking about az enemy's coast. This
little bay had peculiar fascination
1Of tWo youuS iicutchdhtS aDOatu, 12u
! ward Griffith and Richard Barnstable
Not far inland lived Colonel Howard
I Tory who had fed from Americs
when the colonists revolted. With hin
i dwelt his niece, Cecilia Howard. be
loved by Griffith, and his ward, Kath
crime Plowden, betrothed to Barnsta
BILE. In st. Ruth's abbey fingered, too
Christopher Dillon. poor kinsmar
anxious to better his condition by wed
ding the wealthy Cecilia. Redcoat'
lent picturesqueness to the venerable
abbey, for a small garrison undel
Captain Borroughcliffe had been sum
moned by the owner. For aught tina
men knew, John Paul Jones himself
might be aboard these ships hoverinl
nearby.
While accommodating the next night
"Mr. Gray" and Griffith were captured
but Borroughcliffe's drunkenness ena
bed them to escape. Griffith was. how
ever. retaken.
The impetuous Barnstable, frettin
offshore with his enormous coxswair
Long Tom Coffin. had been nearly Gu
OF from his schooner BY an Englis
cutter, but be scrambled aboard safel
and the drum beat to quarters. Whil