VOI-.* xxxvii
nlCkCl S Footwear!
Extremely large stock of winter footwear at away
down prices.
If you are in need of boots, shoes or clippers of any
kind call and see us and we will suit and please you.
<s2IK )LIDAV SLIPPERSi.
«SwS*Ss«SwS* <&«*©> S
Have ou been thinking of Xmas, we have a large
tock • f Holiday slippers—al' the new and latest
pattern* —at very low prices.
LADIP;s FINE SHOES.
"SOROSIS." The New Shoe for women— The
ma-'erpiece of the shoemakers art and standard oi
the worid. High or medium cut box-ca'f, fine
dong >la, enamel and patent leather, button or
lace in Tight or heavy soles.
Cudiionet turn shoes unequalled for their comfort giving an',
lone w-ari ig q-.i'i'iti-s—all styles.
n t > i ~»ck »f The Nettle ton fin- shoes for men in the
latest style s. , , ,
re-t- ckof Gokey'B sh«.es—High cut, hand-pegged box
toe bo >» a.. sfcoes for Our line of school felloes » com
plete G kVs high-cut copper toe shoes lor boys and high eut
heavy kip <lio.:< f>r girL. We wish to call your specia. attention to
our extremely I • :;e s lock of FELT and kUUHKK goods which ue
bought early. Ve are prepared to ofler you some great birgai s.
J aree v..ck of Ladies' and Gent's overgaiters and Ladies and Chil
dren's a.,e Jer-ey Leggins. Full sto. k of sole leather and shoe
maker. supplies. Sole leather cut t any amount you wish to pur
chase High iron stands with four l ists at 50--.
Sample Counters Filled with Interesting Bargains.
JOHN BICKEL,
128 SOUTH MAIN STREET. - - BUTLER, PA
5 Honey Saving Opportunities, g
8 THESE PRICES MEAN
$ BIG SAVING TO YOU V.
U -J. JM'UHS CAPES »M. K, ,«S t-ls.-wliyr.oU U)
■ [Muidi, Cloth andOol'f' apes. Si.OO to rli-O 1 !. &
}TI rV.yK Misses Jackets and Iteefers. r - .30 to il».00. -"V
U WJ Floe Fur Neck Scarfs. *I.OO. «.«) and up. MB
WIRM Bl.A>Ki:rs The Ularire and the prlees , v
]■ f #1 arc as i*omfortalil«* as you'll find tie* .tlankets them- Jpp
JLJ9 g selves l,am' entto'i blank' ts, worth ".'»<• at tvi.- JTJ
?k \ Searlet anil plM'l t lanki-ts. #orlh at yi.M. U
m ! \\Vl \ V All wool Willi.- i.lank-i>. ?i !Kil and r m m
* UNDERWEAR.
m( '* ! \ For Men, Wonvn and Children.
Men's heavy fleeced underwear 50c. M
flr Men's natural wool underwear 11.00.
X Women'-. fleeced underwear •£> and fin c.
JS Women's fine wool underwear »1.00 and -I-.,. 0f
fO Children's underwear In cotton and w »)l at I<-. prices than elsewhere.
g LINENS. V 5
Every careful housewife worth the nam#;, cherishes o c>
handsome damasks. You might as well hav»* the new
(a est designs an not. Lots of new ones here. We quote .jmyfi
Jast two sample values: Heavy cream damask. 6*
inches wide, all pure linen, regular &V goods at 50c. 'jr Uk
fK Fine h!» acli«*«i double damask, G- wide, all *
Spb pure"linen, worth sl.2sat SI.OO.
|L. Stein & Son J
5 108 N. MAIN STREET, BUTLER, PA £
fyrr K E C K
iW I hi/y I Men don't buy clothing for the
jp | 1 \ff | 1 jurpofe of spending money, 'fhey
im Vst' II desire to get tbe bept possible re- Pj
M "C 1 suits for the money expended. Not
/ jli" 7 J cheap goods but gocds as cheap as
jCyilr, ii-.il they can l.e ;o!d for ;nd made up
lIIWV rlTffl properly. If you want the correct
iji II lbinp at the coirect price, call and
\ 'I it examine our large stack of FALL g\
I \ Wl if i AND WINTHR WEIGHTS;— L'
\l RIW J\jl -j LATEST STYLES, SHADES'
I \l^ ll ' // ANIJ COLOHS '
fU K E c K
Fit and WorknrianshiD Guaranteed.
G. F. KECK, Merchant Tailor,
142 North Main Street, Butler, Pa
Subscribe for the CITIZEN
1 A & h. % what docs the clam- H
I 1m r% 'h- * I a^ r<J to thc clothes r 3
Pi VAI and to paint, varnish .
K '\| or any surface that is
H | jjJlft ® \ washed with it. It U
II .jt- _ \ costs no more to buy Wm
| W | \ Walker's Soap and
B BUM |I 1 ® save your clothes.
I WALKER'S SOAP j
contains no alkali
IIIE BUTLER CITIZEN.
Tonight
If your liver is out of order, causing
Biliousness, Sick Headache, Heart
burn, or Constipation, take a dose of
Hood's PHts
On retiring, and tomorrow y . r di
gestive organs will be reguki : and
you will be bright, active and ready
for anv kind of work. This has
been the experience of otiiais; it
will be vours. HOOD'S 11'• are
sold by all medicine dealers. 2 > cts.
