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Vol. VIII.
New Bloomfleld, Pn., Tuesday, February 24, 1874.
i
IVo. 8.
'.ISPOBLISHBO IVKHT TUBSIIAY MOHNINU, BT
FBANE MOSTIMES & CO., :
At New Bloomfleld, Perry Co., Pa.
Being provided with Rtenm Tower, and large
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. Tlit Homa for 11V
OWe nle a home where the evening winds play
And breathe all so low In the ear ;
Where the night Is not night, but with love Is
all day,
And the leaf never once grows sere j
Where the emerald grass springs In long,
tufted knots,
And the wind slgheth gently between,
And the shadows drop down In their dark,
checkered spots,
As If hiding the deep, deeper green.
Give me a home by some cool, glnssy stream,
Where the gables their Images show ;
Where the long trailing Tine are as in a sweet
' dream,'
And drop from the eaves hanging low
Where in summer the sound of the turtle is
shrill,
A it come from the dank pool afar ;
And the chorns of insects, from meadow and
hill,
Begins with the earliest star.
Give me, O give me a home in a wood,
A home in a wood wild and free ;
Where the many-voiced thoughts that on the
heart brood,
1 May expand and grow great with each tree (
Where the bee cometh dally to gather the
thyme,
And the squirrels so busily run,
And the mosses so gray grow still grayer with
tine,
And la silence the circling year run.
For th Dloomfteld Times.
THE MYSTERIOUS FRIEND.
A Story of Old Virginia
CONTINUED.
' "7"OU won't do anything at that dis
JL tance," said the captain.
Orlando made no reply, but on the
next moment he raised his piece and fired.
To the crew it seemed as though he had
taken no aim, and they expressed them
selves by a low murmur to that effect ; bnt
their disappointment was changed to aston
ishment when they saw the pirate who was
just in the act of raising a match to the
priming of the long gun, drop backwards
from sight.
" Load tike rifle, quick," exclaimed the
youth, as be took the other in his hand.
Another of the pirates stepped up to the
long gun and raised the lighted match, but
ere he could accomplish his purpose, the
unerring aim of, the young hunter sent a
bullet through his head. Again and again
was the pirate's match raised to the gun
by the hand of a fresh recruit, but the cap
tain of the brig made out to keep the rifles
ready for use, and the youth used them
with futal precision. Six men had been
picked off in this way, when the pirates
seemed to have abandonded their favorite
engine entirely ; for though the gun might
by some means have been touched off from
a secure hiding-place, yet its aim was now
false, and they had found to their cost that
lie who would go forth to point it anew
went only to his certain dath.
By the time, however, that the pirates
abandoned their long gun they had ranged
near enough to make effectual us of their
batteries, and in a few moments , after Or
Undo had fired bis hut shot, the brigantine
lot drive her broddnlde of six twelve pound
ers. Some of the shot took effect upon the
brig's side, for she trembled beneath the
concussion, while one or two eame whizzing
harmlessly over the deck. At this moment
the biigantlue ran up the black flug at her
peak, and fired a gun to windward. . ..
"That meaus for ui to heave-to," said
the mate. ,
" Yes," returned the captain, "and the
follow mean that we Mhall know his er
rand, too."
Then tinning to the man at the wheel 1)0
ordered the helm to be put down and the
fore yard braced sharp Up. In a few mo
ments more the mainsail was clewed tip,
end the brig lay . almost motionless upon
the water. The pirates, : however, even
though their request hod been thus readily
oomplied with, proved 'most treacherous ;
for the laying of the brig to the wind had
brought her head exactly into the position
to receive a raking' fire, and on the next
moment she got it from the pirate's broad
side. None of the brig's Crew were harm
ed, however, for at that instant their ves
sel's bows were raised upon the bosom of a
rolling sen, and the enemy's shot struck
low, though some of them hit the brig.
