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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Seaforth News, 1933-02-23, Page 6PAGE SIR. THE SEAFORTH . NEWS. 14 , s lash 'k :.:a 4 PV, E Johnson. (Continued frons last week. The sea was very blue. Only in the morning and the evening it glowed red, or spread '.upon its still bosom all the gold of all the Indies, or became an endless mead of palest green shot with amethyst. When night fell, it 'mirrored the stars, great and small, or was caught en a net of gold flung across it :from horizon to horizon, The ship rent the net with a wake of white fire. The air was balm; the islands were enchanted places, abandroned by 'Spaniard nd Indian, overgrown, serpent -haunted. The reef, the still 'water, pink or gold, the gleaming beadh, the green plume of the palm, the scarlet birds, the cataracts of bloom, — the senses swooned with the color, the steaming incense, the warmth, the wonder of that fantastic world. iS:ametimes, in the crystal waters near the 'land, we sailed over the gardens of the sea gods, and, looking down, saw red and purple blooms 'wad 's'hadowy wav- ing forests, with rain'b'ow fish for humming birds. Once we saw below us a sunken ship. With how much gold she h!ad endowed the wealthy sea, how many long drowned would rise from her rotted decks when the waves gave nap .their dead, no man could tell. Away from bhe ship dart- ed many -hued fish, gold -disked, or barred and spotted with crimsoe, or silver and purple. The dolphin and the tunny and the Eying fish swam with us. :Sometimes flights of small birds came to us from the land, S'ome- times the sea was thickly set with full-blown pale red 'bloom, the jelly- fish that was a flower to the sight and a nettle to the touch. bf a storm arose, a fury that raged and threat- ened, it presently swept away, and the blue laughed again, !When the sun within. I have eaten nothing since sank, there arose in the cast such a yesterday," moon as might have been sale light 'I'11 speak to Diccon first," 'he an- to all the realists of faery. A beauty swered, and went on toward the ,fore - languorous and seductive was most castle, while lI entered the state cabin, absolute empress of the wonderful "Here I found mistress Percy kneeling land and the wonderful sea. I beside the bene]' beneath: the stern We were in the hunting grounds, I windows, her face buried in her out - and men went not there to gather Istretched arms, her dark hair •shadow- flowers. Day after day we watched ing her like a mantle. When I spoke for Spanish ,Os; for the plate fleet i to her she did not answer. With a went that way, and some gallca s or;'udden fear I stooped and touched caravel or galleon might sbray aide. cher -clasped hands, A shudder ran At last in the clear green bay of a,tllrough her frame, 'and she slowly nameless island at which we stop- ]raised a.colorless face, ped for water. we found two car-! "Are you come back?" she whisp- racks come upon the same errand,' ered, "I thought yob would • never took them, and with them some slight'. come back. 'd thought they had killed treasure in rich cloths and gens. A bats. I was only praying before I kill - week later, in a strait between two ted myself," islands like •tinted cloud's, we feughti I took her hands and wrung them a very great galleon frain sunrise to apart to rouse her, she was so .white noon, pierced her .hull through and and cold, and spoke so strangely. through and silenced her ordnance, I "Gori forbid that I should die yet then boarded her and found a king's'1awhile, madams" I said. "W'hen .I can ranson•in gold and silver. When the' 00 longer serve you, then I shall not fighting had ceased and the treasure l care how- soon 7 die." was ours, then we four stand side 'The eyes with which she gazed up - by aide on the deck of the slowly on me were still wide and unseeing., sinking galleon, in front of our pris-. The guns!" she cried, 'wresting her overs, of the men who had fought hands from nine and putting them to well, of the children and the trembl-Ther ears. 