The Jasper news., 1920-04-22
SPARED Fair SEX
0Idtime @Knlghts Of the Road"
Not Always Stern.
Even Notorious Freebooters Have
Been Known TO sueeumb to
Feminine WIles-captaIn Kidd
Among the Number.

Highwaymen, II nncient 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 Chrlstophers Hobson, In her de-
lightful "Recollections Of Happy
Life" relates AT 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 Gardlnei of GARDENERS
Island, made the FIRST polite advances,
and the pirate, who was none other
than>the notorious Capt. Kidd himself.
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
boster 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 a silver
band bearing an Inscription recording
Its history, and the ''Kldd blanket" q
piece Of superb embroidery two yards
long, in crimson, green and gold. When
the pitcher was presented, II was full
Of rare East Indian sweetmeats.
Among the most famous names In
the reprehensible but picturesque roll
Of British hlghwaymen is that of
Claude Duval, who, along with his
French name, possessed a dash of
French politeness, at least toward the
fair and easily frightened sex. 'f1e is
reputed on various occasions to have
spared pretty ladies their rings or
lockets, II they begged him wlnnlngly
enough, or had the art. which one not
able belle Of his era professed such
useful one to woman, of "belng able
to Weep knowingly, and that without
Streaking Of Cheeks, of Redning Of
Nose, but soc onely that Crate Teares
of Pure Cristall Slide softely from Lids
to Chime, Like as Dew Droppes upon
a Rose.
A knight Of the road" of less note
than Duval-indeed, quite minor,
modest figure IN the annals of crime
nevertheless figured gnanimously In
nn old, broad-sheet ballad, in which he
assisted, instead Of despoillng. lady
In distress. She was, the story re-
lates, the poor but beautiful widow of
riotous young nobleman Just killed
In duel. Although of gentle blood,
she was 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 and
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 marriage,
penned and signed In miniature and
carried In locket round her neck.
When these two precious trinkets were
demanded at the point OF a pistol, she
was In despair; but the robber, hear
Ing her story, was moved to pity.
He gave her back her small gold ring
He put It her finger on:
Says. Yours and mine and yours again.
Though hardly It was won"
He gave her back her golden locket;
Says. Now think well OF me-"
And gold and rubies to All her pocket
20 thanks. kind sirl" says she
If the grateful pocketing of such
dubious gold and rubies by an innocent
and lovely heroine in distress seems
somewhat strange, the reader must re.
member that broad-sheet ballads Of the
road are concerned only with glorlfica.
tion Of their highwaymen heroes; con.
sistency. conscience and the herolnes
themselves are alike unlmportant and
ncidental.-Youth's Companion.