Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1855-05-23

"whaT buy caller herrin'a
They bonnie fish and hsllsun fairin
whau buy caller herrin'
New drawn frae the Forth 2
When ye we're sleepin' on your pillows,
Dreamed ye aught O. OGr Puir fellows.
barking as they faced the billows,
Alto fill the woven willOwsi
"wha'n buy my caller herrin'7
They're no brought here without brave darin';
Buy my caller herrin',
Ye little ken their worth.
Wha'H buy my caller herrin'7
Oh ye may ca them vulgar fairin';
Wives and mithers maist despairin',
Ca them liUes o. men!"
The fishermen themselves are so ex
ceedingly superstitious, that when thei
boats are quite ready to sail on voyage
if they happen to meet with any stranger
whose face they think "unlucky," they
actually defer their voyage a day o.
two! The story am about to relate
has some connection with this supersti
ton.
About twenty-five years ago, the pref
test girl in New Haven was Lillias Rae,
the only daughter of an old fisherman,
who was a widower, and possessed hall
share in one of the boats. She was be-
trothed to young man-of course Of
the same profession-named Larry STIR
ling, who was reckoned the best dancer
and the smartest young fellow in the
place. Everybody thought it a good
match, and the preparations for the we'd
ding were so far completed that it was
arranged to take place after the first re.
return of Larry from the herring fishery,
which usually commences about the mid
die of July.
News arrived at New Haven that a
large drove of herrings had appeared on
the coast of Berwick and st. Abbs Head,
fortnight earlier than was expected /;
and great was the hustle among the fish
ermen to set sail to share this god send,
as in the early part of the season fresh
herrings sell for about two or three a
penny, and as it advances, and the fish
become abundant, they cheaper to a
dozen for the same price. A boat, there
fore, which is fortunate to get a good
haul at the very commencement of the
season, enriches the crew as much by
the first voyage as it does in a half do
zen subsequent ones.
Larry Stirling and his three mess
mates were among the first to get clear
ed for sea. An hour before putting forth
on their adventure, Larry visited his
sweetheart, to whom he was to be united
on his return from the voyage, accord.
ing to agreement. He was full of hope,
and dilated on the cheering prospect that
this unlocked for early advent of the fin
ny tribe would provide him with the
means of solemnizing his nupiials with
great eclat.
"Eh, lassie, what does you think ?"
cried he. "Jock, David and Allan, This
three messmates and partners in the
boat, are chiels wi hearts O. gould, and
they a. swear they'll club their shares o.
profit frae the v'y'ge to me ain, to help
our wedding feast %
"Eh, mon, it's no possible!" exclaim-
ed the delighted Lillias.
"What for no? 1 tell thee, lassie,
we'll hae siccan plore as the like was
ne'er seen afore in these parts. Well
hae the hail toun to our jinks, an auld
Mellun, the blind gut-scraper. an San
dy Maclaran, an WulIy Links, wi their
pipes, an they shall scrape an drill till
a. the rafters ring An a. the Draw
lads an bonnie lasses shall fling an ca.
per; an we'll hae beef an hammock,
wi punch an wasky enough galore to
swim a ship !'
GUIDE grant il APP
"Ne'er doot it, lassie an ye maun
moo kittle up yer we bliss O. finery, for
it'll no be abune sax days gang back
and then hey for the gold ring An
see ye, my lassie, here's summat l hae
got for ye. 1 ganged till Edinbro' last
NIGHT, an bout it frae one O. the grand
shops i the New Toun.'
He produced a necklace of bright
beads, large as filberts, and exultingly
strung it round her neck and the girl
was as much delighted with the gift as
titled lady would be if her betrothed
presented her with superb aigrette of
the most sparkling diamonds the mines
of Golconda ever yielded.
can moo 1 maun cen gang, fer Jock
an the rest are abroad, an waiting for
me. Wull ye gang wi me down to the
craft %
Lillias readily consented, and after
carefully putting up the precious neck
lace, and giving the donor don't know
how many kisses as an acknowledgement
for it, she accompanied him to the jetty,
where the boat lay. On their way they
met stranger of peculiarly forbidding
exterior, whose sunken eyes cleaned
with strange expression as he fixed
them on the shrinking fisher girl.
The moment lie was passed, Lillias
seized the arm OF her lover in a convul-