CATARRH
LOCAL'DISEASE
and is the result of coldr. and ;rr : Colp»
sudden climatic changes. SjjfHEAD I
For your Protection Kj** FEVER
we positively ftat'i tuat th.s r
' &■ y
merenry or any other injur-
Ely's Cream Balmw&lS!
is acknowledged to be the most thorontrh cure for
Nasal Catarrh, Cold in Head and Hay Fever of all
remedies. It open* and cleanses the nasal j assages,
allays pain ana inflammation, heais the S' r« pro
tects tne membrane from co!'!«. restores t.ie senses
of tast« and smell. I*ricesoc.at limcgisuorhy majl.
ELY BKOTIi£RS, 56 W'oxreu Street, ;<tvv lork.
TONOf
It Makes Restful Sleep.
Rleeplessncfs almost invariably awompa
nles constipation and itK manifold attendant
evils—nervous disorders, indigestion, hea«.-
arbe, loss of appetite,etc. To attenipt to In
duce Bleep by opiates is a serious mistake, lor
the brain isonly benumbed and tbe body suf
fers. Celery Kintf removes the cause of wake
fulness by its soothing effect on tno nerves
and on the stomach and bowels.
Celery King cures Constipation and Nerve
'Stomach* Liver and Kidney diseases. o
bmiei" Savings baiik
} ■> Litler, Pa.
*lapi .ill ~ J^Ki.ooO.fir 1
Surplus and Profits - - S2OO,<XJO co
. (i» l C( KV»> /'rwidm
.i. HKNIt Y 1 KOl"l SI A N Vutf-Prrhic-ii'
WM. CAMPBELL, lr * uilur
I.OUIS B. fc "'N lell^r
I»IKH<TORB--.)oseph L Pnrvlh, ' irrr
•r,.»-tman. W. D. BraniJoo. W. A Sre!» .1 «
* Mfiuhfll.
'"he limler Savings Bank is the Oldest
Banking tnst Itutior.'. n Butler County.
Geni ral banking business tr:insiu:l' <l.
We solicit accounts of ..il prcducers. mer
chants. farmers and others.
All tusiiifss entrusted to us will receive
uromyt. attention.
Interest i«l(l on time deuoslts.
T M bZ
Butler County National Bank,
Buller Penn,
Capital paid in - - fs< ',cco.'>
Surplus and Profits - S6O, coo.o
Jos. Hartman, President; J. V. Kilts,
Vice President; John G. McMarlin,
Cashier, A. G. Krug, Ass't Cashier.
A general banking business transacted.
Interest paid on time deposits.
Mor;« y leaned on approved security.
Wf* invite you to open an account wit h this
bank. rT
DIKECT'JRS—Bon. Joseph Hartman. Hon.
W. 8. Waldron, Dr. rS. M. Hoover, ll Mc-
Swi'» ney. C. I'. Collins, "• G. J?inith. L» s ie I'.
If aziet t, M. W. H. Lark in, Harry
Hcaslev. l>r. W. C. M«*Candiefcn. Hen
»eth. W. J. Marks. J. V. KiL»s. A. L Kelber
TI-IK
Farmers' National Bank,
BUTLER, PENN A.
CAPITA!. PAID IN, $100,000.00.
Foreign exchange botiKht and sold.
Special attention glveii to collections.
OFFICEB8:
JOHN VOl NK INS President
JOHN liI'MI'IIUEY Vice President
A. BAIf.KV 1 ashler
K. W. KINOII \ M Assistant < ->».!er
J. f'. UUT/.I.KK Teller
DIRECTORS.
John Younklns. 11 L. Cleeland, E E
Abrams, < .N. Boyd. W. 1' Metzgi-r. Itenry
Miller. John Humphrey. Thos. Ilays. 1.i.vl
M. Wise and Francis Murphy.
Interest paid on time deposits.
We respectfully solicit vour business.
HDfID aiJO n al v' d tb
I Ini I a or call u i j 4«
Phone or Bell
122-3 and
W. B. McOKAkY'S
new wagon, ruuning to and frt.iu nis
Steam Carpet-Cleaning
establishment, will call at. your ln.nse
take away your dirty carpels and return
them in a day or two as clean as new.
All on a summer morning—Carpets,
and curtains thoroughly cleaned on
short notice.
BUTLER, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, ISOO
-s »-»•» t» T 'a * t" ■%* •%*
II JOHN TOPP.PIRATE I!
r.—
•
* v : By Weather by Chesney and Alick Munro. i *
T copvr.rcnT. 1900. BV WCATHI:[IHV CHV.S.VEY AND AUCK ITTS'.TJ. T
| UXITATFTATIO-VS ITY H. & COULTAS. I
iriii i t i i -
xa - w
-1. » < i- «*-*t ~t" »V#t^l«t«t«l#t«t#l#t»t»t
CJIAPTER XI.
The Spanish gold mine was a hell in
the midst of a paradise, a loathsome
canker on the fairest piece of earth's
bosom. The air was loaded with s«eet
perfumes and foul with Castlnan
oaths. It murmured with tiie songs
of beautiful birds aud shivered with
the crackings of slave drivers' whips.
The humming music rf the waterfall
was marred by the discord of clanking
fetters. Nature had done her best.
Man, as if in jealousy, had done his
worst. It was the garden of Eden,
but in the midst of it yawned a loath
some chasm, girdled with unsightly
debris and alive with swarms of filthy,
ragged slaves.
T'or eight horrid mouths Alec and 1
and 20 of our men worked in the
chain gangs at these mines, aud of the
torments we endured no words of mine
are strong enough to give conception.
