Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-02-01
THE DIVERS PARTNER.

THE DIVERS PARTNER.
was diver as a young man. | may
say was born diver for my father was
one before me. You may have heard Of
him-Bill Hurst was his names he was
pretty well known in his time, and almost
the first that ever went down in tie dress
without bell. Even when | started at it
there were not many in the business.
Father began to train me for it early, and
consequently, from habit and experience
GOT to be considered first-rate hand.
and got my share Of employment.
When quite young was injured at my
work, and after my leg began to get better
a fever set in, and [ was taken to farm,
er's house. The farmers daughter, Polly,
was my nurse. By-and-by | got bit
better, and was able to creep about the
house with stick, or sit outside in the
sun The farmer was mostly out looking
after his crops and his cattle, except at
meaI-times; so Polly and | saw good
deal Of one another, and very naturally
fell in love.
One afternoon the farmer came home
unexpectedly. Polly and |, never dream
ing OF such chance, were on the settle by
the fire. with my arm round her waist,
and she with her head on my shoulder. 1t
was very pretty picture, perhaps but |
can tell you it didn't suit his taste, any
how.
Well, there was a pretty row, can as
sure you. The old man would have struck
me but for Polly. He ordered me out of
the house at once, as an ungrateluI rogue
and vagabond. Then Polly tried her pow
ers Of persuasion, for he wouldn't listen to
word from me. At first he wouldn't
give much head to her; but by degrees she
got him to sit down and hear what had
to say.
ltwasn't very much beyond that loved
Polly. could only say hoped I should
get work, and save money, and that sort
otthin9. lie laughed at the idea "What
could we live on if we married?" Polly
jumped up and said she could and would
work at needework, or she'd 90 into ser
yice-mything and then she burst out
crying, and went into Mysteries. That
touched the old man a bit, and somehow
or another, after long time, he consented
to give me twevemonth's grace. If
could come back at the end of it with a
prospect OF earning fair living, | might
have Polly. But she declared that |
shouldn't be fit to work for some months
yet, and that the twelvemonth should be-
gin from when was well and strong. SO
her father said, ITS autumn now: III
give him twevemonth from Christmas p
In the spring shipped on board trader
bound for Wales for copper ore. We had
one passenger on board, friend of the
captains. They were share holders in
several mines, and had done business to-
gether foryears. The passeuger-his name
was Iurton-was very rich, but very spec
uIativc. The captain used often to rate
him Tor such gambling rashness, as he call
ed it.
You'll sink all your money some Of
these days as deep as the doubloons in the
ships over there, y said he to Turton one
day as we were sailing along the Cornish
coast.
What ships !-where 2" said the other.
DO you see those breakers yonde..n
said the captain, "about half a mile to the
Wlndward the southern point of that low,
rocky little islhnd2 That's called Galleon
Rect, and it is said that fleet of Spanish
treasure-shlps were sank there, to prevent
their falling into the hands of cur men.of
war that was after them"
HAS any of the money ever been
found 7" asked Turton.
Yes, few pieces now and then. There
was company started once-by some
such speculative madcaps as you-but
somehow or another it all came to moth
Ing.
Egad! | don't see why it shouldn't be
done nowadays, with all our modern div.
ing inventions"
son, if you're for diving" said the cap.
tain, " here's your mani" and he TUNED
to me. had come aft to relieve the mar
at the wheel. ! was a bit of lavorite
with the captain for steadiness and sobrie.
ty, and he Lad asked me questions, and
had told him who and what | was.
Are you a diver, my man ?" saiG
Turton.
81 believe you-John Hurst Is one Of
the best and most skilllul divers we have, )
said the captain, who then called for an.
other hand to take the wheel in my place
When the voyage was ended, at the re
quest OF Mr.. Turton, sent in what est
mated as necessary for the attempt of Sc
curing the treasure. proposed to begir
In as economical a manner as possible, anu
with small staff A couple of divers
would be sufficient to examine the reef
and see what truth there was in the report
and if it proved true, to calculate what
amount of money could be got out of the
vessels. 1t would then be easy to send as
many additional hands as necessary.
only discovered one drawback in the
affair 1t turned out that my partner wa,
diver of the name of Bleggs-a quarrel
some, Unconditional fellow, with not the
best OF characters. felt it my duty to
tell Mr.. Turton thus much, but he said it
couldn't be helped, for Blegg's patron was
one OF the largest and most influential
shareholders, and that he wanted Bleggs
appointed to the post had; and Bleggs
would nad IL but Tor Mr.. Iurton's tact and
energy and the respect the other adven-
turers felt for him.
Bleggs knew this; for, the first time We
met, he said something about my luck il
having friends at court to get me above
the heads of better men. "Well,n he con
tinued, gruffy, 'it's no odds. We shall
see soon who does best for the company
skipper or man.
In due time the island was reached anc
our work began. We explored the ocear
bed carefully. / meant to examine tn,