Rensselaer Republican, Volume 26, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 September 1893 — Page 2

THE PERILS OF Certain English Prisoners

By Charles Dickens, (1857)

CHAPTER t.—Continued. The Sambo Pilot had been present all the while, in case of his being wanted, and had said to the officer i& command, five hundredtimes over if he had said it once, that Christian George King would stay with the So-Jeers and take care of the booffer ladies and the booffer childs—booffer being that native’s expression for beautiful. He was now: asked a few questions concerning the putting off of the boats, and in particular whether there was any way of embarking at the back of the Island; which Capt. Carton would have half liked to do, and then have dropped round in its shadow and slanted across to the main. But, “No,” says Christian George King. “No, no.no! Told you so, ten time. No, no, no! All reef, all rock, all swim, all drown!” Striking out as he said it, like*a swimmer gone mad, and turning over on his back on dry land. “In his Majesty’s name and service,” the other answers, touching his hat, “I accept your aid with pleas-

YOU SEVER RAW A MAI.TESE FACE HERE. ure. Lieut. Linderwood, how will you divide your men?” I was ashamed—l give it out to be written down as large and plain as possible—l was heart and soul ashamed of my thoughts of those two sick officers, Capt. Maryon and Lieut. Linderwood. when I saw them, then and there. The spirit in those two gentlemen beat down their illness (and very ill I knew them to be) like Saint George beating down the Dragon. Pain and weakness, want of ease and want of rest, had no more place in their minds than fear itself. Meaning now to express for my lady to write down, exactly what I felt then and there, I felt, this: You two brave fellows that I have been so grudgeful of, I know that if you were dying you would put it off to get up and do your best, and then you. would be so modest that in lying down again to die you would hardly sav, ‘T did it!”

It did me good. It really did me good. But, to go back to where I broke off. Says Capt. Carton to Lieut. Linderwood. ‘ Sir, how will you divide your men? There is no room for all; and a few men should, in any case, be left here.” There was some debate about it. At last it was resolved to leave eight marines and four seamen on the island, besides the sloop’s two boys. And because it was considered that the friendly Sambos would only want to be commanded in ease of any danger though none all was apprebeuded there, the officers were in favor of leaving the two non-com-missioned officers, Drooce and Charker* It was a heavy disappointment to them, just as my being one of the left was a heavy disappointment to me —then, but not so'< n afterwards. We men drew lots for it. and I drew ‘‘lsland." So did Tom Packer. So, of course, did four When this was settled, verbal instructions were given to all hands to all hauds to keep the intended expedition secret, in order that the women and children might not be alarmed, or the expedition put in a difficulty by more volunteers. The assembly was to be on the same spot, at sunset. Every man was to keep up an appearance, meanwhile, of occupying himself in his usual wav. That is to say, every man excepting four old trusty seamen, who were appointed, with an officer, to see to the arms and ammunition, and to muffle the rowlocks of the boats, and to make everything as trim and swift and silent as it could be made. The sun went down after appearing to be a long time about it, (Aid the assembly was called. Every man answered to his name, of course, and was at his post. It was not yet black dark, and the roll was only just gone through, when up comes Mr. Commissioner Pordage with his diplomatic coat on. ’ ; Capt. Carton," says ho, "sir, what is this?”

“This, Mr. Commissioner” (he was very short with him), “is an expedition against the Pirates. It is a secret expedition, so please to keep it a secret.” “Sir, "says Commissioner Pordage, “I trust there is going to be no unnecessary cruelty committed?” “Sir,” returns the officer. “I trust not. “That is not enough, sir,” cries Commissioner Pordage, getting wroth. “Capt. Carton, I give you notice. Government requires you to treat the enemy with great delicacy, consideration, clemency and forbearance.” II : .. “Sir,” says Capt. Carton, “I am an English officer, commanding Englishmen, and I hope I am not likely to disappoint the government’s just expectations. Rut, I presume you know that these villains under their black flag have despoiled our countrymen of their property, burnt their homes, barbarously murdered them and their children, and worse than murdered their wives and daughters?” “Perhaps I do, Capt. Carton,” answers Pordage, waving his hand with dignity; “perhaps Ido not. It is not customary, sir, for government to commit itself.”