As had been anticipated, the pirates pre
pared to board the bows, for already had
she run under the brig's forefeet and luffed
short up. The captain of the merchantman
called all his men afjfc, and having hidden
the two guns as much as" possible by low
ering the main spencer across them, he saw
that they were aimed properly, and then,
with a lighted match behind him, whilo
the mate stood in the same manner he
awaited the onset.
' At length the pirate's bows grated along
under the brig's fore-chains, and as the
grappllngs were thrown on board, the buc
caneers began to swarm in by the fore-rigging.
Borne twenty of them bad gained the
deck, and were upon the point of rushing
aft, when the captain applied his match,
and from beneath the innocent looking sail
there poured forth a sheet of flame and
as the myriad messengers of death went on
their way. The captain was not disap
pointed in the result of his shot, for the
spikes and bolts had been packed in such a
manner that they spread in all directions,
and the havoc they made among the advanc
ing men was fearful. As the pirates saw
the fate of their comrades they set np wild
yells of rage, and those who were behind
dashed madly on, but ere they reached the
gangway they were met by the mate's shot,
and for a few moments they hesitated.
Twenty, at least, of their men were either
killed or totally disabled, and they had not
many over the same number left .
"Pistols, ray men I pistols!" shouted
the captain of the brig, as the pirates once
more started aft.
The pistols were discharged, but only
one or two of the enemy fell, and the
remainder came dashing wildly on. The
crew of the brig drew their cutlassoss,
and with a fearful clashing of thirsty steel
the combatants met.
Orlando Chester stood apart in the
weather gangway. In one hand he held
his heavy cutlass, and ia the other hand a
loaded pistol, but as yet he had mingled
not in the tight. At length he saw the
captain of the brig fall beneath the cut
lass of the buccaneer chief, and ere long
the mate sank dead upon the deck. The
pirates were gaining ground ! All the men
who were pow left were favorably disposed
to the youth at least, in their sympa
thies; and as the thought came to our
hero's mind be grasped the cutlass more
firmly in his hand, brought his pistol to
its rest, and then, with the hope of liberty
beckoning him on, he rashed forward to
the scene of conflict. 1
During any period of a battle the ap
pearance of a new enemy In the field no
matter how insignificant the enemy may
be cannot iail to produce some effect
upon the opposing party. . Until the young
hunter rushed forward from the gangway
he had not been observed by the pirates,
and as tike first blow was aimed at their
chieftain they were fur a momout so start
led that the paints of their weapon were
involuntarily allowed to drop. Orlando's
blow bad boen calculated for an effective
one, and the pirate chieftain foil beneath it
never to rise again to earthly life. In a mo
ment the buccaneers recovered their sus
pended senses, and two bright cutlasses
gleamed at ouce above young Chester's
bead, but he was calm in his purpose of
self-redemption, and hi quick eye served
him faithfully. With his weapon, still red
with the fallen chieftain's blood, ho struck
off the blow of the assailant upon the right,
awl with his ready pistol he shot the other
through the bead.
This feat of Orlando's, as terrible as it
was unexpected, served a double purpose.
It not only struck terror to the hearts of
the pirates, but it also gave courage to the
crew of the brig. Nolan sprang forward to
the youth's side the rest followed his
example, and with a loud shout of victory
they set with almost demoniao bravery
upon the enemy. Foot after foot did the
pirates give up of their ground, as one after
another of their number full beneath the
determined strokes of Orlando and his com
panion, until n length, with not over a
dozen of them alive, they turned at the foie
rlgKgi ad leaped upon their own deck.
Dick Nolan threw their grappling after
them, and in a few minutes the brigantine
bad swung off and started away from the
scene of ber unsuccessful combat.
"Chester," said Nolan, as he grasped the
young man by the hand, after the pirate
was fairly off, " will you forgive me for the
part I took against you ? You've proved
yourself a noble man, and I could never rest
easy if I thought you'd laid up anything
against me. Only say you'll pardon me."