To the human fiends who were our
taskmasters no pleasure was like
that of making au L.i_hsli!:::iii suffer
pain and no sp rtucL so humorous as
to sec him undergo indignity. They
drove us like entlli- to the work; they
made us toil when the tierce lit at of
ihe day would i.liiiost c!rii:e the lungs;
they fed t:s on putrid uiiat aud sour
maize biirjioo wheu sweet that's tlesli
and deih oi:s fn.it cliisii i- were to be
had as c:.ea;i!y: tli :•> jailed ns at night
iu a - jiiai I. i..li, lioond taivel and
chained us up like wild leasts, so that
in the end tin y look from ■ ■ even the
power to restore oilr j.i>. ■ euet'gies
with sleep
Once during a moonless trirht we
broke the fetters and trieil to escape
Once ou a rainy day we rose ou the
guards aud made for the woods, but
both efforts were In vain, atid those
that did u»i g;'t cut dim n or shot out
of their i: T\ were flogged till the
bleeding liesh hung in shreds from
their backs. And of our fellow slaves,
the mild eyed Indian peasants mar
vi-led in stupid wonder at our foolish
daring, ami the fierce eyed Spanish
thieves and murderers gloated over
our recapture and punlshmeut.
Tortured, reviled, despised, we lived
for eight months within sight of the
beauties of a paradise, enduring the
agonies of a liell. aud then came a
change.
We were summoned one morning not.
to work, but to toe a line before the
treasury. Great skin covered packs of
metal, as much as a man could stagger
under, were brought out and strapped
ou our shoulders. Then we were all
liuked to a chain and driven off down
a narrow trail. Where It led to we did
not know, and 6o one would tell us.
but. long though the way was, we
marked every inch of it with »we%t
from our brows, with Mood from our
blistered feet and with muttered curses
against our merciless captors. Could
we but have snatched arms and liberty
for a few moments there would hav*
been a bitter reckoning among those
tyrants.
They knew It. too. and taunted us
with our helplessness, but the light of
hatred in our eyes must have scared
them a little, else why did they half
starve us if not to keep down the
growthof superabundant muscle? High
mettled horses are not fed too well
when tliev are set to do farm work.
After a march of 20 days, during
which one poor Mlnehead lad died
through sheer exhaustion, we arrived
within view of the blessed sea once
more, and the sight of it sent new en
ergy pulsing through the veins of ev
ery man of us This our Spanish mas
ters observed and grimly bade us mod
erate our joy. for the inquisition had
need of os. hereticos maldettos that
we were.
And then they laughed at their own
wit and playfully flicked us with the
slave whips.
But the freedom of the sea breeze
had entered iuto our brains, and we
were sanguine, though heaven knows
there was but little cause for hope.
The man next behind me in the chain
gang, whose shoulders were smarting
from one of those humorous lash cuts,
whispered, "We'll get to wiud'ard of
these devils yet. Master Topp, and
then"—
I nodded uiy bead, and, absurd
though it seemed, I had a feeling that
he was right and that we should have
our turn soon.
Dipping into a deep ravine where the
tree tops arched above our heads,/ we
camped for the night beneath their
cooling shade, and perhaps because
some spark of pity touched them, per
haps only because they were tired of
torturing us. the Spaniards did not pre
vent us from trying to cool our hot,
bleeding feet with the Juice of sueli
leaves as were within our reach. With
but little sleep we wore through the
night and next day passed the fortifi
cation and entered the town.
Treasure trains were evidently not an
everyday occurrence, for the whole
town turned out to look at us, and
when they saw we were English a
movement went through the crowd,
and the bootlngs and revilings made the
echoes ring again. Of noble spirited
pity for a fallen foe there was no
trace. All faces were cruelly exultant.
Even the women laughed with mock
ing glee at our wretchedness and bade
our drivers "lash their cattle into a trot
for the last stage."
And at this there came Into my eyes
that which all the lashings could not
bring, for in my folly 1 had fancied
that a woman's heart must needs be
toft.
The gold was unstrapped from our
Weary shoulders and ntored in the
treasury, and then those of us who
were English, all except two that was.
were umrched to a building whoso
grim and forbidding front needed no
signpost to tell us what went on with
in its stern white walls. We passed
through an Iron studded gate, whose
disiual clanking as it closed behind us
sounded like a warning voice telling
that life and hope were now barred out
from us forever, and so across a court
yard Into which opened a great bare
room with high, closely barred win
dows where for a little time we 'Were
left to our own reflections, umj these
were none of p,le^santes|.
Before kiighUuli guard of soldiers
came unit unlinked us from our chains.
Alee and I, as the leaders of our party,
were separated frotu the rest of the
brave fellows. A small supply of wa
ter In dirty earthen Jars and a handful
■if coarse broken crusts were given to
eaeh of us. Then we were led down a
flight of Well worn stone steps; a door
was opened;, we were sent headlong
forward into the darkness; the duor;
swung to behind us. was bolted with a
click and a double snap, and the foot
steps of our jailers echoed along the
passages and died away to silence.
At first the dungeon seemed to us
black as a slave driver's conscience,
but gradually we noticed that a faiut
light was coming iu through a heavily
grated window in the wall. Bruised
and shaken with our fall, we lay on
the pavement and wondered what
would be the next evil to come to us.
"Oh. ho. ho! Ah, ha, ha!" laughed a
weird, unearthly voige from the murk
iest corner of the cell. "So they've
given you water in pitchers and then
caused you to spill the water aud
break the pitchers in the hurry of your
entry! Oh. ho, ho! 'Tis a merry jest.
They're funny dogs, these noble Span
iards."
1 started to my feet and stared hard
into the corner, but th» darkness was
too thick for me to see what manner
of thing it was that had addressed us.
"Oh. ho. ho!" cackled the voice again.
"More flesh to frizzle and crackle in
the tiames. though there isn't over
much fat on it. More skin to be torn
by the pinchers, more stout limbs to
wear the irou boot! Ah. ha. ha! More
sweet work for the kind aud gentle
Spaniard!"