'Oh, 'the gunsl they shake ing women, Those whom we faced, the air, And the screams and the were in high good humor: they 'had; trampling --the guns 'again l" gal0 with which to gamble, and wine I brought her wine and made 'her to drink, and rich clothing with which drink it; then sat beside her, and told to prank their villainous bodies, and her gently, aver and over again, that prisoners with wham to make merry, there was no longer thunder of the When I ordered the Spaniard's to guns or screams or trampling. ,At lower their boats, and taking with 'last the long, tearless sobs ceased, them their children and women raw and she rose from her knees, and Jet off to one of these two islands, the me lead her to 'the door of her cabin: weather .changed, There see thanked me softly, with We outlived •that storm, but how downcast eyes and lips that yet trem- lI scarcely •knave.' As ''Kirby would' bled; then vanished from my sight, have done, so did I; rating my crew leaving me first to wonder at that ter - like b'ound's, turning my point this ror and emotion in her who seldom way and that, 'daring ehen1 to :come showed the thing she felt, and finally taste the red death ,upon it, 'braving it to conclude that it was not so wander- ' out like some devil who knows he is ful after all invulnerable. My lord, swinging the We sailed on,—southwards to •ciitlase with which he was armed, ba, then north again to the Lucayas stood beside 'me, knee to knee, and and the Florida straits, looking for 'Diccon cursed after me, 'making :guar- Spanish ships and their gold. 'The. terstaff play with his long pike. But lights yet burned—new 'brightly, now it was the minister that won us so sturken that it seemed as though through:.At length they laughed, and the next hour they must .flicker out. 'Paradise, standing forward, swore We, the players, flagged not in that that such a captain and such a mate desperate masque; but we knew that, were worth the lives of 'a thousand in spite of all endeavor, 'the darkness Spaniards. To pleasure 'Kirby, they would depart this once from their an- cient usage, though it was passing strange, -it being Kirby's wont to clap prisanens under ha'tc'hes and fire their ship above them. At the end of which speech the :Spaniard began to rave, and sprang at me like a Lata- mount, .Paradise put forth a foot and tripped hini up, whereat the pirates laughed again, and held him back when he would have come at me a second time. !From the deck of the ,shattered .gal- leon I watched :her 'boats, with their heavy freight of 'cowering humanity, pull off toward the island. Back upon my own poop, the grappling irons cast loose, and a swiftly widening rib- bon of blue between us and the sink- ing ship, I looked at the pirates thronging the waist below nee, and knew that the play was nearly over. 'How many •days, weeks, hours, :be-, fare the lights wau'id go out, I could not tell: they might burn until we took or lost another ship; the next hour might see that brief tragedy consummated. I turned, and going below met ,Sparrow at fhe foot of the poop lad- der. "I have sworn at these pirates 'until tiny hair stood on end," he said fully. "'God forgive mel And I have bent into circles three (half pikes in demonstration of the thing that would occur to' them if 'they tempted nue ov- ermuch. And I have sung .them all the bloody .art lascivious songs that ever I knew in my unregenerate days. I have played the bravo and buffoon until they ,gaped for wonder. I have damned myself to all eternity, I fear, but there'll be no mutiny this fair day. It may arrive by to -morrow, though," "Likely eno>ugh," I said. "Come leiga THURSDAY, FEBIRUARY,' 23, 1933. was coining ,fast upon tis: IIIa.d it been po'ssi'ble, we would Have. escaped &ram the sthip, hazard- ing new fortunes an the ;Spanish Main in an open boat, sans food or water, 'But the pirates'watched us very ch'o'se- ly 'They called me "captain" and Kirby," and eels the jes't's sake gave an exaggerated obedience, with 'laugh- ter