“It matters very little, Mr. Pord|jage, whether or no. Believing that ! I hold my commission by the allowance of God, andViot that I have received it direct from the devil, I shall certainly use it, with all avoidlanee of unnecessary suffering and (with all merciful swiftness es execu- . tion, to exterminate these people *from the face of the earth. Let me . recommend you to go home, sir, and to keep out of the night air.” Never another syllable did that officer "say to the commissioner, but turned away to his men. The commissioner buttoned his diplomatic coat to the chin, said “Mr. Kitten, attend me,’’gasped, half choked himself, and took himself off. It now felt very dark, indeed, i have seldom, if ever, seen it darker, nor yet so dark. The moon was not due until 1 in the morning, and it was but a little after 9 when our men lay down where they were mustered. It was pretended that they were to take a uap, but everybody knew that no sleep was to be got under the circumstances. Though all was very quiet, there was a restlessness among the people; much what I have seen among people on a race course when the bell has rung for the saddling for a great race with large stakes on it. At ten, they put off, only one boat putting off at a time; both then lying on their oars until another followed. Ahead of all, paddling his own outTandvsh""ltttre"canbe~Withoutr a sound, went the Sambo pilot to take them safely outside the reef. No light was shown but once, and that was in the commanding officer’s own hand. I lighted the dark lantern for him, and he took it from me when we embarked. They had blue lights and such like with them, but kept themselves as dark as murder. The expedition got away with wonderful quietness, and Christian George King soon came back, dancing with joy. “Yup, So-Jeer," says he to myself in a very objectionable kind of convulsions, “Christian George King sar berry glad pirates all be blown a-pieces. Yup! Yup!” My reply to that cannibal was “However glad you may be, hold your noise, and don’t dance jigs and slap your knees about it, for I can’t | bear to see you do it.” j I was on duty then; we twelve 1 who were left being divided into four watches of three each three hours' spell. I was relieved at 12. A little before that time, I had | challenged, and Miss Maryrou and Mrs Belltott had come in. ==£=2 “Good Davis,” said Miss Maryon, “what is the matter? where is my ! brother?”

I told her what was the matter and where her brother was. “0 Heaven help him” says she, clasping her hands and looking up — she was close in front of me and looked most lovely to be sure; “he is not sufficently recovered, not strong enough for such strife!” “If you had seen-him miss," I told her, “as I saw him when he volunteered, you would have known that his spirits is strong enough for any strife. It will bear his body, miss, to wherever duty calls him. It will always bear him to au honorable life or a brave death.” “Heaven bless you!" says she, touching my arm. “I know it. Heaven bless you!” Mrs. Belltott surprised me by trembling and saying nothing. They were still standing looking towards the sea and listening after the relief had Come round. It continuing very dark, 1 asked to be allowed to take them back. Miss Maryon thanked

me and put her arm in mine and I did take them back. I have now got to make a confession that will appear singular. After I had left them I laid myself down on my face on the beach, and cried for the first time since I had frightened birds as a boy at Snorridge Bottom, to think what a poor, ignorant, low-placed private soldier I was. A man can’t at all times be quite master of himself, and it was only for half a minute or so. Then lup and went to my hut and turned into my hammock and fell asleep with wet eyelashes and a aore.sore heart. Just as I had often done when I was a child and had been worse used than 'iisuai. - s I slept (as a child under those circumstances might) very sound, and very sore at heart all through my sleep. I was awakened by the words “He is a determined man.” I had sprung out of my hammock and had seized my firelock and was standing on the ground, saying the words myself, “He is a determined man.” But the curiosity of my state was that I seemed to be repeating them after somebody and to have been wonderfully startled by hearing them.