" You have my pardon,fully and freely,"
replied the youth, as he returned the warm
grip of the old sailor, " and now I trust I
am at liberty, at least, as much as the con
fines of ship hoard will admit of."
" That yon are, and if you desire it, the
brig shall be at once put back," said Nolan.
" I could wish, at least, that you would
land me as near Jamestown as possible."
" I don't know but that we shall have to
put back there at any rata. The captain
and mate are both gone, and I don't much
feel like putting the brig through to Eng
land myself." , ,
The crew were loud and enthusiastic in
their thanks to our hero ; and from a doom
ed prisoner he found himself at once trans
formed into a hero and commander, for all
hands expressed themselves ready to obey
his wishes.
Upon examination it was found that
eight of the crew had ' been killed, while
two were so badly wounded that they were
completely disabled, so there were only
nine men, including Orlaado, left for duty.
The first thing done was to get the deck
cleared of the dead, and though from the
bosom of the victorious youth there issued
a silent prayer for the souls of the depart
ed, yet their bodies were consigned to the
blue deep without any other ceremony than
the lashing to the cold feet of a sinking
weight Then the brig was filled away, and
after a short consultation her head was put
back, the wind allowing her to lay, close
hauled, just up to her true course for the
Chesapeake. The second mate knew' but
very little of navigation, so the command
of the vessel was given by unanimous con
sent, to Nolan.
As soon as the deck was washed, and
the true course marked out, attention
was turned to the moving of the two guns,
but before they were got back to their re
spective places one of the men came running
up from below, with his face all blanched
with fear, and pointing down to bis shoes,
which were full of water, be exclaimed :
" We're sinking 1 Bee there it's already
over my shoes in the cabin I"
For a moment Nolan was horror-struck,
buthe soon regained his self-possession,and
bidding the man of the wheel look well to
bis charge, ho called upon the rest of them
to follow him and hunt up the leaks.
As soon as the hatches were taken off, it
was found that the water was already deep
in the hold ; and even Nolan started back
aghast as he found that there was a shot
hole through the side of the brig, and that
it was now not over foot below the water
line. ' lie sprang back upon the deck, and
having rigged the pumps, he set four of
the men at work upon them, and with the
rest he went again upon the search. In
the excitement of their'victory the men
had entirely forgotten the shots they had
received from the pirate, and now they
found out their effects too lata ! Half the
cargo in the hold was covered, and it soon
became evident that there were othor leaks
than that on the side, and ere long they
found that they had three more shot-holes
in the larboard bow, through which the
water was pouring in torrents.
An hour earlier ; the shot-boles might
havo been stopped, but now it was too late.
With a fearful energy . the men worked
away at the pumps, but still the water
gaiued upon them alarmingly, and upon
sounding the well it was found that the in
truding element had gained nearly two feet
since the pump were rlggod.
"It's no use 1" uttered Nolan, as the
men let go of the pump-brakes in despaiK
" We might as well try to pump out the
ocean." ,
" Then the brig must sink," said Orlando,
in a half inquiring tone. '
" Yes, there is no help for it," returned
Nolan, as he stepped to the main hutch way
and looked once more Into tho hold.
"How long will she be able to float," in
quired the young hunter, over whose mind
a new fear was beginning to creep,
" Not over an hour at the furtheht," re
turned Nolan, " for the more water she
takes in the faster she'll go."
The pro tempor commander knew , that
it would be useless to bestow any moie
time upon the pumps, so be turned his at
tention at once upon casting looso the long
boat and rigging up the stay and yard bur
tons for hoisting ber otit In half an hour
the boat was safe alongside, and provisions
and water enough for a fortnight's, allow
ance were with considerable difficulty got
out from the store-room and stowed away
in her stern-sheets. , The boat's mast was
next stepped, with its sail . brailed snugly
up, the stays were banled taut, and the jib
rigged in its place. , The . men took with
them such arms and amunition as they could
procure, besides tho charts, ; compasses,
quadrants, and other small articles of value
that could be got out, then the two woun
ed men were assisted , into the boat, and
shortly afterwards Nolan and his ...compan
ions followed. .
