VOL* xxxiv
8 |4/U A T SHALL I GIVE <1 S
j nil/ll FOR CHRISTMAS■ ||
jg ■■■ ******> g
gsrf This is the question of the day. but a visit to onr store will Igg
3&1 easily and economically solve it. Is it a nice Rooking Chair yon fSsji
sSsf ;*l want? We have the larg f^z
S»t % est, finest and best assorted
£ stock yon ever saw to e5
;■ Decorated Table St
s§j{ i O / I Ware or a pieoe of Por "
k t it StYis £ celain T We have enough {^»
M /U 1 for> "°""' IB
%sst ML! W!}[• U |y * Is it a nice pair of Por
*U f/fyf 'I f tiers, Lace Curtains, Parlor Kg
gal r """ Table. Hall Rack. Prrlor |jgg
2S* Snit, Writing Desk or Toilet Set llf so, they are all here. i
*§>[ If yon want something useful yon can find at this store. jg?*
Goods bought now can can be stored free and delivered any
«5a time before Christmas.
M | Decorated jg
1 dinner I
I rl2fe- Uj - * v * v I
| Last week we had sfi dif-
iw l\ L\— b- v T: | jlr ferentdec-orations to show *^s
y3j| J yon in Dinner Sets. This
Yon can easily find what
you want, as tae<e U not one bad pattern ia the lot. H
WL $7.50, g
yffif Ws always had nice sets of £ I |
S Dishes at above but this sea / fV^fTi*?
we have many different patterns fef'dir
show yon.
jS Slooo ' |g
SCS/ Never bought a better Dinner SetC Ttr*
than we are showing to-day; at least J \L |
jgsf we judge this by the way they are \ feaf
gj " lUnK _(Rocking CHAIRS, Sj
5j $15.00. S SL5 ° U P' &
A variety of patterns, and the only J
fault yon will find is the assortment / -sraXS?
contains so many pretty decorations J rTr —iC-' c' J<i
JQ( that you can hardly decide which is/ j^Mr,.Jl'kk*.
| SIDE BOARDS," | igjjgjf |
j| HEARTH RUGS, / Sewing Machines,
g $1,50 up. ( $25. g
iflampbell & Templeton,!
J BUTLER, PA jj
j| J ftfA Pleasing Prospectfff
TO FIND THE COAT so satisfactory at
/ / r\ , /frSr t * le irßt l " a '- This is the universal testi-
I ( \
v V Yvf 1 1 n eat fitting clothes. Witlcut Ihtni coman
M '• NYI J I' ) looks well dret-sed.
t V A I /r j - A COAT WELL MADK is made to fit and
I i \ ]' i not to set-just-hit-or-miss; an artist well may
l|\ h \ take delight in seeing a nest fitting coat.
,| ) ||W\ riood material, gofjd workmanship and good
| \ i l \ I X C V - - fit 4 ®ra the pr««of that liavc made our tailor
i \ 'lf \ v j "PI ' n * B success - We guarantee this and ask
I r 'r~ T T you to look at our patterns. Our prices are
If A •' S cwt down to the lowest notch.
llP|| f'A 16. F. KECK, .rr^,.
Boots
cl l\cl
Mm Shoes
Come to us ana you il hnd our scock so larpe that you can find
what you want —All varieties of shoes for sale at lowest prices—Our
entire fall and winter stock is open and ready for your inspection—
Our stock was never larger than the present—Complete stock of
La Jies' and Misses' fine Dongola, lJox Calf, winter tans, Enamels in
welt sole, nude for winter wear.
In Men's shoes our stock oflers many selections of winter tans, fnc
enamels, cordovans,.box calfs ami many other. Have you seen our
genuine water-proof shoe? It is a dandy—the upper extends around
the welt to the edge of the sole—this in connection with sheet rub
ber and cork bottom filling makes a complete join! that cannot be
secured in any other way —A shoe thus made is more nearly water
tight than can be made by any other process. Our stock of Men's
and Hoy's heavy boots and shoes is large, and prices away down—
Full stock of Hoy's high cut copper toed shoes.
and complete stock of rubber goods of all kind—Kelt boots,
Felt shots and warm lined shoes and slippers of all kinds at rock
bottom prices.
Full stock of sole leather and shoe findings—Sole leather cut to
any amount you wish to purchase. Hiyh iron stands for repairing.
IJo you wear box calf shoes? We have a polish put up for box
calf shoes which keeps the leather soft and pliable. When in need
of boots and shoes
CALL AND SEE US.
JOHN BICKEL.
128 S. MAIN St. BUTLER, PA.
Advertise in the CITIZEN.
-THE BUTLER CITIZEN.
Liver Ills
: Like biliousness, dyspepsia, headache, cor. U
[ ation. sour stomach, indigestion arc prompiij
I cured oy Hood s Pills. Tbey do their ".ork
Hood's
\ easily arid Uiaroneh'y. n I 3 &>
: Best after dinner pills. K- Jr a§ S s^*
,15 cents. All druggists. ■ ■■ ■ w
i Prepared by C. I Hood & Co., Lowell, Mass.
I Tbt onU-PUI to take with Hood's Sarsauar l!a.
This I» Tour Opportunity.
On receipt of ten cents, cash or stamps,
i a penerous sample will be mailed of tue
i most popular Catarrh ucd Hay i ever Cure
' (Ely's Cream Balm) sufficient to demoa
i strife the gre-u merits of the icmedy.
ELY BROTHERS,
56 Warren St, New York City.
Rev. John ReM, Jr.. of Or. at Fall*, Mont .
i recouimenJed Ely's Cream lialm to me. I
i can emphasize his statement, "It is a P£ el *
tive euro for catarrh if used as directed."