and flatfishes; but none the less I was their 'prisoner, -,I and ethase I had brought with me to that ship, An islet, shaped like the crescent moony rose ,from out the sea 'before us. We needed water, and so we felt our way 'between the horns of 'the Ieresee'nt in the blue :crystal ,elf a fairy harbor. One low ]till, rose- colored from base to summit, with soaa-ee a 'hint of •the green world be- low that canopy sof giant bl'oo'm, • a little silver 'bleach with w!andenful shells' upon it, ,Uhe sound Of a water - feel and 'a lazy surf, -we smelt the fruits and the 'flowers, and. a hinging for the land 'came upon us: !Six men were lelft on the ship, and all be- sides went ashore. Same rolled the water casks 'toward the sound ,of the cascade; others plunged into the for- est, to 'return laden with strange and luscious frtuits, birds, guavas, conies, —Whatever eatable thing they .could lay kande upon; others' : scattered along the beach to .find turtle -eggs, dr, if fortune favored them, the turtle itself. They laughed, they sang, they swore; until the isle rang to their merriment. Bake wanton :children, they called to each other, to the screaming birds, to the echoing bloom -draped hill. 1 spread a square of cloth !upon, the sand, in the shadow of a mighty tree that stood at the edge of the forest, 'and the King's .ward' took her seat upon it, and 'soaked, in the golden light of the sinking sun, the very spirit of the isle. By this we two were alone on the beach. The haunters for eggs, led by Diccon, were out nrpon the farthest gleaming horn; from the wood came the loud laughter of the fruit gatherers, and a most rollicking song issuing from the mighty chest of Master Jeremy Sparrow. With the woodsmen had gone my lord. 1 walked a little way into the for- est, led shouted a warning to Spar- row against venturing too far. When II returned to the giant tree and the cloth in the shadow of its outer branches, my wife was writing on the sand with a pointed shell, She had not seen or heard me, .and iI stood behind her and read what she wrote. It was my name. She wrote it three times, slowly and carefully; then she felt my presence, glanced swiftly up, smiled, rubbed Out toy name, and wrote Sparrow's Diccon's, and the King's in succession, "Lest I should forget to make my letters," she ex- plained. I sat down at her feet, and for some tune we said no word, The light, falling between the heavy blooms, cast bright sequins upon her dress and dark hair, .The blooms were not :more pink than her cheeks, the recesses of the forest behind is not deeper or darker than her eyes. The laughter and the song came faintly to us now. The sun was low in the ,vest, and a wonderful light slept upon the sea. "Last year we had a masque at court" she said at length, breaking the long silence. "We had Calypso's island, and I was Calypso, 'The is- land was built of iboarde covered with green velvet, and there was a mound upon it of pink sills roses. There was a deep blue painted sea below, and a deep •blue painted sky above, My nymphs danced around the mound of roses, while 'I sat upon a real rack ,beside the painted sea and talked with 'Ulysses—to wit, my Lord of Buckingham—in gold armor. That was a strange, bright, unreal, and wearisome day, but not so strange and unreal as this." She ceased to "speak, and began again to write upon the sand, I watched her white hand moving to and fro, She wrote, "Haw long will it last?" "I do not know. Not long." She wrote again: "If there is time at the last, when you see that it is best, will you kill me?" I took 'the shell 'from 'her hand, and wrote my answer beneath her question. The forest behind nes sank into that pause and breathless hush between the noises of :the day and the noises of the 'night, 'T'he sun dropped lowet, and the water became as pink as the blooms above us, "If you could; would you change?" I .asked, (°Would you return to Eng- land and safety?" She took a handful of the sand and let it slowly drift through her white fingers. "You know that I' would