As soon as I came to myself I went out of the hut and away to where the guard was. Charker challenged: “Who goes there?” “A friend.” “Not Gill?” says he as he shouldered bis piece. “Gill,” says i. “Why, what the deuce do you do out of your hammock?” says he. “Too hot for sleep,” says I: “is it all right?” “Right,” says Charker, “yes. yes; all’s right enough here, what should be wrong here? It’s the boats we want to know of. Except for fireflies twinkling about and the lonesome splashes of great creatures as they drop into the water, there’s nothing going on here to ease a man’s mind from the boats.” The moon was above the sea and had risen, I should sav. some half hour. As Charker spoke with his face towards the sea, I, looking landward. suddenly laid my right hand on his breast and said, “Don’t move. Don’t turn. Don’t raise your voice! You never saw a Maltese face here?” “No. What do you mean?” he asked, staring at me. ‘ ‘Nor yet an English face with one eye and a patch across the nose?” “No What ails you? What do you mean?” I had seen both looking at us around the stem of a cocoanut tree, where the moon struck them. I had seen that Sambo Pilot, with one hand laid on the stem of the tree. I had seen their naked cutlasses twinkle and shine, like bits of the moonshine in the water that had got blown ashore among the trees by the light wind. I had seen it all in a moment. And I saw in a moment (as any man would), that the signalled move of tne pirates on the mainland was a plot and a feint; that the leak had been made to disable the sloop; that the boats had been tempted away, to leave the Island unprotected ; that the pirates had landed by some secreted way at the back; and that Christian George King was a double-dyed traitor, and a most infernal villain. I considered, still all and in the same moment, that Charker was a brave man, but not quick with his head; and that Sergeant Drooee, with a much better head, was close by. All I said to Charker was, “I am afraid we are betrayed. Turn your back full to the moonlight on the sea, and cover the stem of the cocoanut tree, which will then be right before you, at the height of a man’s heart. Are you right?” “I am right," says Charker, turninstautly and falling into the position with a nerve of iron; “and right ain’t left, is it, Gill?’, A few seconds brought me to Sergt. Drooce’s • hut. He was fast asleep, and being a heavy sleeper, I had to lay ray hand upon him to rouse him. The instant I touched him he came rolling out of his hammock and upon me like a tiger. And a tiger he was, except that he knew what he was up to in his utmost heat as well as any man. I had to struggle with him pretty hard to bring him to his senses, panting all the while (for he gave me a breather), “Sergeant, I am Gill Davis! Treachery! Pirates on the Island!” The last words brought him round, and he took his hands off. “I have seen two of them within this minute,” said I. And so I told him what I had told Harry Charker. His soldierly, though tyrannical, head was clear in an instant. -He didn’t waste one word, even of surprise. “Order the guard.” said he, “to draw off quietly into the (They called the enclosure I have before mentioned, the Fort, though it was not much of that.) “Then get you to the Fort as quick as you can, rouse up every soul there and fasten the gate I will bring in all those who are up at the Signal Hill. If we are surrounded before we can join you, you must make a salty and cut us out if you can. The word among our men is, ‘Women and children. He burst away, like fire going before the wind over dry reeds He roused up the seven men who were off duty, and had them bursting away with him before they knew they were not asleep. I reported orders to Charker and ran to the fort as I have never run at any other time in all my life; no, not even in a dream. ; The gate was not fast, and had no good fastening, only a double wooden bar, a poor chain and a bad lock. Those I secured as well as they could be secured in a few secunds by tne

pair of hands, and so ran to that part of the building where Miss Maryon Jived. I called to her loudly by her name until she answered. I then called loudly all the names I’ knew — sister), Mr. Macey, Mrs. Venning, Mr. and Mrs. Fisher, even Mr. and Mrs. Pordage Then I called out, “All you gentlemen, here, get up and defend tbe place! We are caught in a trap. Pirates have landed. We are attacked!” At the terrible word ‘ ‘Pirates!” — for those villians had done such deeds in these seas as never can be told in writing and can scarcely be so much as thought of —cries and screams rose up from every part of the place. Quickly lights moved about from window to window, and the cries moved about with them, and men, women and children came flying down into the square. I remarked to myself, even then, what a number of things I seemed to see at once. I noticed Mrs.

Macey coming towards me carrying all he three children together. I noticed Mr. Pordage, in the greatest terror, in vaia trying to get on -his diplomatic coat; and Mr. Kitten respectfully tying 'his pocket handkerchief over Mrs. Pordage’s nightcap. I noticed Mrs. Belltott run out screaming, and shrink upon the ground near me, and cover her face in her hands, and he, all of a bundle, shivering. But what I noticed with the greatest pleasure was the. determined eyes with which those men of the mine that I had thought fine gentlemen came round me with what arms they had, to the full as cool and resolute as I could be, for my life —ay, and for my soul, too, into the bargain! The chief person being Mr. Macey, I told him how the three men of the guard would be at the gate directly, if they were not already there, and how Sergt. Drooee and the other seven were gone to bring in the outlying part of the people of Silverstore. I next urged him, for the love of all who were dear to him, to trust no Sambo, and, above all, if he could get any good chance at Christian George King, not lose it, but to put him out of the world. “I will follow your advice to the letter, Davis,” says he: “What next?” My answer was, “I think, sir, I would recommend you next to order down such heavy furniture and lumber as can be moved, and make a barricade within the gate.” That’s good again,” says he, “will you see it done?” “I’ll willingly help to do it,” says I, “unless or until my superior, Sergt. Drooee, gives me other orders.” He shook me by the hand, having told off some of his companions to help me, bestirred himself to look to the arms and ammunition. A proper quick, brave, steady, ready gentleman! (to be continued.)