Rev. Francis Y. r . Poola, Pastor Central Pres.
Chnrcb, Helena. Moat.
Ely's Cream Balm is the acknowledged
j cure for cutArrh uud coutwuH no mercury
i nor any injurious drug. Price, 50 ccats.
I [art,. .
' Everything ve have in our /
| C magnificent display for tl: ■ )
! { Holidays, are works of art. J
I CALL ANC SEE IT. j
C We have something for ever* - j
J body. S
( BOOKS. GAMES, DOLLS, $
J For the little one. Books of \
) tlie latest fiction and fancy V
J gift editions. {
S CHINA and BRIC-a-BRAC C
j Photo-Medalions Leather ami v
S Celluloid goods «t. Q
I DOUGLASS'
S 241 S. Main St., Butler. Pa. C
We M Know
that the slovenly dressed man
never receives the respect and
consideration the well dressed
man gets. One secret in dres
sing well lies in the selection c.f
the right tailor.
our garments
are cut and made in cur own
workshop in this city. We are
particular about the fit, fashion
and ail the minute details in
their construction.
Would be pleased to show
you a product of our shop and
also give you n pointer iu econ
omy.
fail patterns
now displayed
ALAND,
MAKKR OF
MEN'S LOTH l-„S
Gounting The Cost.
Have- you ever calculated how
much is saved in the long run by
having your clothing made by
tailors who know their business?
You get better gor«ds, more care
ful workmanship and the fit and
style arc worth a great deal.
It's a satisfaction to wear first
class, well made clothes, and then
it's economical as well. Clothes
that fit, wear longer, look better
and are more satisfactory to the
, wearer. Those who wear our
garments appreciate this.
Stop and calculate. Do you
!. wear tailor-made clothes? In
that case you have garments that
last longer, wear better and suit
you more completely than any
other. Every garment is made in
the best style. No accidental
fits. No disgraceful effects. It
is cheaper to wear custom clothes
than any others. Fa'l styles on
display.
WEDDING SUITS A SPEAITY."'
fiFiSI
Cor. 1 )laruon<l. t?ullor. Pa
ABRAMS, BROWN & Co
Insurance and Real Estate
STRONG COMPANIES
PROMPT SETTLEMKNTS.
Il«m«* Insurant** - 'o. of .Ww York, liisur
. anw <•'», of North Ami-ricn. at IMillaclHijiiia
I'a. f'h«*nlx Insurance of Hr«>oUlyri. N. V
Hartford Ir»HUi;in<c <'<». i»f fl irtford
Csorn
I OKFK Pi: Cornor of Main Hi :»;k! tin* r>l»i
--► north of Court litju?iC. Ilutlcr J a.
BUTLER, PA., THURSDAY, DECEMBER IG, ls;>7
RO $
TART I.
THE OLD BUCCANEER.
CHAPTER I.
THE OLD SEA-DOG AT THE ADMIRAL
BENBOW.
Squire Trelawney, Dr. Livesey and
the rest of these gentleiu*:n having
asked me to write down the whole par
ticulars about, Treasure Island, from
the beginning to the end, keeping noth
ing back but the bearings of the island,
and that only l-ecause there is still
treasure not yet lifted, I take up my
pen ia the year of grace 17—, and go
back to the time when my fauicr kept
the Admiral lienbow Inn, and the
brown old seaman, with the saber cut,
first took up his lodgings under our
roof.
I remember him as if it was yester
day, as he came plodding to the inn
door, his sea chest following behind
him in a hand-barrow; a tall, strong,
heavy, nut-brown man; his tarry pig
tail falling over the shoulders of his
soiled blue coat; his bunds ragged and
scarred, with black, broken nails, and
the saber cut across one cheek, a dirty,
livid white. I remember him looking
round the cove and whistling to him
self as he did so, and then breaking out
in that old sea song that he sung so
often afterward:
•'Fifteen men on the dead man's chest —
Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!"
in the high, old tottering voice that
seemed to have been tuned and broken
at the capstan bars. Then he rapped
on the door with a bit of of stick like a
handspike that he carried, and when
my father appeared called roughly for
a glass of rum. This, whep it was
brought to him, he drank slowly, like a
connoiseenr, lingering on the taste,
and still looking about him at the cliffs
and up at our signboard.
"This is a handy cove," say a he, at
length; "and a pleasant sittyated
grog-shop. Much company, mate?"
My father told him no, very littl«
company, the more was the pity.
"WelC then," said he, "this is the
berth for me. HeTe you, matey," he
cried to the man who trundled the bar
row; "bring up alongside and help up
my chest. I'll stay here a bit," he con
tinued. "I'm a plain man; rum and
bacon and eggs is what I want, and
that head up there for to watch ships
off. What you mought call me? You
mought call me captain. Oh, I see
what you're at —there;" and he threw
down three or four gold pieces on the
threshold. "You can tell me when I've
worked through that," says he, looking
as fierce as a commander.
And, indeed, bad as his clothes were,
and courwely as he spoke, he had none
of the appearances of a man who sailed
before tho mast; but seemed liko a
mute or nkipper, accustomed to be
obeyed or to strike. The nun who
came with the barrow told us the mail
had set him down tbc morning before
at tho Royal George; that he had in
quired what inns there were along the
coast, and hearing ours well spoken of,
I suppose, and described as lonely, had
chosen it from the others for his place
of residence. And that was all we
could learn of our guest.
He was a very silent man by custom.