not," she said; 'not if :the end were to come to -night. Only-only"—She turned from me and looked far out to sea, I could not see her face, only the desk of her hair and her heav- ing bosom. "My blood may be upon your h:ands," she said in a whisper, `but yours will be upon my stool." She turned yet further away, and covered her eyes with her hand. I arose, an'd'beir,t over her uritis4 could have touched with my lips that bowed head. "Jocelyn,' I said. A branch of yellow fait fell be- side us, and my Lord 'Carnal, a mass of gaudy 'bloolnt in his band, stepped from the wood, "`I returned 'to lay our first fruits alt ,naadla'an's feet," he explained his darlely ,wlatcih!fel eyes upon tie both. "A gift from atte poor prisoner to another, madam." He dropped the flowers in her lap. '''Wild you wear them, lady? They are es falx ,almost as I ,could wish." She touched the blossoms with list- less fingers, said they were' flair then, rising, let t'h'em- drop upon the sand. "I wear no flowers save of my hatstand's gathering, my lord," she ;There was a pathos and weariness in her voice, and a 'mist of ,unshed tears in her eyes, She 'hated him; she loved me not, yet was famed to turn to lie for help at every point,. and she had stood for weeks upon the brims of 'death and looked un- falteringly into the gull beneath 'her. "My lord," I said, "you know in what direction Master 'Sparrow led' the men. Will you re-enter the wood and ,call them to rete en? 'The sun is fast sinking, •-and darkness will •be upon 'us." He looked ifram her to , me, with his brows ,drawn downwards and his lips .pressed eaget'her. Stooping, lie tookup the fallen A•owers' and delib- erately tore 'them to pieces, until the pink petals were all scattered upon the sand. "I am weary 01 requests that are but sugared commands," he said thickly, "Go seek your own men, if yon will. Here we are but man to man, and 11 budge not. I stay,•. as the King would 'have me stay, beside 'the unfontdnate lady w'h'om you have trade the prisoner and the plaything of a pirate ship." "You wear no sword, my (Lod Carnal," I said at last, "and so may lie with 'impunity." "But you can get' me onel" he cried, with ill -concealed eagerness. '1 laughed. "I am not zealous in my enemy's cause, my lord. I shall not. deprive Master Sparrow of your lordslhip's sword." (Before II ,knew what lie was about he crossed the yard of sand between us and struck me in the face, `°Will that quicken your zeal?" he demand- ed between his 'teeth. 3 seized him by 'the arm, and we Stood SO, both white with passion, both breathing heavily. At -length I flung his arm from line and stepped back. "I' fight not my prisoner," 'I said, "nor, while the lady you have named abides upon that ship with the nobleman who, more than myself, is answerable for her being there, do I put my life in unnecessary 'haz- ard. I will endure the smart as best I may, my lord, until a more con- venient season, when '1 will salve it well." I turned to Mistress Percy, and giving her my ]rand led her down to the boats; for I heard the fruit gath- erers breaking through the wood, and the hunters for eggs, black figures against the crimson sky, were hurry- ing down the beach. ;Before the night had .quite fallen we were out of the :airy harbor, and when the moon rose the islet looked only a silver sail against the jewelled heavens. CHAPTER XXIV In Which We Choose The Lesser of Two Evils The luck that had been. ours could not 'hold; when the tide turned, it ebbed fast. The weather changed: One ;hurri- cane followed upon the stride of an- other, with only a blue day or two between, Ofttimes we thought the ship was lost. All hands toiled like' galley slaves; .and as the heavens darkened,, there darkened also the mood .of the pirates. Lt sight of the great island of Cuba we gave chase to a bark. The sun was shining and the sea :fairly still When first she fled before us; we gained upon her, ;and there was not a utile between tis when a cloud blot- ted out the sun. The next minute our own sails gave us