"Who are you." cried Alec sternly,
"man or ghoul, to take such delight
iu horrors 7"
"Cli. ho. ho! It's the name you'd
like, my masters? But they know that,
aud I'll not tell you. I publish uo
autobiography till I'm ra'kud for It.
"I'isti't safe. Walls have ears, and
recanting in the iu.'trumeut room
where they've got sawdust on the floor,
remember is wearisome to the flesh.
But." he added, with evil glee, "you'll
know that better by and by."
A sliiiiiiii'i of loathing ran through
me at his words, ami I trembled as a
man does when the demon of fear
takes hold of him. And yet I do uot
us; : i!y show it when I am afraid. But
this man was a very high priest of
horror.
"Well, friend." said Alec after a
uiomcut's silence, "at least you will
come to the light and let us have a look
at you. There's no danger iu that."
"Oh. ho, ho! Been gazing at the day
light. have you? Eyes uot attuned to
the darkness, eh? Ah. ha, ha! The
noble Spaniard will teach you how to
see like barn owls before you've drunk
down all the gentle medicine for sick
souls that they will offer you. Are you
tough, my masters?"
A bony claw seized me by the leg,
and I could feel the hard fingers press
j ing into my flesh like iron talons.
"Ho. ho! Good! Good!" he cried as
he felt the toil hardened muscles.
"Here are good, stout thews and sin
ews to be •anied!" And he rubbed his
hands and jangled his fetters joyously.
"They'll not set the little pot bellied
knave to man the handspike when they
lay you on the rack. You'll have the
greater honor. It will be the tall, lusty
one with cross eyes. I used to know
j his stroke well. Ah, me! I'm getting
an old. worn man now, and the pot
bellied racker serves my turn. Ah, ha,
i ha! D'ye fake? Serves—my—turn!
I Oh, ho, ho!"
The cell rang loud with Ills ghastly
I merriment.
] "The poor fellow's mad," whispered
Alec to me. "Tortured out of his rea
son perhaps. Still he's an English
man and may be able to give me news
of my father." And he added aloud,
"My good man. did you ever meet or
hear of Captain Ireland, who sailed out
of the port of London for Manoa and
was taken by the Spaniards on these
coasts?"
"Oh. ho. ho! Ah, ha, ha!" burst out
the unearthly cackling again. "Cap
"Ho, ho! Good! Good!" lie cried. "Here
<irc good at out thews and sinews!"
tain Ireland, is it? Aye, the gentle,
merciful hands of the uoble Spaniard
were laid upon his stubborn shoulders, !
mid his proud back was bowed. Aye,
a haughty man was Captain Harry Ire- :
land, but the wily Spaniards brought |
him low enough, down even to the i
ground—cross, you lubbers, there's a 1
spy at the window—where he repented !
of his sins and swore to be good to the
end."
And the man began mumbling Latin
prayers, and not another word could i
we get from him. though Alec ques
tioned him hard.
At length we had to give up the at
tempt to learn anything from car mad
cell fellow. So, weary with the toll of
our long march, we addressed our
selves to sleep, and the Latin mutter
lugs from the corner of our dungeon
were the lullaby that invited us to
slumber.
CHAPTER XII.
Scarcely, so It seemed, had f closed
tny eyes when there was a clanking at
the door as its bolts and bars were
withdrawn, and a dozen armed soldiers
trooped Into the room. It was still
dark, but one of them carried a lan
tern, and by Its light 1 saw that they
were all splashed with fresh mud and
had evidently been traveling recently
and rapidly.
"<;et up, you English dogs/' wiM one
of t hem roughly.
"Smartly now! You're wanted."
"What for, bvuorV" said 1 wearily.
"What for? How does that concern
you? Von do as you're told without
asking the reason. Cotne, up you get,
you lazy rogues!" And he began to use
his heavy boot freely.
"You're to march out of Caracas at
once," said one of the other Spaniards,
"and may keep your heretical skins
whole for a day or two longur if you
have luck."
"from Caracas?" said Alec. "Is that
where we are?"
"Certainly, sctior," replied M'* vtiher,
with a mocking bow, "and 1, hope you,
like our town-"
"Oh, ho. ho!" chuckled the old man.
The Spaniard turned to him. "You
are to couie, too, old crook boues. Are
you too lame to walk to I.a Guayra?"
"Oh, ho, ho! Hut are we going to La
Guayra, most wily senorV"
"Certainly. Do you think a Spanish
caballero would trouble to lie to a
hound like you?"
"Why, if it's to La Guayra I'll make
a shift to hobble so far. but I'd rather
ride o' muleback."
"Ride!" said the soldier, with a rude
laugh. "1 warrant you could hobble
twice the distance so that it lay away
from your prison."
"Ah, ha. ha!' You've a pretty wit,
senor, a pretty wit. But it's the sweet
salt air I wish to sniff. The sea breeze
is meat aud drink to old mariners such
as I."
lie scrambled to his maimed, dis
torted legs. One of them was shorter
than the other and that other knotted
and gnarled like some old willow tree.
"But you'll let me bid farewell to
my pot bellied little racker, senores?
Ile'll be half beside himself with grief
at losing such an old boon companion
as I."
"Had I my own way, sirrah," said
the soldier contemptuously, "I'd break
your wry old neck for a useless incum
brance. St use and strength are both
gone froui you. But my orders are to
set you to au oar along with these two
lustier knaves. So come along." And
he kicked lam iuto the courtyard and
bade us fullow.
"The galleys!" said Alec, with a
shrug. "Respited for the present!" And
he did as he was bidden.