All day he hung round the cove, or up
on the cliffs, with a brass telescope;
all evening he sat in a corner of the juir
lor next the fire, and drank rum and
water very strong. Mostly he would
not speak when, upoken to; only look
up suddenly uud fierce, and blow
through his nose like a fog-horn; and
we and the people,who came about our
house soon learned to let him be.
Every day, whttt he came bftck from
his stroll, he would ask if any seafaring
men had gone by along the roud? At
first wo thought it was the want of
company of his kind that made him
ask this question; but at last we begtm
to see he was desirous to avoid
them. When a seaman put up at the
Admiral Benbow (as now and
then some did, making by the coast
road for Bristol), he would look at him
through the curtained door before he
entered the parlor; and he was ulway*
sure to be as silent as a mouse wlneu
any such was present. For me, at
least, there wus no secret about tho
matter; for I was, in a way, a sharer in
his alarms.
He had taken me aside cae day, and
promised me a silver fourpennyon the
first of every ,month if I would only
keep my "wesuher-eye open for a
fcirlng man with one leg," and let him
know the moment he appeared. Often
enough, when the first of the month
came round, and I applied to him for
my wage, ho would ouly blow through
his nose at me, and stare me down, but
before the week was out he was sure to
think better of it, bring me my four
penn.) piece, and repeat his orders to
look out for "the seafaring man with
one leg."
How that personage haunted my
dreams, I need scarcely tell you. On
stormy nights, when the wind shook
tho four corners of the house, and the
surf roared along the cove and up the
pliffs, I would see him in a thousand
forms, and with a thousand diabolical
expressions. Now the leg would be out
off at the knee, now at the hip; now he
was a monstrous kind of a creature
who had never had but the one leg,
and that in the middle of his body. To
see him leap and run and pursue me
over hedge and ditch, was the worst of
nightmares. And altogether I paid
pretty dear for mv monthly fourpenny
piece in tho shope of thesoabominable
fancies.
But though I was so terrified by the
idea of the seafaring man with one leg,
I was far less afraid of the captain him
self than anybody else who knew him
There were nights when he took a deal
imoro ruui and water than his head
would carry; and then he would some
.Mrnes sit and sing his wicked, old, wild
sea songs, minding nobody; but some
times he would call for glnsses round,
and force all tho trembling company to
listen to his stories or bear a ehorua
to his Kinging. Often I have heard the
house shaking with "Yo-ho-ho, and a
bottle of rum;" all the neighbors join
ing In for dear life, with the fear ot
death upon them, and each singing
louder than the other, to avoid remark.
For in these fits he was the most over
riding companion ever known; he
would slap his hand 011 the table for si
lence all round; he would fly up In a pas
sion of anger at a question, or some
times because none was put and so h«
judged the company wns not following
his story. Nor would he allow anyone
to leave tho Inn till he had drunk him
self sleepy and reeled off to bed.
Ills stories were what frightened peo
ple worst of all. Dreadful stories tliej'
were; about hanging, and walking th*
plank, and storms at sea, aud the Dr\
Tortug-as, and wild deeds and places on
the Spanish main. By his own account,
he must have lived his life among' some
of the wickedest taen that (iod ever al
lowed upon fhe sea; and the language
in which he told t';ese stories shocked
our plain country people almost a?
much as the crimes that he described
My father was always saying the inn
would be ruined, for people would soon
cease coming there to be tyrannized
over and put down, and sent shivering
to their beds; hut I really believe his
presence did ui> good. People were
frightened at the time, but on looking
back they rather liked it; it was a line
excitement in a quiet country life; and
there was even a party of the younger
men who protended to admire him, call
ing liiia a "true sea-dog," and a "real
old salt," and such like names, and say
ing there was the sort of man that
made England terrible at sea.
In one way, indeed, he bade fair to
ruin us; for he kept on staying week
after week, awl at last month after
month, so that all the money had been
long exhausted, and still my father
never plucked up the heart to insist on
having more. If ever he mentioned it,
the captain blew through his nose so
loudly that you might say he roared,
and stared my poor father out of the
room. I have seen him wringing his
hands after such a rebuff, and I am sure
the annoyance and the terror he lived
in must have greatly hastened his early
and unhappy death.
All the time he lived with UR the cap
tain made no change whatever in his
dress but to buy some stockings from
a hawker. One of the cocks of his bat
having fallen down, he let it hang from
that day forth, fhough it was a great
H* would look In »t hltn taxouch the ?urt«in*4
door.
annoj-ance when it blew. I rerr,ember
the appearance of his coat, which he
patched himself upstairs iu his room,
and which, before the end, was nothing
but patches. He never wrote or re
ceived a letter, and he never spoke with
any but the neighbors, and with these,
for the most part, only when drunk on
rum. The great sea-chest none of us
had ever seen open.
He was only once crossed, and that was
toward tha end, when my poor father
was far gone in a decline that took him
off. Dr. Livesey came late one after
noon to sec the patient, took a bit of
dinner from my mother, and went into
the parlor to smoke a pipe until his
lu>rse should come down from the ham
let, for we had no stabling at the old
Benbow. I followed him 111, nnd I re
member observing the contrast the
neat, bright doctor, with liis powder as
white as snow, uud his bright, black
eyes and pleasant manners, made with
the coltish country folk, and, above all.
with that filthy, heavy, bleared scare
crow of a pirate of ours, sitting far gone
In rum, with his arms 011 the table. Sud
denly he —the captain, that is—began
to pipe up his eternal song:
"Fifteen on tho Ccad man's chent—
Yo-ho-ho, and a bottlfi of rum!
Dr'nk und the devil hnd dot.<- for the rest—
Yo-lio-ho, and a bottle of rum!"