. All was now ia readiness, and at the
word from Nolan the painter was cast off,
the boat's head shoved off, the sails loosened,
and with a bound almost of animation, the
frail bark started from tho vessel's sido.
The sea was not very heavy,and the swells,
though somewhat high, were long, and
steady. The young hunter cast his eyes
back upon . the brig, a strange feeling of
awe crept over his soul as he saw the heavy
fabric roeling to and fro upon the verge of
its grave. . While yet he looked, the vessel
rocked more beuvily then stood for a mo
ment still, as if contemplating her doom
then a perceptible tremor shook her vast
frame, and with one heavy throe she pitch
ed forward, plunged , her bows into the;
flood, and in a few moments more the blue
water closed over her forever.
In half an hour after the men had taken
the last look at the old ocean dwelling, the
dark curtain of night settled over the vast
deep, and Nolan divided his men into
watches, giving to the second mate . the
charge of one, while he took charge of the
other, and after making arrangements for
the course through the, night, half of the
men drew their blankets around them and
lay down beneath the thwarts to seek re
pose for their weary limbs. . , ; . , ., ,
When the morning dawned, the wind,
which had been .comparatively low during
the night, began to freshen, so much so
that it was found necessary to take a reef
in the mainsail, and as soon as this was
accomplished Nolan and the mate distrib
uted tho morning's meal. While the men
were engaged in eating their breakfast, one
of them, who had stationed himself in the
bows, uttered a sudden exclamation of joy,
and as the boat rose upon tho bosom of the
next sea a sail was distinctly made out to
the northward and eastward. ,
A new hope Instantly sprang up in the
bosom of the raeu, and putting up the helm
they eased off the sheets and stood towards
the discovered sail. The pistols were load
ed, and one after another they were dis
charged Into the air, with a sort of reck
less hope that the sound might reach those
who could save them. Nolan had stationed
himself against the mast with a glass, and
for a long time be gazed steadily upon the
distant sail. The men watched his count
enance as though it were an index to their
prospects, and they hung upon each vary
ing lineament of his features for the raising
or the crushing of their hopes. At length
the gloss trembled in Nolan's band,a shade
of deep disappointment overspread bis face,
and with a groan stepped down from the
thwart.
" My men," said he as ho closed the
glass, " she's steering from us, and is al
ready more than hull down !"
The boat was onoe more hauled upon
the wind, and with sad and heavy . hearts
the crow turned their eyes towards the
point in the horizon where tho object of
thoir sudden hopes had disappeared. They
were nearly five hundred miles from land,
with nothing but a single inch of plank
between themselves and eternity, a heavy
sea running against them, and a prospect
of having their provisions destroyed by the
salt water that cams dashing . over the
bows. i., , ;
Hearts that had been tied to earth for
years , now began to turn to a Power
mightier than their own, for their lato con
quering strength, and the weapons that lay
about them, were utterly . void against the
relentless storm-god, and a they lay upou
the bosom of the treacherous ocean the ill
fated men know not, how soon it might
open its broad, deep grave to receive them 1
CHAPTER X. 1
UNKXFKCTED INTERVIEWS.
It was one month after the mysterious
disnpicaranoe of young Chester from the
Jamestown jail. Night had succeeded a
pleasant day, and shortly after its sable
curtains had been drawn over the colony,
Chiron sought the dwelling of Itoswoll
Berkley. Upou the brow of the old huuter
there was a stamp of deep sufloringjRud his
kindly speaking features were tortured
with vivid lines of unmistakable anguish ;
yet over all there was a firm set cast of a
powerful determination . which bespoke a
will that was not to crushed by misfortune
or disappointment., ; ,
Mr. Berkley , was alone in his private
Btudy, and though his appearance was in
dicative of much .emotion, yet it .would
have been diffloult to docide whether 'twas
a cowardly fear, or a domoniae satisfaction,
that moved him. He was engaged in look
ing over some papers, when he heard the
door of his room opened, and on looking
up beheld the towering form of Chiron. ,i
, . " Now, by the saints of heaven I" utter
ed Berkley, as he recovered from the first
shock of the meeting, " your insolence is
becoming unbearable. : If you do not leave
me on the instant, your arrest . and com
mitment shall be the oonsequence." ,
" Soft, soft, my dear sir," said : the old
hunter, f I think you would flud it hard
to have me arrested." , . ' f .