I followed, and presently we were
linked to a great chain gang with a
lot of other prisoners, among whom
were several of the Bristol Merchant's
crew, wiio greeted us kindly. Job
TrebaiUiii was in front of me. scar and
grin complete as of yore.
"Brave news. Master Topp." he whis
pered.
"What is it?" said I.
"Haven't you heard? There's tid
ings of au English ship that's harrying
the coasts, an an Indian spy has
brought word that her beak's turned
t'orst here. There were an armada ly
ing in the roads a week agone. but it's
sailed west, an there's only a carrack
an a brace of galleys now. An as one
of them last bain't got a man aboard
her we're to work her sweeps. Brave
news, bain't ft. Master Topp? Once at
sea. who knows what me may do?"*
He rubbed liis hands and grinned till
I feared for the integrity of his fea
tures.
"Attempt nothing rashly." said I, for
I had not overmuch faith in Job's Judg
ment and feared he might start an out
break which would end In death to us
all "Attempt nothing whatever till
Captain Ireland gives the word. He
has a headpiece worth ten of yours and
mine. Job."
"Aye, aye, sir," said Job warmly,
"that he has. An when he gives the
sign he'll have the lot of us at his back,
no fear."
Then the cavalcade was put into mo
tion, and further conversalion became
Impossible. We passed through the
still streets, by churches and houses
aud gloomy convents and great public
buildings and so on to the batteries and
fortifications, where there was strict
parley with the sentries before we
were let out. The old man, who had
been dragging himself painfully along
lielilnd me, sank down on the muddy
road to snatch a moment's rest, and
through some pity for his condition I
bade him climb on to my back. With
out further ado up he scrambled, chuc
kling and crying out to the soldiers
•hat he'd got a mule to ride or at any
fate an ass, after all. This I thought
was somewhat ungracious.
The double gates were opened, and
out we trooped on to a narrow, well
kept road that the frowning culverins
could have swept with iron hail for a
score of perches. We passed through
other gates and other drawbridges
thrown across natural cliffs and saw
other heavily gunned batteries beside
them, making the position one of such
enormous streugth that U0 good men
could have held it against an army.
During the two hours' tramp the sun
sprang up from behind the eastern
hills, and by the time we entered La
Guayra it was broad daylight.
The old man, whom I had set down
from my shoulders, cried loudly for a
breakfast. He wasn't going to row on
an empty belly. Oh, ho, ho! Not he.
Indeed! They might thumbscrew his
bands to the oar, but he wouldn't put
an ounce of weight on it, no, not even
if they twisted a knotted cord round
his temples and hove him backward
and forward with that.
Little notice, however, was taken of
his vaporings save to bestow a curse or
a blow when his importunities grew
too noisy. We were hustled roughly in
to boats and ferried across to the gal
ley which lay straining at her anchor
in the road.
"She's pierced for 30 sweeps aside,"
•aid Alee, who had been counting the
row holes. "A hundred and fifty or 180
rowers that means unless we are to be
singularly undermanned."
"There be three more boat loads com
ing off," observed Job Trehalion.
"Two for us and one for the smaller
galley ahead there," said I. "And
look, there are a host of slaves and sol
diers on the shore ready to embark.
But where'a the carrack, I wonder?"
"Hull down to nor'ard, master," said
one of the other Englishmen.
"Way enough!" sang out the officer in
charge of the boat. "In oars, and mind
you slaves don't topple overboard. I
don't want to lose you till you've done
some work."
"Aye," cried the old man, "Spanish
lubbers that you are. Let the English
seamen go lirst and show you the
way!" And he got a scabbard blow
across the face to quiet him.
She was a galley of the first class,
nnd from her keen steel beak to her
"Crack!" came the driver's ichlp.
gilded coach she was for a galley as
lilie a craft as ever ran to windward
against u uor'castcr. But from our
coign of disailvantage we did not look
upon her with much appreciation. She
had been lying idle for M full twelve
month and yet had scarcely had time
to sweeten. 1 uwer sat on anything
harder or rougher than her row bench
es.
vf us Kligllsh was stationed at
ibe end of an oar, a post of houor if
there can lie such a distinction for
slaves who are chained to their work,
and lUv five other places were man-
tied by rapscallion landsmen, of whom
| there seemed to be a very liberal sup
ply.
j A soldier commandant and five sol
! dier officers, mighty tine armor clad
I gentlemen ail, took possession of the
coach and cabin on tlie spar deck. A
handful of dirty, lubberly sailors and a
company of soldiers were stationed for
ward. and when a few handfuls of
maize burgoo had been distributed
among us slaves the drivers on the
gangway cracked their whips, and we
swung out our oars and got under way.
The galley had been pretty lively as
she plunged at her anchor, and the
Spanish cutpurses and cutthroats be
side us were beginning to feel uncom
fortable. but when she got some way
on and the motion became easier they
j thought their qualms would pass away,
I and so they broke out into a monot
| onous chant which marked time for
| the rowing.
j But their song did not last long. By
j rapid degrees the "cheep-cheep" of
| the tholes drowned it as the long roll-
I ing swell of the Caribbean sea rocked
i us up and down, and the swarthy faces
of the rogues became sallow as old
Ivory.
And then began a scene of misery
that sickens me even now to think of.
The poor wretches in the agony of
their sickness would fain have drop
ped the oars, but the merciless drivers
lashed them, lashed us. lashed all with
! in reach. The helm was put up to run
along the coast, and the beam roll
made the sufferers sicker. They could
not do a doit's worth of work and in
their loathing bade the drivers fling
them overboard.