At first I had supposed "the dead
man's chest" to be that identical big
box of his upstairs in the front room,
aud the thought had been mingled in
my nightmares with that of the one
legged seafaring man. But by this time
we had all long ceased to pay any par
ticular notice to the song; it was new,
that night, to nobody but Dr. Livesey,
and on him I observed that it did not
produce an agreeable effect, for he
looked up for a moment quite angrily
before he went on with his talk to old
Taylor, the gardener, on a new cure for
rheumatics. In the meantime the cap
tain gradually brightened up at his
own music, and at last flapped his hand
upon the table before him in a way we
all knew to mean —silence. The voices
stopped at once, all but Dr. Llvesey's;
he went on as before, speaking clear
and kind, and drawing briskly at his
pipe between every word or two. The
captain glared at him for awhile,
flapped his hand again, glared still
harder, and at last broke out with a
villainous, low oath: "Silence, there
between decks!"
"Were you addressing me, sir?" says
the doctor; and when the rufllan had
told him, with another oath, that this
was so, "I have only one thing to say to
you, sir," replies the doctor, "that if
you keep 011 drinking rum the world
will soon be quit of a very dirty scoun
drel!"
Tho old fellow's fury was awful. Ho
sprung to his feet, drew nnd opened a
sailor's clasp knife, anil, balancing it
open on the palm of his hand, threat
ened to pin the doctor to the wall.
The doctor ft ever so much as moved.
He spoke to him, as before, over his
shoulder, and 111 the same tone of voice;
rather high, so that all the room
might hear, but perfectly calm and
steady:
"if you don't put that knife this in
stant into your pocket, I promise, upon
my honor, you shall hang at the next
assizes."
Then followed a battle of looks be
tween them; but the captain soon
knuckled under, put up his weapon, and
resumed his seat, grumbling likcabeat
en dog.
"And now, sir," continued the doctor,
"since I know there's such a fellow in
my district, you inay count I'll have an
eye on you day nnd night. I'm not a
doctor, only; I'm a magistrate; and if I
catch 11 breath of complaint against
you, if It's only for a piece of incivility
like to-night, I'll take effectual means
to have you hunted down and routed
out of this. Let that suffice."
Soon after Dr. I.ivesey's hor=e came
to the door, and he rode away; but the
captain held his peace that evening, and
for many evenings to come.
CHAPTER 11.
BLACK DOG APPEARS AND DTP \P
PEARS.
It was not long after this that there
occurred the first of the mysterious
events that rid us at last of the captain,
though not, as you will see, of his nf
fuirs. It was a bitter, cold winter, wiih
long, hard frosts and heavy gnlfs; and
it was plain from the first that my poor
father was little likely to see the
spring. He sunk daily and im - mother
and 1 had ail the inn upon our hands,
and were kept busy enough without
paying much regard toon:- unpleasant
guest.
It was one January morning, very
early—a pinching, frosty morning—
the cove all gray with hoar-frost, the
ripple lapping softly on the stones, the
sun still low, and only touching the hill
tops and shining far to seaward. The
captain had risen earlier than usual,
and set out down the beach, his cutlass
nwinginj; under the broad skirts of
the old blue coat, his brass telescope
under his arm, his hat tilted back upon
his head. I remember his breath hang
ing like smoke in his wake as he strode
off, and the last sound I heard of him,
as he turned the big rock, was a loud
sncrt of indignation, as though his
mind was still running upon Dr. Live
sey.
Well, mother was upstairs with fa
ther; and I was laying the. breakfast
table against the captain's return,
when the parlor door opened, and a
man stepped in on whom I had never
set my eyes before. He wag a pale, tal
lowy creature, wanting two fingers on
the left hand; and, though he wore a
cutlass, he did not look much like a
fighter. I had always my eyes open
for seafaring men, with one leg or two,
and I remember this one puzzled me.
He was not sailorly, and yet he had a
smack of the sea about him, too.
I asked him what was for his service,
and he said he would take rum;
but as I was going out of the room to
fetch it he sat down upon a table and
motioned to me to draw near. I paused
where I was with my napkin in my
hand.
"Come here, souny," says he. "Come
nearer here."
I took a step nearer.
"Is this here tabic for iny mate
Bill?" he asked, with a kind of leer.
I told him I did not know his mate
Bill; and this was for a pcr:on who
stayed in our house, whom we called
the captain.
"Well," said he, "my mate Bill would
be called the captain, as like as not. lie
has a cut on one cheek, and a mighty
pleasant way with him, particularly in
drink, has my mate Bill. We'll put it,
for argument like, that your captain
ha 3 a cut on one cheek—and we'll put
it, if you like, that that cheek's the
right one. Ah, well! I told you.
Now, is my mate Bill in this here
house?"
I told him he was out walking.
"Which way, sonny? Which way is
he gone?"
And when I had pointed out the rock
anil told him how the captain was like
ly to return, nnd how soon, and an
swered a few other questions, "Ah,"
said he, "this'll be as good as drink tc
mv mate Bill."
The expression of his face as he saic
these words was not at oil pleasant
and I had my own reason.", for think
ing that the btrunger was mistaken
even supposing he meant what he said
But It was no affair of mine, I thought)
and, besides, it wns difficult to knovi
what to do. The stranger kept hang
Ing about just inside the inner door
peering around the corner like u cir
waltingfor a mouse. Oncel stepped out
myself into the road, buthe immediate
ly called me back, and, as I did notobej
quick enough for his fancy, a most lior
rible change came over his tallowj
face, and he ordered me in, with ui
oath that made me jump.
