Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1920-01-06

Hike princes. With i slave population
Tor refainers days when even the
Dootblacks IN NASSAU played pitch
and-toss with gold pieces; but as I
considered further, 1t seemed to me
that the style OF the architecture and
the age Of the building suggested an
earlier date. Could Il be that this had
been the home of one or these early
eighteenth century pirates who took
pride In Haunting the luxury and pomp
OF princes, and who had perhaps made
tnts his headquarters and stronghold
Tor the storage Of his loot on the re-
turn from his forays On the Spanish
Main7 This, as the more spirited con-
lecture. ! naturally preferred, and, In
default of exact information, decided
to accept.
The more I pondered upon this
FANCY and remarked the extent Of the
ruins - including several subsidiary
outnouses-and noted, too, one or two
cnoKed stone staircases that seemed
to descend into the bowels of the
eartn, the more plausible 1t seemed.
IN one or two places where l sus-
pected underground cellars-dungeon
Tor unhappy captives belize, or strong
vaults for the storage of the treasure
i tested the floors by dropping heavy
stones, and they seemed Enthusiastically
TO reverberate with hollow rumbling
sound; but could find no present way
OF getting down into them. AS / said,
the staircases that promised an en-
trance into them were choked with
debris. But / promised myself to
come some other day, with pick and
shovel, and make an attempt at explor
ing them.
Meanwhile, after poking about in as
much of the ruins as could penetrate.
stepped out through a gap in one
of the walls and found myself again
on the path by which / had entered.
l noticed that it still ran on farther
north, as having destination beyond.
So leaving the haunted ruins behind
| pushed on and had gone but short
distance when the path began to de-
scend slightly from the ridge on which
the ruins stood; and there, in broad
square hollow before me, was the well
come living green of flourishing plan
tation of coconut palms 1t was evil
IDENTIFY of considerable extent-a quar-
ter of mile or so, judged-and the
palms were very thick and planted
close together. To my surprise, too, !
observed, as at length the path brought
me to them after a sharp descent, that
they were fenced in by high bam-
boo stockade, for the most part in
good condition, but here and there
broken down with decay.
Through one of these gaps I pres
emily made my way and found myself
among the soaring columns of the
palms, hung aloft with clusters of the
great green nuts. Fallen palm fronds
made carpet for my feet-very pleas
ant after the rough and tangled way ]
had Travelled, and now and again one
Of the coco nuts would fall down with
a thud amid the green silence. One
Of these. which narrowly missed my
head, suggested that here / had the
opportunity of Quenching very agree
ably the thirst of which had becom"
suddenly aware. My claspllnife soon
made an opening through the tough
shell, and, seated ON the ground, set
my mouth to 1t, and, raising the nut
above my head, allowed the milk
cool as spring water-to gurgle deli
ciously down my parched throat. When
at length / had drained it, and my
head once more returned to its natural
angle, ] was suddenly made aware that
my poaching had not gone unobserved