We English could not each do the
task of six and cursed the drivers for
our unearned stripes. The officers in
the stern swore haphazard at all they
could clap eyes on. And above all the
hellish tumult and discord rose the
weird unearthly "Oh, ho, ho!" and
"Ah. ha. ha!" of the old man.
"Crack!" came the driver's whip
across the old rnau's bare shoulders.
"Best keep your wind to yourself,
old prophet," growled a stout fellow
who sat near him. "seeing that we're
chained up here like dogs an can't stir
a fist to right ourselves with."
"I tell you. good fellow," replied the
old man earnestly, "before another day
is spent you shall drive a steel ax
through these Spanish headpieces."
"I'd do it blithely, old man," said the
»ther. "Aye, or thropgh six or through
30 if it came to that! But there, you're
babbling. They've driven your old
braiu crazy, poor master, with their
torturiugs."
"Babblings?" cried the old man
fiercely. "1 tell you, Jan Pengony, that,
ns surely as your back is a mass of
sores today so surely shall you pay
back a sword thrust for every whip
cut they have given you."
"In the fiend's name how did you
learn mine? I never set eyes on you
fcefore. Is it magic, master?"
"Ah, ha! Magic! Oh, ho, ho! Aye,
magic's the word, Jan! I've lived long
among these very good friends the
Spaniards, and the devil, who Is their
patron saint, has taught me many
things. You needn't cross yourself,
Jan. They say he doesn't like It."
"The Lord be between me and
harm!" exclaimed the man devoutly.
"Ah, ha, ha, ha!"
I could hear the scared sailor mum
bliug a strange mixture of hard words
and scraps of prayer to keep off the
evil spirit, and I more than half shar
ed his alarm. But, though I bad no
wish to be beholden to any one who
worked magic, still I could not help
the feeling of elation which the un
canny old prophet's words roused in
me. By virtue of his powers the old
man appeared to guess the thoughts
which were simmering in my mind, for
presently he sang out, "Well, Jack, my
brawny giant, are you ready for a cut
at your oppressors?"
"Peace, old man," said I. "If the
soldiers hear you, they'll smell mutiny
and fire mumehance into the lot of us."
"Oh, ho, ho! No fear. Jack. A
Spanish hidalgo doesn't know our
heathen tongue."
"Maybe not," said I, "but there's no
harm in being prudent. And another
thing, old man, I warn you not to prac
tise your devilish arts on me, for I
know Latin, and if you're a warlock
you'll be finding yourself in uncomfort
able quarters."
"Ob, ho, ho! It's well for you, Jack,
that the Spaniard Is too fine a gentle
man to cumber himself with barbarous
English. Had my worthy friends on
the poop beard your Insolence —setting
yourself up as an exorcist, ha, ha!—you
wouldn't have escaped a beating. Veri
ly it was great presumption on your
part. Know, Jack, that none but a no
ble Spaniard with three crafty tortur
ers trailing on his heels can quiet the
devil of which I am possessed now, if
that excellent devil wishes to speak.
But at present he is dumb. Jack, so get
on with your toil, for though we are
heading for the place of deliverance
there are many weary leagues left to
row before we reach it."
Then, with his teeth close set and a
constant stream of muttering and sub
dued laughter forcing Its way be
tween them, he swung to his oar with
an energy that his wasted muscles
seemed to be incapable of supplying.
The old man's words filled me with
hope and the powers that inspired
them with fear; 80, unwilling to be
further beholden to his art, 1 kept my
tongue quiet and looked out to sea
war%
Keeping even pace with us was a
large ear rack of about 500 tons, pierc
ed for a great quantity of ordnance and
crammed to the bulwarks with sol
diers. Hanging on her wludward quar
ter was another galley, rowing four
oars fewer than ourselves, and she, too,
carried a heavy lighting crew. With a
sinking heart I recognized that the
three of us would be too strong for the
Englishman, for, though I knew that
one of his lads was a match for eight
or maybe ten of these glittering Span
iards any day, still against odds of 50
to 1 his chance was hopeless. He might
beat us off or perhaps even sink us,
but capture us—never.
And so the old man's words seemed
to me to be but foolishness after all.
And with that thought I once more tore
at my oar In sullen gloom.
Toward nightfall we had u rest. The
galley's sails were hoisted to catch the
rising breeze, and so, drawing the ours
a trifle inboard, we slipped the handles
under the gangway, leaving the shill
ing blades cocking up in the air on ei
ther side of her. All round us were
sickness and misery. The sun sank
behind a reef of purple cloud, and the
freshening wind began to hiss ami
shriek more keenly through the oar
blades.
The sea got up, the rain poured
against us in cutting sheets, ami squall
after squall tore from the Inky black
ness above. The galley was allowed to
run under foresail alone, and a course
was shaped for 101 Pueblo del Norte, on
the north side of Margherlta. But the
lubberly soldier Spaniards hud not
known enough to keep a good reckon
ing while daylight lasted and so, hold
ing too much to the northward, did not
make out the island till we had almost
passed it. And then as she would not
turn to windward under sail aud as
the sea was too heavy for the sweeps
they let the galley drift where she
would and took themselves to their
prayers, hoping by the help of the
saints to tiud themselves under the lee
of one of tiie Windward islands by
daybreak.
But while our masters busied them
selves in calling out to the saints aud
with their own hands did nothing for
the safety of their vessel we lu the
waist were merrily occupied.
A driver iu his passage along the
gangway swerved to a roll which
threatened to jerk him from his feet
aud grasped at a certain carroty head
for support. There was a clank of
chains, and the man drew his hand,
away as though the bead bad burned
him. Too late, for Alec had gripped
his leg aud pulled him down. The
driver yelled. The shrieks of the storm
drowned bis first cry, and a blow from
a clinched fist silenced the second. The
shackle key was ripped from his belt
and passed down the outside line of
slaves.