As soon as I was back again he ro
turned to his former manner, hali
fawning, half suet ring, patted jiu- ot
the shoulder, told me 1 was a good bor
and he had taken quite a fancy to me
"I have a SOIL of my own," said he, "ni
like you as two block*, and he's all tht
pride of my 'nt-t. Bui the great tiling
for boys is di«ciplin", sonii3' —dl'tc!--
line. Now, if you had sailed along ol
Bill, you wouldn't have stood there te
be spoke to twice —not yon. That was
never Bill's way, nor the way of such as
sailed with him. And here, sure
enough, is my mate Bill, with a spy
glass under his arm, ble»ss his old 'art,
to be sure. You and me'll just go back
Into the parlor, sonny, and get behind
the door, and we'll give Bill a little sur
prise—bless his 'art, I say again."
So saying the sti-anger backed along
with me Into the parlor, and put me be
hind him in the corner, bo that we were
both hidden by the open door. I was
very uneasy and alarmed, as you may
fancy, and It rather added to my fears
to ohserve that the i;tranger was cer
tainly frightened himself. He cleared
the hilt of his cutlass and loosened the
blade in the sheath; and all the time
we were kept waiting there he kept
swallowing as if he felt what we used
to call a lump. In the throat.
At lost in strode thecapUiin, slammed
the door beiilndliim, without looking to
the right or left, and marched straight
across the room to where his o.cakfast
awaited him.
"Bill," said the stranger, in a voice
that I thought ho had tried to make
bold and big.
The captqJn spun round on his heel
and fronted us; all the brown had gone
out of hi» face, autl even his nose was
blue; he had the look of a man who
sees a ghost, or the evil one, or some
thing worse. If anything ean be; and,
upon -my word, I felt sorry to see him,
all in a moment, turn so old and sick.
"Gome, Bill, you know me; you know
an old shipmate. Bill, surely," said the
stranger.
The captain made a sort of gasp
"Black Dog!" said«he.
"And who else?" returned the other,
getting more at his <nvse. "Hlack Dog
as oer was, come flor to see ihis old
shipmate, Billy, ut the Admiral Ben
bow Inn. Ah, Bill, Bill, we liuve seen
a sight of times, us two, since I lost
them two talons." holding up his mu
tilated hand.
"Now, look here," said the captain;
"you'vo run m- down; h?xe I am; well,
then, speak tip; what Is It?"
"That's you, Billy," returned Bla< k
Dog, "you're In therlghtof it, Bl.ly. I H
have a of nun from this dear child
here, as I've took such a lilting to; awl
we'll sit down, if you please, and talk
square, llko old shipmates."
When I returned with the rum, they
were already seated on either side of
the captain's breakfast-table Block
Dog next to the door, and sitting side
ways, so as to have one eye on hi* old
shipmate, and one, usT thought, 011 his
retreat.
He bade me go, and leave th«* door
wide open. "None o<f your key-holes
for me, sonny," he said; and 1 left them
together, and retired into the bar.
J'or a long time, though I certainly
did my best to li»lcn, i could hear not!.-
inc but a low gabbling; but at last the
voices began to grow higher, and I
could pick up a o;d or two, mostly
oath?, from the captain.
"Xo; no, no, no; and an end of it:"
he cried once. And again: "If it conn-*
to swinging, swing all. say I."
Then all of a sudden there was a tre
meudous explosion of oaths and other
noises—the chair and table went over
in a iuir.p. a clash of steei foliow.ed,and
tl'.' 1 :; a cry of pain, aud the next instant
I saw lllack Dog ia tu'.l fiight, and the
captain hotly pursuir.g. both with
drawn cutlasses, and the former stream
ing blood from the left-*shoulder. Just
at the door, the captain aimed at the
furi* \ - one last trrr. eniious cut, which
would certainly have split him to the
chin had it not been intercepted bv our
big "f; ooard of Admiral Benbow. You
may see the notch on the lower side ol
the frame to th!~ day.
That blow was the last of the battle.
Once cut upon the road, Blivck Dog, in
spite of hi. wound, showed a wonderful
clean pair of heels, and disappeared
over the edge of the hill iu half a min
ute. The captain, for his part, st».x;
staling at the signboard like a bewil
dered man. Then he passed his hand
over his eyes st.«.:.il times, and at last
turned back into ti:,. i msc.
"Jim," says he, "rum;" and, as hf
spoke, he reeled a little, aad caught
himself with one ha::u against the wail
"Are you hurt?" orie l I.
"liuin," he tepentcd. "I must ge'
away from here. Rum! run!"
I tan to fetch i.; but I was quite un
steadied by all that had fallen out, am
I broke one and fouled the tap
and v- Liie I v. a- • aLi getting in my own
v ay. I heard a loud fall in the parlor
ar.d, running in, beheld the captain ly
tajj- full 1 ligih upon, the floor. Atth«
snnte instant my mother, alarmed b\
the cries and fighting, came running
downstairs to help me. Between us wt
raised his head, lie was breathing vcrj
loud and hard; but his eyes w ere closed
and his face a horrible color.
"Dear, deary me," cried iny mother
"what a disgrace upon the house! And
your poor father sick!"
In the meantime, we had no ides
whn.t to do ' i h' lp I lie cat tnin, nor ant
other thought but that ! • hed got hii
death-hurt in the r. .vith the stran
ger. 1 get iho rum, to be sure, and triet
to f.;:t it dawn list! ;:at; but his
tfcoTh -.vere :'<-h , ly shut, v. ■ 1 his jaws a*
strong as iron. It was a happy relief
for us when the door opened ard Dr.
bivesey came in, on his visit to my fa
ther.
