Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1865-11-29
the national boast of an Englishman' 5

lhe hatlohai Doast OF an Engllshman
castle
| Well, replied my companion, II don
go so far as to say they would 90 to burst
, door in but, if they found it open, why
, In they went; end many scrimmage took
place IN those days, and many n nasty
, knock put nails into coftins as constables
or crowners never heard of | knew to
one case, he continued with the accent
and phraseology of Devonshire. where a
your1 felow-aye. and as likely a one as
ever drawed breath-was took away the
very night before he was 20 be married
and In sight of his sweetheart api his
trends too 1t was strange matter,
that was, altogether" he added, almos. to
himself
Pray tell it, said, becoming inter
ested
Its long story, master, and it's dry
work talking" he replied, with signif-
can't twinkle in his eye, though his face
maintained its gravity
So it is, said I. "and the warm wealth
er has made me thirsty Suppose we step
in here and lap the dnst; then, perhaps,
you'll favor me with il
My new acquaintance requiring no
further imitation, led the way to little
tavern | had noticed, standing apart from
the village, and there seated in cool
! parior overlooking the bay, supplied with
/ m nd Of +cb
/ fined myself to n remarkably unplea.ant
compound which the sigupost proclaim ed
as "home-brewed," after few prelimin-
ary draws and puffs, he commenced his
story.
''You see, mate" said he, becoming
more familiar in his convivialitv, ''this
isn't altogether story Of the press-cang.
as you find before I've done, and it made
Il good deal Of talk ut the time. as I re-
member, though | was only lad but YOU
see the crowners quest set all things
/ right and after that it was no use asking
/ further questions. 1t was now be nigh
fftv years ago-ffty years p he repeated
half closing his eyes, and pausinc a. his
mind Travelled over the space which had
! brought so many and great change. even
to that little villaGe-"that an old sea- far.
! ing man they called Captain Meredith
/ lived-at least, that ls TO say, lodged-in
/ the hOrse Of widow named Penhyrn.-
/ You might see the spot from the brow of
/ the hill. for the house itself has been pull
1 led down since then. Well, he might
/ have been captain or not, don't pretend
! TO saw; It is certain he had 81 bit of money
( pnt Ivy, and lived comfortably enough
! Some said he had been in the smuggling
/ trade, and made money in that way
| However, it don't much matter he was
well respected and though he had no wife
/ living he had a daughter, as was called
! Ellen, md the prettiest lass in Cowsand
and for miles around Well. now this
! old widow had son named Paul, and a
strange article he was remember him,
little handv-'egged chap with red hair,
and the people used to call him Doc
! tor
WAS he a surgeon, then ?" / inter
rupted.
/ I'm going to tell yon. He had been
/ prenticed to a chemist in Devonport (we
used To call it Dock in those dav..) and
/ arter his time was out he had been stop
/ ping with his mother 10 take care Of her
/ OF perhaps because he couldn't find sit
nation readily for himself The old widow
! bad put something by, Isuppose, and Paul
/ had been Mt home about wear, when the
/ captain came to lodge there with his
! daughter. This PauTs room was Mt the
/ top of the house, where his light would he
seen burning at time of night when all
/ honest folks we're in bed and ns'eep -
/ Sometimes he would he mt 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?' ! remarked
Il don know about that, replied my
friend, slightly puzzled, but the people
said he made pizen out of them. Any
way, once when Paul was passing by the
and the next day Paul was seen to give
him a piece of bread and the dog wa.
dead within an hour. The neighbors
blamed him for it, and | recollect, when
a youngster calling after him, There goes
DIR. Nichtshade 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 it was clear
10 see that Paul wished to court her
wherever she went, sure enough, Paul
wasn't far behind, and things went off in
this way for about six months, when, one
dark and wintry night, the wird blowing
great guns, and the sea running high, we
saw signals of distress from some vesseI
of the point there. There was no life
boat in the place, and our small craf
couldn't have lived an hour in sucf