Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1865-09-28

|
/ "Do you remember then ?" | asked
oh, easy enough, he replied, though
= | was but youngster at the time bu
then, with what Pve actually seen or heard
say by others, l seem to know as much as
if had been pressed myself"
"Then you were never pressed ?" | ask
ed. ......
Never myself perhaps | was toe
young, otherwise don't know how it was
| kept clear Of them. In places near sea-
port towns especially, it was nothing al
one time to have the gang come down and
carry off all the likely young fellows they
could find. Why, bless you, MASTER" he
continued, " it was a common thing for one
of them to come all by himself, and per-
haps in another kind of dress, so as you
mightn't suspect him, and, going about
among the taverns and shops get to know
where the sort of men were 10 be found
and then, returning with the rest of the
gang, carry them off aboard ship, without
a by-your-leave or goodbye to your
friends or family"
" But they never ventured into private
houses I" | exclaimed, bearing in mind the
national boast of an Englishman's castle
Well" replied my companion, q | don't
go so far as to say they would go to burst
a door III ; but if they found it open, why,
in they went and many scrimmage took
place III those days, and many a nasty
knock put nails into coffins as constabes
or crowners never heard of knew to one
case" he continued, with the accent and
phraseology Of Devonshire, ''when a young
fellow-ay, and as likely one as ever
drawed breath--was took away the very
night before he was married, and in sight
Of his sweetheart and his friends too! 1t
was strange matter that was, altogeth-
err" he added almost to himself
Pray tell it," said becoming interest
ed ..r
81 It's long story, master, and it's dry
work talking" he replied, with a signif-
cant twinkle III his eye, though his face
maintained its gravity.
SO it is," said |, " and the warm wealth
er has made me thirsty suppose we step
in here and lay the dust, then, perhaps,
you'll favor me with it,"
My new acquaintance requiring no fur
ther invitation, led the way to little
tavern | had noticed standing apart from
the village, and there, seated in the cool
parlor overlooking the bay, supplied with
rum and pipe of tobacco, while confined
myself to remarkably unpleasant com
pound which the sign-post proclaimed as
home brewed,' after preliminary draws
and pufs, he commenced his story.
You see, mate he said, becoming more
familiar in his convivality, this isn't alto
gether a story of the press-gang, as you'll
find before I've done, and it made a good
deal of talk at the time as Iremember,
though was only lad but you see the
crowner's quest set all things right and
after that it was no use asking further
! questions 1t must now be nigh fifty
years ago-ifty years. he repeated, half
closing his eyes, and pausing, as his mind
travelled over the space which had brought
so many and great changes even to that
quiet little village that an old sea-taring
man they called Captain Meredith lived-at
least, that is to say, lodged--in the house
of widow named Penhyrn. You might
see the spot from the brow of the hill, for
the house itself has been pulled down since
then WE'LL he might have been a captain
or not, don't pretend to say, it is certain
he bad bit of money put by, and lived
comfortably enough. Some said he had
been in the smuggling trade, and made
money that way. However, it don't much
matter he was we'll respected, and
though he had no wife living, he had a
daughter, as was called Ellen, and the pret-
! tiest lass in Cawsand and for miles around
| Well now, this old widow had a son nam
ed Paul, and strange article ne was
remember him. little bandy-leggcd chap
with red hair, and the people used to call
! him Doctor
Was he a surgeon, then ?" | Interrupt
| ted.
Pm going to tell you. He had been
| prenticed to a chemist in DevOnport 1--WE
used to call it Dock in those days, and
after his time was out, he had been stop
ping with his mother to take care of her,
! or perhaps because he couldn't find a situ-
| alton readily for himself. The old widow
had put something by, ! suppose, and
! Paul had been at home about a year, when
the captain came to lodge there with his
daughter. This Paul's room was at the
| top of the house, where his light would be
seen burning at time of night when all
honest folks were in bed and asleep
Sometimes he would be met in the morn
ing returning with his arms full of weeds
and plants, which he used to take up stairs
to the doctors shop as they called it."
"Ah botanist 7" | remarked.
uOH hLO" dUVuI Illut, ISpilCN III
friend, slightly puzzled, but the people
said he made pizen out of them. Any way
once when Paul was passing by the black
smiths, the dog ran out and bit him, and
the next day Paul was seen to give him
piece of bread and the dog was dead with
in an hour The neighbors blamed him
for it, and | recollect when youngster,
calling after him, There goes DR.. Night
shade ? and his stopping and saying If !
had to doctor you, my lad, you wouldn't
shout so loud Well, very shortly after
Ellen and her father had been lodging at
the widows house, it was clear to see that
Paul wished to court her ; whenever she
went, sure enough, Paul wasn't far behind,
and things went on this way for about six
months, when, one dark and wintry night
wind blowing great guns, and the sea rum
ming high, we saw signals of distress from
some vessel off the point there There
was no life boat in the place, and our small
craft couldn't have lived an hour in such
weather In the morning we saw no signs
of the vessel, and we had supposed she
had gone down, and all aboard lost how
ever, we heard in the day, that one Of the
moor fellows had escannd and thOuUh cut