"Oh, doctor," we cried, "what shall
we do? Where is he woucded?"
"Wour.ded? A fiddlestick's end!"
eaid the doctor. "No more wounded
than you or I. The anan has_lrau a
stroke, as I warned him. Now, Mrs.
Hawkins, just you run upstr.irsto your
husband, and tell him. if possible, noth
ing about it. For my part, I must do
my best to save this fellow's trebly
worthies-, life; and Jim here will get me
u basin."
When I got back with the basin,fthe
doctor had ol ready ripped up the cap
tain's sleeve, and exposed his great
Binewv arm. It was tattooed in several
places. "Here's luck," "A fair wind,"
nnd "Billy Bones his fancy," were very
neatly and clearly executed on the fore
arm; and up near the shoulder there
was a sketch of a gallows and a man
hanging from It—done, as I thought,
with great spirit.
"Prophetic," snid Jhe doctor, touch
ing' this picture with his fin per. "And
now, Master Billy Atones, if that be
your name, we'll have a look at the
color of your blood. Jim," he eaid, "are
you afraid of blood?"
"No, sir," said I.
"Well, then," said he, "you hold the
basin;" and with that he took his
lancet and opened n rein.
A gieat deal of biood was taken be
fore the captain opened his eyes and
looked mistily about him. First- he
recognized the doctor with an unmis
takable frown; then his glance fell upon
me, and he looked relieved. But sud
denly his color changed, and he tried to
raise himself, crying:
"Where's Black Oog?"
"There is no Black Dog here," said
the doctor, "except what you have on
" That doctor dono m»," ho murmured.
your own back. You have been drink
ing ruin; you have had a stroke, pre
ci«ely as 1 told you; and I have just,
very much agalnat my own will,
dragged you headforemost out of the
grave. Now, Mr. Bone* —"
"That's not my name," he inter
rupted.
"Much I care," returned the doctor.
"It's the name of a buccaneer of my ac
quaintance; and I call you by it for the
sake of shortness, and what I have to
eay to you is this: one glass of rum
won't kill you, but if you lake one
you'll take another and another, and
I stake my wig If you don't break off
ihort, you'll die —do you understand
that?—die, nud go to your own place,
like the man in the lllble. Come, now,
make an effort. I'll help you to your
bed for once."
Between us, with much trouble, we
ma 11 aired to hoist him upstairs, and laid
liim 011 his bed, where his head fell back
on the pillow, as if he were almost faint
ing.
"Now, mind you," said the doctor, "I
clear my conscience—the name of rum
for you is death."
And with that he went off to see my
father, taking me with him by the arm.
"This is nothing," he mid, as soon as
he lmd closed the door. "I have drawn
blood enough to keep him quiet awhile;
he should lie for a week where he is -
that Is t':e best thing for him and you;
but another stroke would settle him."
CHAPTER EH.
TIIE BLACK bPOT.
About noon 1 «to;>j r.l lie - iptaln's
d<M>r with some cooling drinks and
medicines. lie was lying very much
us we bad !• ft him, oulj a little higher,
and lie teemed l>o1»h weak and excited,
"Jim," he Kaid, "you're the ouly one
here that's worth anything; and you
know I've been always fjood to you.
Never a month but I've given you a sil
ver fourpenny for yourself. And now
tuu see, mate, I'm pretty low, and de
serted b\ all; and Jim, you'll bring me
one m in of rum, now won't you,
matey'
"Tbc doctor —" I began.
lint he broke in cursing the doctor, in
a feeble voice, but heartily. "Doctoru
i: all swabi," lie said; "and that doctor
there, why, what do he know about
ueafaring melt? I been in places hot
.in pitch, a.; I tnntes »lr< ;piiig round
with i iiow .lack, and toe blessed land
u-heaviiiir like the rea with tariU
quakes—what do the doctors know- oi
lands like that? ami I lived on rum, 1
teil you. It's been meat and drink, and
man and wife, to me; and if I'm not to
have my rum now I'm a j>oor old hulk
on a lee shore, my blood'll be on you,
Jim, and that doctor swab;" and he ran
ouabain for awhile with curses. "Ix>ok,
Jim, how my fingers fidgef," he con
tinued. in the pleading tone. "I can't
keep 'cm still, not 1. I haven't had a
drop this blessed day. That doctor's a
fool. I toll you. If I don't have a drain
o' rum, Jim, I'll have the horrors; I
seen some on 'em already. I seen old
Flint in the corner there, behind you;
;•« plain as print, I seen him; and if 1
get the horrors, I'm a man that has
!!*cd rough, and I'll raisj- Cain. Your
doctor tiisself said one glass wouldn't
hurt me. I'll give yeu a golden guinea
for a noggin, Jim."
He ws growing more and more ex
cited, and this alarmed me, for my fa
ll. :r was very low that day, and
-.i; dod quiet; besides, 1 was reassured
bv the doctor's words, now quoted to
n. ■. and rathcTr offended by the offer of
a 1 ribe.
"I want none of your money," said
I, "but what you owe my father. I'll
get you one glass, and no more."
When I brought it to him, he seized it
greedily, and drank it out.
"Ay, ay," said he, "that's some bet
ter, sure enough. And now, matey,
did that doctor say how long 1 was to
lie here in this old berth ?"
"A week at least," said I.
"Thunder!" he cried. "A week! I
can't do that; they'd have a black spot
on mc by then. The lubbers is going
about to get the wind of me this blessed
moment; lubbers as couldn't keep
what they got, and want to nail what is
another's. Is that seamauly behavior,
now. I want to know? But I'm a sav
ing soul. I never wasted good money
of mine, nor lost it, neither; and I'll
trick 'em Again. I'm not afraid on 'em.
