The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1851-09-23
ELLEN DIBLE,
A Tale Of the English COnst Guard.

Ii may be as well to observe at starting. the
slight unprefeuding sketches am about TO jo
down OF few rough adventures in the Proven
tive Service OF this country, Will present nc
fancy pictures Of igh-souled dsshing SNUG
Rlers such as | have been spouting herelcs al
minor lheatres-rolckng gentlemen. who
abound in all the first rate virtues Of geneios-
ity, daring, ealdn,ry, and shilL slightly cloud.
ed, il at ALL by an irresistible propensity for de.
haudlng The revenue more, IL is usually made
30 appear, for the fun ana dash Of The thing, o,
Io rig ont amiable sweeihears or devoted
wives with expensive nick-nacks, than for any
liking for the, in the MAN, idle and skulking
life Of the professional life Of the professional
smogelar. l never ran athwait any such gen.
uy; but then il is right 10 state that my expe-
rIence was confined 10 about hundred miles
or thereabouls Of the southern coasts OF Eng
land, and those heroes fancy. are only TO be
found. fat all, in latitudes frequented by their
realves-the horse marines. The fellows |
now and then overhauled were ofquile anoih-
cr stamp, and seldom sailors either at least not
OF the true saltwater lick. Handy enough in
boat. no doubt, but with much better land
than sea-legs, as many an unsuccessful shore
chase had but TOO frequently proved TO my en-.
tire conviction. | am speaking Of between
thirty and toity years ago, at which time your
genuine sea-dog but little relshed such hide.
and-seek along shore life, especially il anything
better could be had; aud il can should think
be hardly otherwise in these days of steam ,ev-
eDue cruisers admirably Oh ganiZed coast-guaId,
$educed duties, and, consequently. cousump
live profits. This mnch limited, BY way Of
warning TO leaders ofa romantic taste. pro.
ceed with the narrative ofmY first adventure in
'he revenue service, prelaciog it with brief
history Of earlier history. without which it
would be nearly if not quite unlnlelligibe.
My name is Watulord-at least il is not very
unlike ihai--and was born at lrchen, village
distant in these days about mile and half,
by 'and and ferry (Io Southampton. How
much nearer the, as hear and read. rapidly
increasing town has since approached cannot
say, as il will be twenty nine years next July
Since finally Quilted the neighborhood. The
village, at that time chiefly Inhabited by ferry
and fishermen, ctcpt in struggling sort Of
way up declivity from the margin of the
Irchen river, which there reaches and joins the
Southampton estuary ill it arrives at Pear
Tree Green, an emiDence commanding one Of
The finest and most varied land and water
views the eye Of man has, think, ever rested
upon. My father, retired lieutenant Of the
royal navy, was not native of the place. as
his name alone would sufficiently Indicate to
person acquainted with the Itcheu people-al-
most every ore Of whom was either Dible or
Diaper-but he had been many years settled
there. and Pear-Ttee chnrchyasd contained
The dust OF his wife and five childreu-l and
my sister Jane. who was year older than my
SELF being all OF his numerous family who sur
vyed their childhood. We were 10 fair cir
cumstances, as my father, in addition to his
hsli-pay, possessed an income Of something
above hundred pounds year. Jane and
we're carefully, though OF course not highly or
extensively educated; and as soon as had at
iained the warror.age Of 6fieeu, was des-
talched TO sea to fight my country's battles
Sir Joseph Yorke having. at my fathers request,
kindly obtained midshpmsn's warrant for
me- and no, many weeks after joining the ship
TO which was appointed. / found myself to
my great as'onishment,' doubling the French
iioc at The Nile-an exploit which have since
read OF with lar more satisfaction than re.
member TO have experienced during its perfor-
nance.
-Four yc,rs passed before had an opportu.
nifty Of revisilipg home; aud it was With boat
ing as we'll as Joyfel heart, and light elastic
step, that I set off 10 walk the distance from
Gosport to Itchen. need hardly say that
was welcomed by Jane with tears Of love and
happiness. II was not long, however, before
certain circumstance occurred which induced
my worthy. but perernptory father to cut my
leave Of absence suddenly and unmercilully
short. nad before noticed that the sborig-
ines Of my native place were for the most part
Dibles or Diapers. We'll, it happened that
among the former was one Ellen Dible, the
daughter OF fisherman somewhat more pros
porous than any Of bis fellows. This young
lady was slim. active, blue. eyed, bright hair