Darkness hid every movement, and
the voice of the storm hushed all other
lesser sounds. In half an hour we Eng
lish were every man of us unfettered
and ready for a bid for freedom.
CHAPTER XIII.
Hardly was the last of us freed from
the oar shackles when, with a shout
which rose high above the din of ths
winds and waves, we rushed from be
low and crowded, a naked mob, on to
the poop. There was a brief turmoil
of blows and blasphemy, weapons were
snatched by the weaponless, some of
the Spanish officers went overboard,
and the rest were jailed in the coach.
Now for the common soldiers!
In a body we rushed forward Into
the thick of them, and one or two were
knocked into another world before our
lads could stop their rush.
"Surrender!" shouted Alec, loud
above the tumult.
Not a man of us heeded or staid his
stroke. A dozen more Spaniards fell
like poleaxed bullocks.
"Surrender, and you shall have quar
ter!" cried the captain again.
The Spaniards, such of them as had
had time to seize arms, dropped their
weapons at the word and scurried be
low out of harm's way. Our men let
them run—nay, even hurried them with
the flat of a sword blade when they
were too slow.
And thus in the space of a few min
ntes we had made ourselves masters of
the galley and had not lost a man in
the doing of It.
"Get her baled clear, Jack," cried
Alec, "and then come aft to me!"
"Aye, aye, captain! And the Span
ish galley slaves? Shall I set them
adrift frotn their moorings?"
"Will they join their countrymen,
think you? Kemember there are scarce
ly two dozen of us all told."
"Not they. They've suffered too
much to want their heels In the bilboes
again."
"Well, knock the irons off them and
set them to bale. We must have ship
ped a fearful weight of water to make
us float so deep. See they don't get
hold of any arms, though." he added
anxiously. "Where's the old man?"
"On guard over the forescuttle. He's
like a fury, gnashing his teeth with
rage against the prisoners and cursing
them with a pretty assortment of the
finest Castilian onths. lie wants to
heave the whole lot overboard."
"Aye, captain," bawled Pengony, who
was standing near, "an he says them
Spaniards is like Jonases an we'll be
cast away afore day if we keep 'em
nigh us."
"Does he say that?" I exclaimed in
dismay.
"What If he does?" said Alec care
lessly. "Never heed what the old man
says. They distorted his mind, Jan,
when they crippled his body."
"The old man prophesied true once,"
growled Jan in his deep ocean voice;
"telled that we should be at liberty,
which we are, an after a scuffle with
them hounds, which we had."
"And," said Alec, with a laugh, "I
might have prophesied as much, and
yet you would not call me a wizard."
"Aye, captalnt but he telled me my
name, me, Jan Pengony, as he'd never
seen afore. These baln't Idle words
he's speaking now. An Master Topp
there thinks as I do, captain, I war
rant."
"Why, yes." said I. "I think it would
be safest to strike the cargo over
board."
"It would be sheer murder," said
i Alec warmly.
! I laughed. "Would It?" said I. "Then
I'll do It and never expect my con
science to trouble me for it after. They
are only Spaniards, after all."
"Only Spaniards!" cried Alec fiercely.
"They're men, and to kill men in cold
blood Is murder, I tell you. Mark me,
Jack Topp, I've killed half a score of
the breed in fair fight, and, God will
ing, shall serve my country by killing
several score more before old King
Death gets to windward of me. But
this—n<»ver! So to your duty, Master
Topp, and I to mine."
Jan Pengony looked after him as he
walked away along the gangway, and
then, turning his weather beaten face
to mine, growled out:
"Captain's heart's an honor to him.
Master Topp, but it'll work him ill yet.
His father was so afore him; spared
the Spaniards when he could ha' crush
ed 'em, so I've heard tell, an they for
got It an crushed him Instead when
their turn came. Mark me. Master
Topp, the fewer Spaniards there be
cumbering the seas the safer be they
for English mariners."
And I believed he was right, but said
nothing and went to see to the baling
of the galley.
We got her dry after much hard la
bor, aud leaving the balers at their
work, for every now and then a big
sea would come overboard, I went aft
to the poop. Alec was at the tiller him
self.
"Whereabouts are we. Alec?" I ask
ed.
"I'm not sure," he replied anxiously.
"None of those dolts in the coach knows
In the slightest They are all soldier
officers and far too lino hidalgos to
trouble themselves about a ship's reck
oning. The pilot busied himself with
that, and he's with the sharks now."
"Ah, well," said 1, "It's blowing too
hard to last. We shall get a glimpse ut
the stars soon."
"Yes, 1 expect to be able to get our
latitude soon, but we'll have to guess
at longitude. The lubbers have let the
glass run down."
"How are we by the Windward Is
lands?"
"Can't say. There's no chart on
board of anything east of Margherita,
but I know that the reefs In these nar
row seas are as thick as pickpockets In
the I.ondou streets. So get you for
ward, Jack, with your best eye well
skinned, anil if we seem likely to pick
any of them t>p let me hear a good
north country hall. There's a dead line
in the blttacle there. Take It forward
with you and put a hand In the chains
to try for a sounding occasionally."
I went forward. "Here, Pengony and
Frehallon," 1 cried, "take the deep sea
lead to the chains. Don't let It go too
deep while we're scudding at this
rate."
"Ave, aye!" cried the men. and 1
No. 48
wont forward myself to the forecastle
head.