I'll shake out another reef, matey, and
daddle 'em again."
As he was thus speaking he had risen
from bed with great difficulty, holding
to my shoulder with a grip that almost
made mo cry, and moving his legs like
so much dead weight, nis words,
spirited as they v.ere iu meaning, con
trasted sadly with the weakness of the
voice in which they were uttered. He
paused when he had got into a sitting
position on the edge.
"That doctor's done me," lie mur
mured. "My ears is singing. Lay me
back."
Before Icould do much to help liim he
had /alien back again to his former
place, where he lay for awhile silent.
"Jim," he said, at length, "you saw
that seafaring man to-day?"
"Clack Dog?" I asked.
"Ah! Black Dog," says he. "He's a
bad 'un; but there's worse that put
him on. Now, if I can't get away no
how, and they tip me the black spot,
mind you, it's my old sea-chest they're
after. You get on a horse —you can,
can't you? Well, then you get on a
horse, and go to —well, yea, I willl—to
that eternal doctor swab, and tell him
to pipe all hands —magistrates and sich
—and he'll luy 'em aboard at the Ad
miral Benbow—all old Flint's crew,
man and boy, all on 'em that's left. I
was lirst mate, I was, old Flint's first
mate, and I'm the ou'y one as knows the
place, lie gave it me to Savannah,
when he lay a-dying, like as if I was to
now, you nee. Hut you won't peach un
less they get the black spot on me, or
unless you see that lll&ck Dog again,
or a seafaring man with on© leg, Jim
—him above ail."
"But what is the black spot, captain ?"
I asked.
'That's a summons, mate. I'll tell
you if they pet that. But jou keepyour
weather-eye open, Jiin, and I'll share
with you equals, upon iny honor."
lie wandered a little longer, his voice
growing weaker; but soon after I hfld
given him his medicine, which he took
like « child, with the remark, "if ever
a seaman \\ anted drugs, it's me," he fell
at last into a heavy, swoon-like sleep in
which I left him. What I should have
done had all gone well I do not know.
I'robably I should have told the whole
story to the doctor; for I was in mortal
fear lest the captain should repent of
his confessions and make an end of me.
But ns things fell out, my poor father
died quite suddenly that evening,
which put ail oilier matters on one side.
Our itural distress, the visits of the
neighbors, the arrangingof the funeral,
and nil the work of the inn to be car
ried on in the meanwhile, kept mc so
busy that I had scarcely time to think
of the captain, far letss to be afraid of
him.
lie got downstairs next morning, to
be sure, aud had his meals as usual,
though he eat little, and had more, I
am afraid, than his usual supply of
rum, for he helped himself out of the
bar, scowling and blowing through his
rose, and no one- dared to cross him.
On the night before the funeral he was
as drunk as ever; and it wus shocking,
In that house of mourning, to hear him
singing away his ugly old sea-song;
but, weak as he w as, we were all in fear
of death for htm, and the doctor was
suddenly taken up with a case many
miles away, and was never near tho
bouse after my father's death. I have
Baid the captain was weak; and indeed
lie seemed rather to grow weaker than
regain his strength, lie clambered up
and dftwnstairs, and went from the
parlor to the bar and back again, and
sometimes put his nose out-of-doors to
smell the sea, holding- on to the walls
as lie went for support, and.breathing"
hard and fast like a man on it steep
mountain. He never particularly ad
dressed me, and it is my belief he had
as good as forgotten his confidences;
but his temper was more flighty, and,
allowing for his bodily tveakneas, more
violent than ever. He had an alarming
way now when he was drunk of draw
ing his cutlass and laying 1 it bare be
fore him ou the table. But, with all
that, he minded people less, and seemed
-hut up in his own thoughts and rather
wandering. Once, for instance, to our
extreme wonder, he piped up to a dif
ferent air, a kind of country love-song',
that Tie must have learned in Ills youth
before he had begun to follow the sea.
So things passed until, the day nfter
the funeral, and about three o'clock of
II bitter, fog-fry, frosty afternoon, I was
standing at the door for a moment, full
>f sad thought* about my father, when
I saw Home one drawing slowly near
along tlie road, lie WM plainly blind,
for he tapped before him with a stick,
and wore u great green shade over hi*
•,\es and nose; and he was hunched, as
f with age or weakness, and wore a
huge old tattered sea-cloak with a hood
that made him appear positively de
formed. I never saw in my life a more
dreadful-looking figure. He stopped a
iittle from the inn, and raising his voice
a an odd sing-wong, addressed the air
in front of him:
"Will any kind friend inform a poor
blind man, who fan* lost the precious
>iglit of his eyes in the gracious defense
jf his native country, England, and God
>le.s:. King George! where or in what
liart of this country he may now l>e?"
"Van are at the Admiral Benbow,
Ulack Hill Cnve, in A- good man.** said 1
"1 hear a voice," said he, "a young
voice. Will you gi\c u.. your hand, my
kind young friend, and lead me in?"
1 held out my hand, und the horrible,
No.SO
soft-spoken, eyeless creature gripped it .
in a moment like a vise. X was so much
startled that 1 struggled to withdraw;
but the blind man pulle&me close up to
him with a single action o(hi**zia.
"Now. boy." he said, "take me in to
the captain." r
"Sir," said I, "upon my word I dar«
not." i
"Oh," he sneered, "that's it! Take
me in straight, or I'll break your arm."
lie gave it, us he spoke, a wrench that
made me cry out.
"Sir," said I. "it is for yourself I mean.
The captain is not what he used to be.
