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Show "Piracy Without Tears" IN ALL history of piracy there is no more amazing figure than that of Captain Misson, the founder of "piracy without tears." Instead of a black flag, he sailed under a white flag; he pillaged with an apology ; he founded a piratical Utopia which failed through no fault of his and finally he died as had many an honest sailorman, lost at sea in a storm. Misson came of an ancient French family In Provence and was well educated. edu-cated. Reading books of travel gave him a desire to see the far corners of the earth and during a visit In Rome he made an acquaintance which changed his whole career. This was Slgnor Caraccloli, a Dominican, who had given up the priesthood for a gospel gos-pel of atheism and communism. Misson Mis-son became a convert to Caraccloli's views and they became comrades on a French privateer. When the captain of this vessel was killed In a battle with an English ship, the Italian, who was something of a soap box orator, stepped forward with an eloquent address ad-dress and . a proposal that Missou Should become captain. Misson replied with a speech that was even more florid and under tills flood of oratory, the volatile French sailors broke forth Into cries of "Vive le Capitalne Misson Mis-son et son Lieutenant le Scavant Car-accioli Car-accioli !" and endorsed the election. The first question that the new officers offi-cers were called upon to decide was a choice of the flag under which they were to sail. One sailor was so foolish as to propose the dread emblem of piracy, the black flag. This brought forth another flood of oratory from the new lieutenant, filled with referencej to "Peoples' Rights and Liberties," the "Yoke of Tyranny" and "Oppression and Poverty." Their lives, he declared, unlike the life of a pirate were to be brave and just and innocent and their cause of the Liberty. lie suggested a white ensign with the motto "For Cod I and Liberty" on It. Again the sailors were swept nwny J by the eloquence and with cries of : "Liberty! Liberty! We are free men !" and a plentiful supply of "vives" for both men, they nititlod Hie decision. J In fact sppechniaking and "vlveing" i seem to have been the principal occu- j patmn on this strange pirate craft at j lirst and they kept It up as they s-t out to spre:id their gospel of sweetness and light and extend their dr.itrines of freedom to making fret with oi,her j beoplo's property. ' |
