The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-04-29
Tangled Mesbes.

Is that you, Tom p asked Mrs. Tre-' 2
earn, as he entered.
Eyes, my son." replied Tom, a great
swarthy, black-whiskered, fierce-looking,
copper-colored giant, in tarry canvas
trousers and a blue worsted guernsey
shirt-a tremendous fellow in his way
but with heart as soft and tender as
that of his wife, whom he had just ad-
dressed in the popular fashion of his
part as my son." Tom had just come
home from mackerelfishing off the scilly
Isles. The take had only been poor, for
the wind had been unfavorable, but the
few hundred fish his lugger had brought
in were sold, and with a few hake in his
hand for private consumption, Tom Ire
earn had come home for a good nights
rest.
30 Tom," burst out his wife, throw
ing down that popular wind instrument
without which upon a grand scale no
tisherman's granite cottage is complete
30 Tom," said Mrs. Trecarn, throwing
down the bellows, there known as the
Cornish organ'-"O Tom, you're a
ruined man"
"Not yet, my son." replied Tom, stoi-
cally; "but if things don't mend, fishing
won't be worth the salt for score of
pilchards. !"
"But Dan Pengelly's broken, Tom,"
sobbed Mrs. Trecarn.
'"rhen we will get him mended, my
son." said Tom, kissing her.
"How many fish had ye p sang a voice
outside the cottage, in the peculiar
pleasant intonation common among the
Cornish peasantry.
Thousand an half" sang back Tom
to the inquiring neighbor.
"Where did you shoot, lad?" sang the
voice again.
"West of scilly, Eddard. Bad times;
wind heavy, and there's four boats
fish"
"Pengelly's got the bailiffs in,
Thomas" sang the neighbor, now thrust
ing his head in at the door.
"sorry for him, sang Tom, preparing
for wash.
"And I'm sorry for you,. Thomas" !"
sang the neighbor.
"What for?' said Tom, stoically.
"Why, amt your craft in his store,
Tom ?" inquired the neighbor.
ooh, yes-eyery net," sobbed Mrs.
Trecarn; "and we're ruined. Eighty
four pounds fifteen and sever pence, too
those nets cost"
"But faint nothing to us" said Tom.
} turning different color, as an ordinary
man would turn pale.
"Why, your crafts seized too, lad
and yen lose it ALL" cried the neighbor
singing it right into the great fellows
} ear.
; Down went the pitcher of water upor
! the stone floor in wreck of potshreds
and splash and crash went the stagger
ing neghbor against the side table set
out with Mrs. Trecarn's ornaments, al
Tom rushed out of the house and up the
; street to Daniel Pengelly's store.
+ Dan Pengelly's store was well-knowr
t building in Carnlyn, being a long, low
= granite-built and shale-roofed shed
a where many of the fishermen warehousec
r their herring and pilchard nets during
the mackerel season-the mackerel net
taking turn to rest when dried, ON &C
} count of the pilchards making their ap
/, pearance off the shore of Mounts bay
: For, as in patriarchal days mems wealtl
e was in flocks and herds, so here in thes
t primitive Cornish villages it is the am
r bition of most men to become the owne
0 of the red-sailed, fast-tacking luggers
= which, for some hitherto unexplaine,
phenomenon, sail like the boats of ever,
: other fishing station-faster than an.
$ vessel that plows the waves. Failing t
. become the owner of boat, the mex
d point is to be able to boast of having 8
/ many nets, many rough-looking, hard
$ handedfsherman being perhaps the pos
l. SCISSOR of a couple or three hundre
e pounds. worth. bought or bred (netted
! by his wife and daughters.
$ To Dan Pengelly's store went Tor
r Trecan, to find there a short, fresh
colorsd, pudgy man leaning against on
of the door posts. holding the long ella
|. pipe he smoked in one hand, and rut
: bing his nose with the key he held !
: The other.
e III want my nets out " said Tom, CON
ing upas furious as Q bull. 1--WE gt