PEOPLE.

Rabbi Solomon Schindler, of Bos] ton, it is reported, is to retire from his profession to enter upon a business career. He is spoken of as one of the most Christianlikp men in Boston. The Hon. H. S. Bundy, who has been nominated by the Republicans of the Tenth Ohio Congressional district to succeed the late Congressman Enocks, is the father-in-law of ex-Governor Foraker Professor Charles Carroll Everett, of the Harvard Divinity school, will represent the univerity at the cere* monies attending the opening of Manchester new college, Oxford. It takes place next October. Dr. Edgar, superintendent of the the famous Fairfield shipping yards at Glasgow, visited the Cramps’shipyard at Philadelphia, the other day, and expressed great admiration at many things he saw there. Ex-Secretary Richard W. Thompson, of Indiana, who is now eightyfour yebrs of age, says that in early life he was an excessive chewer of tobacco, but fearing ill effects upon his nervous system he abandoned the practice over fifty years ago, and has never taken a chew since. Frederick H. Fowler, clerk of the Massachusetts State Board of Agriculture, has discovered, in indexing its reports, one made by Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes in 1849 as chairman of the committee on a plowing match at the Berkshire county’s annual fair. “Tim” Tiernay, who began service with the Burlington & Missouri railroad as a tracklayer in 1856, has been in the employ of the company eVer since. He is now over eighty years old, and is a flagman at Denver. He says he might have been president of the road by this time if he had had a little better education to begin with. i Edward M. Greene, of San Francisco, has designed a novelty for the midwinter fair to be held in that city, which he hopes will rival the Eiffel tower and the Ferris wheel—lt is a colossal statue of Justice, 150 feet high, supporting an immense pair of scales, the extremities of which are cars holding fifty people each. The beam is a truss 300 feet long, oscillating like a walking-beam, thus lifting the cars to a height of 350 feet.

Comforts of a Home.

New York Weekly. Summer .Boarder-—Why did you wake me up and hustle me down stairs at this unearthly hour? . Fanner Wavbuck—That other boarder is going fishin’, and has to get away early. “What has that to do with mo?’' “You had the towel."

THE FAIR SEX.

The Duke and Duchess of York received over 9,000 wedding presents. At the twenty-fifth annual Go-op-erative Congress, held at Bristol, England, last month, over thirty women delegates were present from as many co-operative societies. By the terms of Miss Garrett’s gift to the medical school at Johns Hopkins University the award of honors to both sexes will be absolutely impartial in that school, and this may possibly alter the poliev of the whole university in time. WALKING DRESS WITH CBAPE FICHU. Marie Antoinette fichus are most becoming to youthful figures, and are much worn over summer dresses, also fichus like the one here seen, to be made of a plain piece of gauze, Orape, muslin, or net about 3 yards

81 inches long and from 19J to 31J inches wine, trimmed all round with lace fulled slightly. The fichu is drawn loosely round the shoulders, crossed over the chest and tied once at the back A North Carolina girl was halted on the highway by three men. She whipped out a pistol and firing on the crowd, wounded one man and put them all to flight. General Booth has passed over his son, Lieutenant General Bramwell Booth, and has nominated his daughter, La Marechale Booth-Clib-born. to succeed him in command of the Salvation Army, and explains himself by saying that “women make the best leaders.” Miss Gordon, sister of the late Chinese Gordon is dead. Her loss will be greatly felt in connection with the movement at Southampton, London and elsewhere for the establisment of the Gordon Boys’ brigades commemorative of the work and life of her famous brother. A CAPE WITH TABS. This dressy little wrap reaches just over the shoulders and is composed of two capes of fluted black satin. These fall gracefully from a

joliarette of Venetian lace. This fastens with two black satin rosettes. The novelty of the capo lies in the two long satin tabs, which hang straight down the front of the gown. These are confined at the waist by large black satin rosettes. The capes may be lined with any colored silk desired. The women of Kenwood and Hyde Park, suburbs of Chicago, have formed the “Mothers’ Educational Union,” with a constitution that states that its objects are “to create public sentiment that shall rcgulalJt amusements and minimize social dig tractions and dissipations. The first daily newspaper printed in the English language was by a woman, Mrs. Elizabeth Mallett. tfho started in London, in 1702, the Daily Courant. not as a paper for women especially, but to “spare the public at least half the impertinences which the ordinary papers contain." The daughters of Mr. W. P. Fri + h, the Academician, are both business women. One, Mrs. Panton. is an adviser on home decoration, first in the Ladies’ Pictorial, later in tht Gentlewoman. Her sister, Miss Frith, is a business partner of Lady Moncton in*tbe latter’s little shop at the sign of the Spinning Wheel.

