Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1864-08-31
THE COAST churchman's TALE

fIOm Dlchehs Voc1 a wees
Good evening, sir"
Good evening. 4 fine night, this
Yes sir,-a nlceIsh sort of night. PITY
for us we don't have more of them"
The scene was on the south coast of Corn
wall where | had retired a few DAYS before
the commencement OF the long vacation, to
seek a short repose from the turmoil aud
worry of the law; leaving behind me the old
time worn buildings OF Llncoln's Inn, where
the old dial, with its quaint motto, sell
dom looked at, and still schooner needed, SO
perpetually reminded Us OF the fraii tenure
by which We hold our lives leaving the bar
rlsters, III their gowns and wigs, hurriediy
passing from courts to consultations, Tor, IN
other words, from fee 70 feeD the lawyers, in
their black dress, and with their bundles OF
papers under their arms; and the office BOYS,
with big bags, stuffed full oi-What il would
be hard to enumerate-briefs. cases, opiil-
IONS and all the other multitarious paripher
MALTA of the profession, evidently looking up
ON themselves as no mean part of their res
pectiye establishments; leaving all this busy
scene (and only too glad to do so,) to seek a
little rest and quiet, IN about the quietest
part of England. | had taken rooms in a
little village about half a mile from the sea ;
and the short walks, gradually extended the
regular hours and the quletuess Of every
thing internally aud externally was fast bring
ing me round again, when the circumstances
| am about to relate took place
1t was a fine moonlight yeuing, ana stood
gazing out of my window at the few straug-
crs still passing up and down the village
street, when = sudden wish came into iuy
head TO take u walk along the cliffs by moon
light. | had often thought OF doing this
wondering what sort of lie the Coast guards
men had of it-thosc men by whom every
inch OF England so they say, Is walked round
every night a. they pace up and down, night
after night, and year after year; and So ! re
solved, al last, To put my long fancied scheme
into execution.
! had been sauuteriug along for about half
Il mile, looking at the blue waves, and che
quered here and there by the sail of some
fishing boat, cleaning silver in the moou, CHIT
and at the long golden track, reaching from
tar away up TO the base of the clIfis-the
lootpath OF the fairies, a. l had been told
long ago-and popping 1t, IN my fancy, with
the light spirits OF the air, tripping along IN
many fantastic maze on the glittering sur
lace, aud calling to their sister spirits III the
waters below, when | was startled 10y an ap-
preaching iootstep, and, looking up, saw "a
man close to me, while the inviting smell OF
a short pipe quickly recalled me from my
fancies to the sense OF ordinary existence.
All that | noticed OF his dress was that ae
had on rough PILOT coat, with low hat,
while thick walking-stick lotmed his only
apparent weapon Of offence and defence Ia
short, it with him that the sentences
FIRST above written" were exchanged
| soon found that my new acquaintance
was one OF that very body OF men that had
often pondered about; and So having
fallen into conversation, ! walked Oh a bit
with him.
suppose you don't have much to do now
h. 4 4
Why, no, sir There's not so much doing
a. there used to be, once on a time, though |
have seen some goings on IN my tlne-Mind
where YOU are treadug, SIri' he exclaimed.
" The cliff Is not very safe along the edge,
and If II gave way you would be smashed Oh
the rocks below, like a poor fellow | knew
was some time ago God rest issoul :"
What OF him :" / said Ord any one
fall over here?"
Why, no, sir He didn't exactly fail
over, and it wasn't over this cliff, neither
but the one We shall come to next. NJ beat
ends there, and, a / am a bit before nay
time, expect my mate won't lie up for ten
minutes or so; and if YOU like to hear the
tale, though its not 50 much after all. | vii
tell YOU on the spot where it all happened
Indeed, to say the truth, ] shall lie very .la,
of your company, for its a whishtt spot and
often as l have waited there, l am alvay
glad to turn my bdCk on III again.
We soon reached the bay by the light o
the moon. After looking along the elf, t
see if there were any signs of his companion
and not finding any, ne sat down on a stone
and l lighted cigar, and, taking my plac,
beside him, began
- 1t is not so many years ago, sir, eight OF
nine, maybe, when young gentleman came
down here, as it might be you, To spend q
month or Sour town being quiet sort o
place, like He wasn't a bad-looking sort o.
fellow, and had small and white hands In
deed most people would have called hin
handsome, though there was always a kind OF
look about his mouth l .idn't like TO see
lie staying up at the Miners Arms, and
there soon got tales about the town. of the
way in which he and two or three other wild
Young fellows about here, a. there are every.
where, used To 60 on; the sitting up at
nights, the drinking and card playing, and
the wild freaks they used TO ht at But As
he always had plenty OF money. and paid his
bill every week, Ct was by l.s own wish
Poimarthen. the landlord, sir, never cared 70
say anything to him. He was a close man,
was Polmarthen, and TO doubt he made plen-
" of money out of his customer; bat il would
have been better for him if he had never let
Mr.. Henden under his roof His daughter.
pretty Kate PolmarthcE a. she was always
called. was the prettiest girl for miles about,
III see YOU guess what's comingl and many
was the glass that he had emptied j.. her
honor, and many young man would have
given much TO have stood well III her good
graces but though she was a bit of t1irt,
there was noae that had ever found favor III
her eyes but Ralph Tregarva-a likely young
fellow as ever was seen. Folks often won
dered how il was that old PolmaTthen ever
allowed his daughter TO engage herself to
Young Tregarva, who was only fisherman !;
but although the old man loved money much,
he loved his daughter more; and though |
hear there was some trouble about IL vet, in
the end, he gave way to her in this Ii WAS
not long, however, after Mr. Hendon came
down here, that change seemed TO come ever
poor Kate. She would sit silent for hours,
and if Ralph came to try and cheer her up,
she would speak sharply and harshly TO him.
and then sometimes burst into flood OF
tears, and beg his pardon, and kiss him, and
tell him that be was the dearest and best of
men, and that she was not worthy of him.
was great friend of his, and | gathered
most of this from him at the time, poor fell
tx hoe momento pendent sternitas.
Cornish for IS dull melancholy"