occupation enough. The storm,: not we, •w'as victor over the ,bark; she sank with a shriek from her decks that rang ,abotve the soar- ing wind. Two :layslater we fought+ a ' large caravel, With a 'fortunate shot ,sthe brought dowtn our foremast, and sailed away front us with small dailnage ref her own,, All that.d'ey and ni'gh't the wind blew, driving ,us out of our co'u'rse and by dawn we ,were. as a shiittlecack between it and the sea. We weathered 'the gale, but 'when the wind sank there. tfell an board that black ship a men'acin'g silence. In the state cabin I held a ;council of war, 'Mistress Percy sat beside erne, her arm ulpole the ,table, her 'bland shadowing her eyes; my lord, 'op ,polite, never took his gaze from her, though lee listened gloomily to Spars rave's aueful 'assertion that the brazen ;game ,we had been playing was we'll - nigh over. Diecon, standing behind 'him, bit his mita and Stared at the floor, 'f0For enyself I care not overmuch," ended the •nrinster, "I acorn not ldlfe, bat think *it as its ':worst well worth the living; yet when my Gbd calls me, i1 will go as to a gala day and triumph. You are a soldier, Captain ]Percy, you and 'Dfocan 'here, and know bow to die. You too, my 'Lord Carnal, are a Ibiave man, th'ou'gth a mast wicked ane, Far •n's four, we :can drink tate cup, bitter though it be, with little trembling. But there is one among us"—.'His great voice brake, andhesat staring at the table. 'The Kitng's ward. uncovered here eyes. "Ff I be not man and a sold- ier, Master 'Sparrow," 'she said sinap ly, "yet I am the daughter of many. valiant :gentleme'. I will die as :they died 'before tie. 'And for ine, as for you- four, 'it will be only death, naught else."'She looked atme with a proud smile. "Naught else," I .said. My lord started from his 'seat and strode over 'to the window, where he stood drumming his fingers against the casing. I turned toward him. "My Lord 'Carnal," I said, "you were overheard 'last night When you plot- ted with the Spaniard." He recoiled with a gasp, and his hand went to his side, where it' found no sword. I saw, his eyes 'busy stere and there through the cabin, seeking something which he night convert into a weapon. "I am yet ,captain of this ship," I continued. "Why I do not, even ehoesgh it .be my last act of authority, have you ;flung to the sharks, I scarcely know." He threw back his hea'ds all his bravado returned to him, "It is not I that stand in danger," he 'began loft- ily; "and I would have you remem- ber, sir, that you are 'my enemy, and. that I owe you no loyalty." "I am content to be your enemy," 1 answered, "Yon do not dare to set upon me now," he went on, with his old in- solent, boastful smile, "Let me cry out, make a certain signal, and they without will be here in a twinkling, breaking in the door" -- "The signal set?" I said. "The mine laid, the match burning? Then 'tis time that we were gone. When 3 bid ,the world good -night, my lord, my wife goes with ole." His lips moved and his black eyes narrowed, but he did not speak. "If my :cheek did not burn so," I said, "I would be content to let you live; live, captain in verity of this ship of devils, until, tired of you, the devils cut your throat, or until some victorious 'Spaniard hang you at his. yardarm; live even to crawl back to 'England, by hook or crook, to wait, hat in hand, in the antechamber of 'his Grace of Buckieghan, As it is, I will 'kill you here and noay. I re- store you your sword, my lord, and there lies nay .challenge." 11 flung my glove at his feet, and. Sparrow unbuckled the keen blade: which he had 'worn since the day I had asked it of its owner, and pushed it to me across the table. The King's ward leaned back in her chair, very white, but with a proud, still face, and halals loosely folded in her lap. 1•:ly lord stood irresolute, his lip caught between his 'teeth, his eyes upon the cloor. "Cry out, my lord," I said. "You are in danger. Cry to your friends without, who may come in time: Cry out loudly, like a soldier and a gen- tleman!" (To be ,Oontinaed.) A DOLLAR'S WORTH Clip this coupon and mail it with 11 for a six weeks' trial subscription to THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR Published by TIen OxeIRTIen Ss,aNOo PunLtnintlo Saui5y Boston, Massachusetts, V. S. A. In It you will and the daily goad news of the worldfrom its 800P. special writers, as well as departments devoted to wamen'e and aldldron'e interests, sports, music, finance, odccatlon, radio, etc 'Lou will be glad to., welcome, into.'