AN INGENIOUS HUSBAND.

A. Great Scheme to Get His Clothes^ arvoviyk hltSi-T'’■ ■—-iC “It’s strange I can’t get my wife to mend my clothes,” remarked Mr. Bridie disgustedly. “I asked her to sew the buttons on this vest thia morning, and she has never touched it.” “You asked her?” observed Mr. Norris, with a slight shrug of his shq^ilders. “Yes. What else should I do?” “You haven’t been married very long, andperhaps you’ll take a pointer from me,” remarked Mr. Norris, with a fatherly air. “Never ask a woman to mend anything. That’s fatal.” “Why, what do you mean?” ‘ ‘Do as I do. When I want to have a shirt mended, for instance, I take it in my hand and hunt up my wife. ‘Where’s that ragbag, Mrs. Norris?’ I demand fiercely. ‘What do you want the ragbag for?’ she asks suspiciously. ‘ ‘ ‘I want to throw this shirt away. It’s all worn out,’ I reply. ~ ‘Let me see it,” she demands. “But I put the garment behind my back. —* “ ‘No, my dear, there is no use of your attempting to do anything with it. It needs —” “ ‘Let me see it,’ she reiterates. “ ‘But it’s all woru out, I tell you! “ ‘Now, John, you give me that shirt!’ she says, in her most peremptory tones. “I hand over the garment. “ ‘Why, John Norris!’ she cries, with womanly triumph. ‘This is a perfectly good shirt. All it needs is a new neckband.’ “ ‘And the cuffs are ragged, too,’ I answered, mildly. “‘Andnew wristbands, and the button-holes worked over,’ she adds. “ ‘Well, never mind what it needs I don’t intend you shall bother with it. You’ll only waste your time. You’ll never get it to fit in the neck anyway,” I throw in as a final clincher. “ ‘That’s just like your extravagance,’ she cries. I’m going to fix that shirt. The idea of throwing away a perfectly good garment! I’ll fix it so you can never tell the difference.’ And she does. “That’s the wa> I get my clothes mended,’ concluded Mr. Norris. “Just tell a woman she can’t do anyt thing and then stand aside and see how quickly it is done.”

WORLD’S WONDERS.

St. Louts Globe-Democrat. A fly has 16,000 eyes. There are 250,000 varieties of insects. Some butterflies lay over 200,000 eggs. The first paper makers were the wasps. The average height of the elephant is nine feet. Tortoises have been known to live 300 years, Geese in migrating often travel 6,000 miles. • The strongest fortress in the world is Gibraltar. The Nile has a fall of only six inches in 1,000 miles. There are 2,754 languages and dialects now spoken. There are forty-eight varieties of the common fly. A single tobacco plant will produce 360,000 seeds. The largest cave is the Mammoth Cave of Kentucky. The largest mammoth! tusk yet discovered was sixteen feet. At the equator the average annual rainfall is 100 inches. At the equator the limit of perpetual snow is 14.700 feet. The speed of the falcon often exceeds 150 miles an hour. The most beautiful palace in the world is the Alhambra.

An ocean racer burns about $13,000 worth of coal every trip. - Condors have been killed in Peru with wings of 40 feet spread. Ifc Northern Siberia the ground is frozen to a depth of 600 feet. The shark cannot seizo his prey without turning on his back. | The tail of the beaver gave the hint for the trowel of the mason. The will-o’-the-wisp is caused by the decay of vegetable matter. A teaspoonful of microbes contains over 4,000,000 individuals. Botanists say that there are upward of 50,000 varieties of plants. The earth receives oniy one twobillionth of the heat of the sun. The greatest depth of the ocean as far as sounded is 25,720 feet.

A Careful Man.

Old Titephist had just taken his seat in a Wooodward avenue car when he suddenly arose with a look of pain on his face. “What’s the matter of the old codger now?" asked Bilks of Jilks. “Must have sat down on his pocket book,” was the reply. “But what made him get up in such a hurry?” “Afraid he would break a dollar, I guess.”

Of Course Not.

The day was a warm one and the gentleman from Kentucky was coming up from the spring at the foot of the hill with a bucket m bis hand. “Ah, Colonel," inquired an Ohio visitor sitting on the porch, “have you something to drink in that pail?” “Oh, no," responded the colonel, “it’s water.”