The galley ivas plunging desperately,
ripping up tlie seas with her keen
beak, dipping her stem into the green
bulk and sending great masses of
foaming water curling over the fore
castle deck. All our bulwarks had for
tunately been torn away—else we
must have foundered with
weight of water they held—and I found
it no easy work to keep my post. Stand
ing was Impossible, so I sat down on
the streaming planks, holding on to the
breaching of a gun. and. straining my
eyes into the howling darkness ah?ad
whenever the interval between tho
waves left my poll uncovered. Now I
could feel tlint we were rushing up a
liquid hill, now tearing down into a
raging valley; now the galley, bad sea
boat tliat she was, would rip through a
crest and settle down sluggishly, now
she would shake herself clear and race
forward afresh, but not a fathom in
front could 1 see. We sped out of inky
night astern into inky night ahead.
The darkness ot" Acheron was on us. I
uiust trust to my ears alone.
But it was a very Babel of sounds
that filled the spume sown air—the
groaning of timbers like to part with
their straining, the fury of the wind
among the rigging, the roar of the seas
as they ground against one another
like liquid millstones, the terror shrieks
of the Spaniards, the duty bawls of
the seamen, made up a din indescriba
ble. I might just as well have been aft
for all the good 1 could do, but while
Alec stuck to his post at the tiller I
would stick to mine at the bows.
Heavens, what a turmoil there was!
The spirits of the storm were out and
busy, taking vengeance on us for dis
regarding the old man's words when
he bade us surrender the Spaniards to
their grasp, and in their heavy anger
they tossed our crazy bark about among
the waves like a chip of wood in a
sluice run. I feared much that Alec's
chivalrous generosity would cost the
lives of more than one of those under
him.
But avast mooding! What Is that?
Surf? Breakers? A reef? A sea
broke over me, and its crash drowned
all more distant sounds. It cleared
away. Yes, the shore Is close aboard
us!
I had Just opened my mouth to hall
when down plunged the galley's head
again, and souse I went under in full
cry.
The next minute, when that wave set
me free, I yelled as I had never yelled
before. Down went the helm as far
as Alec dare press It, and over heeled
the galley's lee gunwale till the wave
heads came pouring in among the ter
rified slaves.
"Breakers still ahead! My God, they
are all round us!"
All hands could hear them now. We
saw their white, curling crests beckon
ing to us, and in a moment we were
rolling among them.
There is one clear spot on the lee
bow.
"Hard-a-larboard. Keep her way,
Alec, for your life!"
Now we are through the channel and
heading to the next line of surf. The
water is smoother. Can we round to
for an anchor? No; she would only
drift Into the rocks broadside on. At
them, then, straight, and, please God,
we may be carried over somehow!
Crash! She struck upon the reef,
and then crash again and crash!
Every timber shivered, and the fore
mast came down within an Inch of my
arm.
The terrified soldiers below burst up
the fore hatch and streamed on to the
deck. The waist was full of foaming
water and struggling men. The heavy
seas were making a clean breach over
the poop.
Crash, crash, crash!
We ground and bumped upqn the
cruel rocks, and, for aught we could
see in the gloom, the reef might be a
flood washed rock in the midst of a
desert ocean.
[TO BE CONTHTUED.]
The Pope's Offlcli^Rlnci.
The pope has three special rings
for his use. The first Is generally
rather a plain gold one, with an intagl
io or cameo ornament This is called
the papal ring. The second one, called
the pontifical ring, because used only
when the pope pontificates or officiates
at grand ceremonies, is an exceedingly
precious one. The one worn on these
occasions by Plus IX was made during
the reign of Pius VII, whose name is
cut on the inside. It is of the purest
gold, of remarkably tine workmanship,
set with a very large oblong diamond.
It cost 30,000 francs (£1.250) and has a
contrivance on the inside by which it
can be made larger or smaller to fit
the wearer's finger.
The fisherman's ring, so called be
cause It has a figure of St. Peter in a
bark throwing his net into the sea, is a
plain gold ring with an oval face, bear
ing the name of the reigning pope en
graved round and above the figure of
the apostle. The / ring weighs I
ounces. It was first a private and not
an official ring, though It has been
used in the latter way since the fif
teenth century and is now the official
seal of the popes and the first among
the reigns.—Golden Penny.
The Taw».
On the west coast of Africa the na
tives call the raspberry a yaw. It hap
pens that one of the pleasing diseases
that come out from that quarter of tho
globe Is characterized by dusky red
spots that appear on the body and soon
grow into ulcers about the size and
looks of the raspberry. So this disease
is called the yaws. It is contagious
and downright disagreeable. White
sailors bring it back with them to their
own discomfort aud the disgust of
those at home. Yaws prevails also in
the Fiji islands and in Samoa, but in
these two places children mainly are
attacked, and the natives regard the
disease in the same light as civilized
persons look at measles -almost a cer
tainty to have and the sooner over
with the better.
Mat lie.
"You have a good deal of assurance
to couie to me for charity," said the
man of the house, "with your face all
bunged up from lighting. You're noth
ing but a bruiser!"
"No, sir," replied the seedy vagrant,
who was not wanting in spirit. "The
other filler wuz the bruiser. I'm tho
brulsee."—Chicago Tribune.
Independent.
We admire the Independence of a
western poet who says in a preface to
his volume: "If the critics don't like
tills book, I wish to say to them that I
do. If they tear It to tatters, I shall
pick up the pieces and embark in the
plastering business. I am here to stay,
and you bet I've made up my mind to
It."—Atlanta Constitution.
lint Water Peddler*.
In northern China hot water peddlera
go about with a whistling kettle, the
whistle announcing that the water is
at a boiling point. When they hear the
whistle, tiie people run with their tea
pots and buy enough hot water fyr
their day's tea.