. your home so fearless an advocate of peace and prohibition. And dant: miss Snubs, Our Dog, and the Sltnd',1 and the ether features, Tun Cllat0Tlet4 SCIeNea MON{TOR, Baak Bay Station, Roston, Ness. Please send me a sin weeks' trial subscription. I enclose one dollar (all. Q@' • (Noma, blegs print) (Address): 5) (Town) ntnte) . �*e...o.n_s,.•d...®.n...n.e.�.w,n,..-.o..m.a1,- •. .-.-a4.n,.a.n.•:�.n-m..m.a.o,9 PRIOFESS'IO!NAL CARDS Medical DR. H, HUGH RtO'SIS, Physician and Surgeon. Late of London Hos- pital, London, England. Special attention to diseases of the eye, oar, nose and throat. Office and resi- dence behind Dominion Bank. Office Phone No. 5; Residence Phone 104. DR, F, J, BtUIRIROWS, . Seaforth, Office and residence, .Goder'ioh street, east of the United' Church. Comer for the County of Huron. Telephone, No. 46. DR. F. J. R..FlO'RSTER—tEye, Ear Nose and Th'roat. Graduate in Medi- cdne, University of Toronto 1897. Late Assistant New York Ophthal- mic and Aural Institute,' Moorefield's: Eye, and Golden Square throat hospi- tals, London, England. At Comm- ercial Hotel, Seaforth, 3rd Monday in each month, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. DR, W. C, SIFR'OAT,-Graduate of Faculty of Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London. Member of College of Physicians and Sur- geons ' of Ontario.Office in rear of: Aberhart's drug store, Seaforth. Phone 90. Hours 1.30-4 p.m., 7.30 -9 p.m. Other hours by app'ointmemt. Dental DR J. A. MLU'NN, Successor, to Dr. R. R. Ross, graduate of North- western University, Chicago, I'll ti- centiate Royal College of Dental Stu- geons, Toronto. Office over Sills' hardware, Main St., Seaforth. Phone 151. DR. F. J. BiECHELY, graduate Royal College of Dental Surgeon's, Toronto. Office over W. R. Smith's grocery, Main St., Seaforth. Phones, office 185W, residence 185j. Auctioneer. GEOIRGE ELLIOTT, Licensed Auctioneer for the County of Huron, Arrangements can be made for Sale Date at The Seaforth News. Charges moderate and satisfaction gurantced, WATSON AND RE1D"t REAL ESTATE AND INSURANCE AGENCY (Sucessors to James 'Watson) MAIN ST., SEAFORTH, ONT. All kinds of Insurance risks effect- ed at lowest rates in First -Class Companies, THE WicKILLOP Mutual Fire insurance Co. FARM AND I'SOLATED TOWN PROPERTY, 0 N L Y, INSURED Officers — John 'Bennewies, Brod- hagen, 'Presiden•t; Jas: Connolly, 'God- erich, Vice -Pres.; ID. F. MCGregor, Seaforth No. 4, Sec.—Treas. Directors --'Geo, R. McCartney, Sea- forth No. 3; Alex. Broadfoot, 'Sea - forth No. 3; Fames Evans, 'Seaforth No. a; IRobt. Ferris, Blyth No, 1; Jae, S'holdice, Walton No, 4; John Pepper, Bruccfieid; William Knox, Londes- borough. Agents—Jas, Watt, 'Blyth No. 1; W. E. 'Hinchdey, ,Seaforth; J. A. Murray, Seaforth No, 3; W. J. Yeo, Clinton No, .3; R. G. IJarmuth, Bornholm. Auditors — Jas. Kerr, ,Seaferth; Thos, Moylan, Seaforth No, 5. Parties desirous to effect insurance. or transact other business, will be promptly attended to by applications to any df the above named officers ad- dressed to their respective '.past offices. The Man With Asthma, almost longs for death to end his suffering. He sees ahead only years of endless torment with intervals of rest which are themselves fraught with never ceasing fear of renewed attacks. Let hint turn to Dr. J. D. Kellogg's As- thma Remedy and lcnonw what ocu- plete relief it can give: Let him but use it faithfully and he will find his asthma a thing of the past. Send us the names of your visitors, Want and For Sale Ads, 3; times 50yc..