The Life of a Celebrated Buccaneer

  CHAPTER IX.

  In our preliminary remarks it is necessary to mention two individualswho played a conspicuous part in the Buccaneer's realms.

  We have already mentioned one honest sailor, the old coxs'n, JackCommonsense by name; but there were two women, not to say a third, whoalso had a permanent abode in his island. The one was called Patriotism,the other Liberty. The first of these was allowed to live for the mostpart in neglect, and though at times she was made much of, her positionwas little better than that of a beggar woman, to-day she would sit atthe table of the great, and be taken into their councils, to-morrow shewould be thrust aside, and occasionally thrown into prison. She was madea shuttle-cock for the battledoor of Madam Party, who was the othercelebrity above alluded to, and who pretty well ruled the roast in theBuccaneer's island. Everything had to give way to her, whilst except onextraordinary occasions the beggar woman, Patriotism, was thought butlittle of. Everybody swore they loved her; but men were deceivers ever,if not liars.

  With Liberty it was quite a different tale, she could do pretty wellwhat she liked, and had over our Buccaneer for good and for evil awonderful influence. At her instigation he allowed the island to be madean asylum for rascals of every kind, who having been kicked out of theirown homes, came over and plotted, and sowed broadcast among his peoplethe most pernicious seeds, which bore their fruit in due time. Indeed,Madam Liberty played the part of a veritable wanton, and flirted withblackguards of the deepest dye. The consequence of this was, that onefine day, she gave birth to a boy, named Demos, the father being KingMob. This boy grew to be a most unruly fellow, and caused much troublewherever he went.

  It is said that neither man nor beast can stand prosperity for anylength of time, the horse becomes restive, and occasionally kicks hisstall to pieces, or otherwise misbehaves himself. Even the ass; thegentle and long-suffering ass, if too well fed, disturbs the wholecountry round, braying out in his husky tones of repletion hisdiscontent at the very best of corn, when at one time he would have beenglad enough to fill his stomach with thistles. So it was with MadamLiberty. It was through her that the Buccaneer first opened his doors toa host of cheap-Jacks, and to merchants and pedlars from all parts ofthe world, until in the streets of his principal sea-port towns andchief city, could be seen a strange mixture of costumes and features.Swarthy Orientals with their finely cut profiles, and proud bearing.Broad-faced, oval-eyed Mongols, who always look half asleep, but aregenerally found to be very wide awake. Flat-nosed, thick-lipped,woolly-headed negroes, and as a matter of course, the ubiquitous Jew waswell represented. The Jew is found everywhere, but stay, exception mustbe made to the northern-most part of the Buccaneer's island. A Jew couldnot live there, not on account of the severity of the climate, thoughthat was bad enough; but on account of the habits of the people. It issaid by some that the object of the Jew is to skin the Christian and theGentile, with the view of buying back Jerusalem, or, perhaps, the wholeof the Holy Land. Many wish that this laudable desire may beaccomplished, and that quickly. With all these different nationalitiesit was a wonder that the Buccaneer retained his individuality, or evenkept his language from corruption, but he did, though a broken patteroften saluted the ears, while the signs of many different races werestamped upon the faces of the people. There is a belief in the worldthat mongrels and cross-breeds will not fight. This is a mistake. OurBuccaneer was made up of ever so many nationalities, and yet he hadfought in his day well enough. Showing, indeed, an absolute love for thefray. May not the very best blood, of the bluest kind, which flowsthrough the veins of some haughty descendant, have taken its rise insome sturdy cur of low degree, who snapped and snarled himself to thefront?

  It would be as well to mention that our bold Buccaneer had had a quarrelin early times with one of his sons, who had emigrated and establishedhimself, after the fashion peculiar to his father, on a large andfertile tract of land in the far west. This son, who was calledJonathan, was a tall, lanky, raw boned fellow, with a good head upon hisshoulders and a strong will of his own. Modest diffidence had never beena stumbling block in his way. As to whose fault the quarrel was, well,some said it was entirely the old man's, but it is probable there wasmuch to be said on both sides, and that Jonathan was not altogetherblameless. At any rate blows were struck, and Jonathan handled hisfather somewhat roughly, and so there was an estrangement, and aseparation, and Jonathan set up business for himself upon the old man'slines; except perhaps he was not quite so religious, and a great dealsharper.

  Jonathan did wonderfully well. He had a keen eye for the main chance,and at driving a bargain, or getting the better of a friend, he couldnot be beaten. In this, to make use of an expression of his own, hepretty well licked creation. In his early days, he was not altogetherscrupulous; but what he called sharp practice, other people might putdown as something approaching more closely to dishonesty. The proof ofthe pudding is in the eating. Jonathan prospered, and cheating, it iswell known, never does, so he must have been an honest fellow. He lovedto do his old father; to get the better of him in a bargain, to get hismoney out of him either by fair means or foul. Talk to him of honour andhe would laugh in your face at your squeamishness. He had many of theeminent qualities of his parent, had Jonathan. He generally managed tokeep what he laid his hands upon, and as the saying is, he was notaltogether the man to drink with in the dark. By trade he was a packman,or a cheap Jack.

  Between Jonathan and the Ojabberaways there was a great friendship. Theformer used to send over money to the latter to help them in theircampaign against the old gentleman. Then the Ojabberaways used to plot,and make infernal machines in Jonathan's country, and come over to theBuccaneer's island, where they frequently carried out their designs, andoccasionally used the knife into the bargain.