The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1869-04-15

have opened them the lastre would have
been gone.
A west country fsherman's life is one
which takes him a great deal from home,
for sometimes we go off for perhaps three
months at a time to the mouth coast, or
to Ireland when the herring season is on !;
and, like the rest l used to be off in
my boat sorry enough TO leave home
happy enough to return after busy season
till one year, when took it into my head
to think il strange that Harry Penellyn,
my wifes old beau, should spin his ILL
ness out SO lonr, and stop ashore, time
after time, when the boats went out, and
him seeming TO be well and strong as any
of US. There had been heavy gale ON
the coast some weeks before, and, as we
| always do at such times, we had run in
for the harbor as soon as We saw it COM
ing; but, through bad seamanship, Pen
ellyn's boat caT9e inside the rocks, when
she should have come outside and then
through their not having water enough,
she grounded, lifted again, caught by the
stern, and then swung round broadside TO
the waves, which swept her half deck,
while a regular chorus of shrieks rose
from the women standing ashore.
1t was a rough time, for even our boats
that were in the harbor were groaning
and grinding together, while every now
and then the sea washed over 80 as to
threaten to kill them, and sweeping the
pier from end to end. In an ordinary
way we made il a custom of laughing
at a crew of boat who, through bungling
got her on the rocks, for born, as we were
! in the bay, with our fathers fishers before
us, we knew every stone along the coast,
| and almost steered out TO :hem blindfold-
! ed but this was no time to jeer, for now
| the poor fellows were being swept one by
one from their hold, and borne struggling
through the surf TO the rocks, where they
were in danger of being dashed to pieces,
for ours was no smooth and sandy beach.
Some were swimming, some beating the
water frantically and clad as our men
are, i'll thick cloth trousers, heavy sea boots
and stout Guernsey shirts, they stood a
poor chance of keeping ahoat long, as
their boots is enough to drag them down
There was every one in a state of ex-
cltement men running out as far as they
could and throwing ropes-men shouting
orders that nobody attended tO-womcn
tossing their arms up and crying, while
first one and then another of the boats
crew was dragged ashore, and carried half
drowned up to tue cottage.
Twas standing looking on with Mary by
my side, for she was out on the cliff when
my boat ran into the little harbor, while
her hand was the first to clasp mine when
got ashore, thanked for the escape we had
had, for the sea had risen wonderfully
quick. had taken no part in trying TO
save the boats crew, fol- there were plenty
of willing hands, and there being now
but little standing room down below the
cliff, l had thought should be in the
way but now it seemed to me that one
poor fellow would be lost with the eff
forts they were making TO save him. for
he was too weak TO cling to the ropes
thrown out, and as fast as he was swept
in by the waves they sucked him back
again three or four times.
1 had not seen who it was, but just
then, as made start as If to 60 down.
my wife clutched my arm, and there was
wild look i'll her face as she said aloud,
''Harry Peuellyn."
The excitement Of the moment carried
almost everything before it, but had
strange feeling shoot through my heart,
aud something seemed to say, ''keep
back but the next minute | was fight
ing with the moose of rope around my body
aud plenty of stout mates ashore fast hold
of the end while, after strangling bat>
tie, got tight hold of Penellyn. and
we were draw wn ashore, aud both of US car>
ried up to my cottage, though tried hard
TO get upon my feet and walk, but
might have known that our fellows would
not have let me on any account.
Well, Harry Penellyn lay at our place
three OF four days, and Mary tended him,
and all that time l had to fight against a
strange, ungeneTous, cowardly feeling that
would creep over me, and seemed, at
times, to make me mad till | got myself
in a corner and asked myself questions,
to all of which could only answer the
same woodworking. Then Penellyn got
better, and went to his mothers house /;
and time went on till / grew bitter, and
harsh and morose was always haunted
by suspicion that would not put into
words, though now the question came
again and again-''Why doesn't Harry
Penellyn go to sea p
But no answer came to my question )
and though he seemed now to be well and
as strong as ever, he always kept at home
while we went out and in my state OF
mind this troubled me, and kept feeling
II m fhsa
short trips of few days in length.
grew angry with myself and all around.
Ay, and l grow angry even now when
think that few earnest words of expla-
nalion--a few questions that know would
have been answered freely-would have
set ali right, and perhaps save the life
of a. good and fine a woman as ever lived
in the light; but it was to be 60; and /