He sits with a drawn cutlass. Another
gentleman—"
"Come, now, march," interrupted he;
and 1 never heard a voice so cruel, and
cold, and ugly as that blind man's. It
cowed me more than the pain; and I
began to obey hini at once, walking
straight in at the door and toward the
parlor, where the sick old buccaneer
was sitting, dared with rum. The
blind man clung close to me, holding
mc in with one iron fist, and leaning al
most more of his weight on me than I
could carry. "Lead me straight up to
him, and when I'm in full view cry out:
'Here's a friend for you. Bill.' If you
don't, I'll do this;' and with that he gave
me a twitch that 1 thought would have
made me faint. Between this and that,
I was so utterly terrified by the blind
beggar that I forgot my terror of the
captain, and, as I opened the parlor
door, cried out the words he had or
dered in a trembling voice.
The poor captain raised his eye 3, and
at one look the rum went out of him,
and left him staring sober. The expres
sion of his face was not so much of ter
ror as of mortal sickness. He made a
movement to rise, but I do not believe
he had enough force left in his body.
"Now, Bill, sit where you are," •aid
the beggar. "If I can t see, I can hear a
Anger stirring. Business Is busineu.
Hold out your left hand. Boy, take his
left hand by the wrist, and bring it
near my right."
We both obeyed him to the letter, and
1 saw him pass something from the
hollow of the hand that held his stick
into the palm of the captain's, which
closed upon it instantly.
"And now that's done," said the blind
man; and at the words he suddenly
left hold of me, and, with incredible
accuracy and nimbieness, skipped oat
of the parlor and into the road, where,
as I stood motionless, I could hear his
stick go tap-tap-tapping into the dis
tance.
It was some time before either I or
the captain seemed to gather our senses;
but at length, and about the same mo
ment, I released his wrist, which I wae
still holding, and he drew in his hand,
and looked sharply into the palm.
"Ten o'clock!" he cried. "Six hoar*.
We'll do them yet," and he sprung to his
feet.
Even as he did so, he reeled, put his
hand to his throat, stood swaying for
a moment, and then, peculiar
sound, fell from his whole height face
foremost to the floor.
I ran to him at oftce, calling my
mother. But haste was all in vain.
The captain had been struck dead by
thundering apoplexy. It is a curious
thing to understand, for I had certain
ly never liked the man, though of late
I had begun to pity him, but as soon
as I saw that he was dead, I burst into
a flood of tears. It was the second
death I had known, and the sorrow oi
the first wn* still fresh in my heart.
pro BE CONTtXCSD.]
Ulaiinnali All Wrong.
"Your husband seems to be a pretty
easy-going sort, eh?"
"Don't you believe nothin' of the
kind. It is the hardest work in the
world to start him goiu' at all." — Cin
cinnati Knqulrer.
Ilia Ilequeat.
The Court—You were riding 20 miles
an hour, sir. .
The Scorcher—l admit It, and would
you please add to your report that I
have ridden as high as 50 miles an hour?
—N. Y. Journal.
A Similar SriiMAtlon.
"Don't you feel lonely without the
Alexander island races?" inquired one
sporting man.
"Not as lonely as I did. Somebody
picked my pocket and' got S3O yester
day."—Washington Star.
Did It Tlioron«liljr.
"Heard you had a little brush with
Jones last night."
"I guess you'd better call it a broom.**
"Eh?"
"Yes—l swept the floor with him."—
N. Y. Journal.
Veit'tl Questions.
"What were those two men fighting
about?"
"Euch claimed that his graudmother
used to make the best pumpkin pies on
earth." Detroit Froe Press.
IVot nt All Wonderful.
'•That tenor of ours lias a marvelous
voice. He can hold one of his notce for
half a minute."
"Shucks! I've held one of his notes
for twoyears."—Cleveland I'lain Dealer.
The Obatnele.
Bessie—Why won't you marry him?
Don't you like him?
Jessie—Oh, yes; I like liim. But he
won't propose.—Brooklyn Life.
lltirlK Ilnalneaa.
"Do you believe in love at first sight?"
"I don't believe in love at all. I'm
president of a gas company, you know."'
—Chicago Post.
flie Appenla.
".Tohn," said the wife of the citizen
who had just, sot tied his freak election
bet like a little man, "the next time you
want to bet on an election, just agree
that, in oase you lose, you won't make
a fool of yourself for three months. It
will be quite as difficult as anything else
you could undertake, and it will spare
the feelings of your relative*." —Puck.
A Stickler for the Hales.
"There's one thing I like about my
•wife," said Henpecked to hi* friend
Satupon; "she's a thorough sports
woman."
"How so?"
"Why, she never knocks me down
without allowing ten seconds to elapse
before striking me again."—N. Y. Jour
nal.
Wlllinic to Walt.
.Nfix* De Kich—Now, my love, you
must ask pa."
Mr. De I'oore—Oh, I'm in «o hurry.
Let's wait.
"I do not object to a long engage
ment, if It is your wish, but how long?"
"Um—■er how old is your pa?"—N.
Y. Weekly.
The Clever Expert.
"Is this the skull of a man or wom
an?" inquired the prosecuting attorney
of the expert.
"It Is a woman's sktill," replied the
anatomist.
"How do you know?"
"fly the worn apj>earauce of the jaws."
—Cleveland Plain Dealer.
He llnd Tliouicht It Over.
"I tell you what," soliloquized the fa
ther of a large family, lis he gazed ad
miringly at his \ ounpest, "we never had
a finer baby than she is! Come to
think of it," h*-. weut on, after some
further reflection, "nobody else ever
did. either."—-Punk.