| There is certainly every reason to believe that Aunt Louise's version of the story is true as she has always been a woman of impeccable reputation and a beloved resident of the seaside settlement in which she lives. Aunt Louise said that the wealthy merchant ordered Jake to go to the back door of the mercantile store to make sure it was locked. When Jake reached the back door he found it open with a number of papers scattered over the threshold and drifting outside with the late afternoon sea~breeze. As Jake was stooping down to gather the papers (he had no idea what they were but they did appear to him to be of some importance) he heard the loud crack of a pistol shot and felt a burning sensation in his right flank. Clutching his side and falling to the floor Jake looked up and saw the wealthy merchant standing over him, smoking gun in hand with a mocking grin upon his face. The wealthy merchant was a heavy set fellow, wide as he was tall and tightly wrapped in the most fashionable duds of the day. He had a gold watch chain dangling from his light, brown vest pocket and patent leathers that strained to shine beneath the thin film of silt and dust which covered them. Wiping sweat from his large, oval shaped bald head with a chubby, short~fingered hand he said, "Sorry to have to do this to you, Jake, but I came up the hard way in a hard world and I've learned to do whatever it takes to get what I want. You don't think I became so wealthy by being timid or ethical, do you? Maria Rothschild is going to be mine, Jake. I know that you and Maria have a sort of friendship. A close friendship. Closer than one of her society should be having with young man in your poor position. She's young, Jake, just like you and she can't understand reason. There's no talking sense to one as young and naive as Maria, so I had to get you out of my way, Jake. Don't worry, you'll live. I just grazed you. A mere flesh wound, my boy. I shall put in a good word for your character, as everyone knows you've been good help to me, and that will keep you out of the gallows. You'll do a few years hard labor over at the state work camp in Tallahassee and then you'll be released to resume your life as a convict and commoner. They'll probably put you to work on the railroad. Consider this a life lesson, Jake. Hardship is what taught me and it will teach you." With that, the merchant struck himself with a brisk blow to his own forehead with a silver tipped Penang lawyer causing a trickle of blood to snake its way down his face. He then stepped on and crushed his own spectacles and laid the walking stick across Jake's lap. By this time, drawn by the loud sound of the pistol shot, a group of townsfolk were running around behind the mercantile store to see what the matter could be. The wealthy merchant staggered and stumbled out amongst them crying for help. Jake was subsequently arrested and tried for using a cane as a deadly weapon in an armed robbery attempt. During Jake's trial, the wealthy merchant claimed he caught Jake trying to steal the valuable antique Colonial instruments of trade from the mercantile store safe in the back room and when he attempted to stop him, Jake swung the Penang lawyer across the merchant's head. The wealthy merchant continued his fabricated statement by insinuating that had he not been in the habit of carrying his pistol in the hip pocket of his trousers for just such an alarm, he was sure that Jake would have bludgeoned him to death with the walking cane. The merchant did speak in chambers with the judge and the all male five member jury about sentencing Jake to hard labor instead public hanging. Of course the judge and jury were to the wealthy merchant all old acquaintances and fellow founders of the settlement which would become Fort Walton, so Jake's trial had been one of those so~called kangaroo courts, a mere formality to appease the locals. Jake wasn't destined for hard labor in Tallahassee, however, for about this time hot, flying rumors of the impending Civil War were resulting in men being recruited for military service all through the South and Jake was literally pulled from the prison bound stage coach and press ganged into duty aboard the Confederate Sailing Ship Alabama. While Jake was at sea, the place of his wretched misfortune was built into Camp Walton. Camp Walton was constructed shortly after the Civil War began in 1861 and renamed Fort Walton after the war. The town was named after Colonel Walton who also resided there and whose father had been the 56th to sign the Declaration of Independence. After the war, Aunt Louise had arranged this job as a cow poke for Jake over Panama City way to get him out of Fort Walton and the local scorn which naturally would have plagued him for the rest of his life. It was onboard the CSS Alabama that Scribb met and became acquainted with Jake. By this time Jake's hair had bleached from a medium brown with an almost auburn tinge to a golden blond in the sunshine of the Gulf of Mexico. Living with his Aunt Louise and her good country cooking, he had been putting on weight around his middle but life at sea had slimmed his six foot frame to a lean, coarse, sinewy outline like that of a stretch of beef jerky. Jake's skin was roasted bronze and his thoughtful gray eyes picked up the color of the sea and looked a deep, reflective blue. |
Yvette's ~*
| Yvette's has a Passion for Fashion !! ~* |
| *~ Scribbner's Ghost ~* *~page two ~* |
*~ Pier 8 Yvette's Gulf Legends !! ~*
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Fine Art Florida Yvette's !! ~*
Fine Art Florida Yvette's !! ~*
Fine Art Florida Yvette's !! ~*
Fine Art Florida Yvette's !! ~*
Fine Art Florida Yvette's !! ~*
Yvette's ~*
I am writing as we speak !! ~*
the words are flowing freely !! ~*
I shall Publish the continuing sea voyage
adventures of Scribbner's Ghost very soon !! ~*
Thank You for reading Scribbner's Ghost !! ~*
the words are flowing freely !! ~*
I shall Publish the continuing sea voyage
adventures of Scribbner's Ghost very soon !! ~*
Thank You for reading Scribbner's Ghost !! ~*
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