"Not so hard as you imagine.' The
death of Oilman and Colton may yet have
to be answered for.". ; , - ,. , .
i . "So, so ; then your . accommodating
doctor has been blabbing. But look ye,
Mr. Berkley, do you wish a thorough in
vestigation of that affair before the public?''
. Mr. Berkley met the keen glance of the
hunter, and he quailed before it. , . In his
soul he dared not meet the steady gaze of
his visitor, for there was something in hi
tone and manner, and his very appearance,
that struck a dread to bis heart. But he
bad sense enough to know that if he did
fear, he had bettter keep jt as much aa
possible to himself, so he-, endeavored to
conquer his emotions, and turning to Chi
ron, be said : ,. . r,
" I fear no investigation, sir, of any of
my acts; but I can inform you that the laws,
protect the dwellings of our citizens from
the intrusion of common brawlers, and you,
bad better beware how you lay iyourself
liable to them. I would be alone.". ..
. "And in a few moments you shall," re
turned Chiron, who could not help smiling,
at the sudden change in his host's ground
of complaint ; "but first I would ask you
once more, what has become of Orlando
Chester?"
"I know not."
" Beware, Mr. Berkley ! What havo you
done with him ?"
"I tell you I knew nothing of him, only
that be has escaped from jail," answered
the agent, in trembling, fearful aocents,but
yet with an apparent coolness upon his
features. , .
; "Then you will not give tne a clue to
bis whereabouts?" continued Chiron.
" If he were upon the gallows, I would
give you a passage in the same direction."
"Thank you kindly, sir; but I shall
have no need of your services,", said the
hunter, and then lowering his voice to a
tone of the deepest import, he continued :
" Now let me tell you, sir, that though
you refuse to acknowledge your hand . in
this matter, yet I know 'twas you who did
it ; but 'twill avail you little. Your ends
will not be so easily answered. . You have
in ' some way disposed of the son, and you
tried to dispose of tho mother, but there I
thwarted you. And now, Boswell Berk
ley, I tell you that the dreaded secret is
not . locked up in the bosom of Morgiana.
Chester. , I know that seoret, and there is
another beside whose ears have drank it in,
so you need not thiak to save yourself by
Ibe doath of the mother and her child.".
: "Villain, you lie !', shrieked Berkley,
utterly frantio with passion. "I have no
secret I care not for Mrs. Chester, save
to place her in safoty." . , . ,
"No secret?" , . ,. , .'..
."Nol,", : l , . . .. i
, " Not even with regard to a oortain duel
ouce fought, wherein you figured behind
the scenes ?" uttered Chiron.
Roswell Berkley sprang from his chair, -and
tho words, ".Villain Liar" broke
from his bloodless lips, but ere he could
speak further his power of utterance scorn
ed to fail him, and grasping his desk for
support, he sank back into his seat. Tho
old hunter regarded him fora moment with
a look of utter contempt, and then turning
away, be left the villain alone.
"It's of no use," murmured Chiron to
himself, a he stepped from Berkley's
house, "he won't oriminate himself furth
er by acknowledging his agency in the re
moval of Orlando ; but I don't believe he'll
trouble Morgiana again, after what he has
just learned."
lue hunter's oourse lay towards the
house of Bir Oliver Wimple, and when he
reached it he hauled his canoe to the
shore, and ' was just turning to pass on
through the garden, when the sound of
distant oars struck upon his bar, coming
from down the river. Continued next
week.