Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1895-08-22
Correspondence.
Can't. Richardson at Home.
DEER Isle, Aug. 5, 1896,

from point so near. 1t may seem to be
an odd remark, but the fact is your cor
respondent feels slightly embarrassed in
being at home. No doubt that will wear If,
| but when one has almost continually been
shaking hands with the world for three
quarters OF his lite, he may well be some
| thing OF a stranger in his own land.
1t may be easily understood by the
many who spend their lives in sight of
the land marks OF home that they feel
"lost" when occasion finds them in un-
familiar places; so also may the profess
ional wanderer feel uncomfortable when
meeting at home younger generation of
relatives whom he cannot call by name.
But notwit hstanding the embarrassments
OF this kind, ii is good to be at home, and
Il pleasant diversion, after all, to get &C
quainted with ones own family and the
neig bors.
On my way home the mate OF the
steamer MT. Desert, " no was once
Sunday schoolmste Of mine, told me that
| was doing right; that ! ought to come
home whenever can and have good time;
that 10y and by will either be drowned
or die of fever III some distant place, and
that | had better make the best of things
in he meantime. That was good honest
advice and sincerely appreciated.
l lately had the pleasure OF travelling
from New York to Maine in the company
OF your occasional correspondent, the
genial and good hearted Capt. John
Kane | don't quite believe that John
ever really talked any one to death-that
Is, where be could possibly help it.
This town Is full OF dudes and big
sleeves native and foreign. Many OF
the latter are descendants OF former resi-
dents-sons and daughters OF the boys
who, with me, stubbed their bare toes on
the loose stones of the oden roads, and
stole apples from the trees that are now
in barkless and barren dotsge. Beside
these are many visitors who first came as
strangers, and now they come and come
again, as the seasons come and go and
come again,
! regret that We We're gone to the fish
ing banks when the local editor was in
wn-wish he could have been one OF
1
two from the city of Brewer. Before
starting told the latter gentlemen that
We must have Capt. Weed that he could
tell them more lies in fifteen minutes
than l could in a day; not disclaiming
any willingness on my part, but feeling
obliged to acknowledge Capt Weeds
greater abilities.
After we got started they repeated my
remarks to the subject OF them. That
seemed to throw the genial captain
square sails OF romance all in the wind,
and the most that he did WAS to catch
large cod twhile we caught small had
dock and tell stories about me-stories
that in older life one may wish o forget.
Gapt Weed has sailed pretty much all
over the world, and never drank a glass Of
liquor in his lIfe. Heonce told me OF be-
ing ON Wild part OF the sou west coast
OF Africa. He rugged a set Of high stan
ch3ons all around the ship, and every
night bent a roll OF hen-wire on them SO
that the canabalistic natives could not
crawl on board and eat all hands On
our fishing trip the steamers rail was very
low. and | suggested that his one-time
cam bal hen fence would be convenient.
He disclaimed all knowledge of ever hear
ing of any such armor, which goes to
show how ungrateful man can be as to
so far forget that wire hen netting had
one time nightly guarded him against
becoming a side dish al barbecue.
As you lately mentioned, this place
"keeps a proud and anxious eye on the
Defender The anxiety does not arise
from any doubts Of the ability and
energy OF the crew that has been chosen
here to maintain the fact that America
can still produce as able sailors a any
other nautical country in he world. 1t
is true that we have smaller number Of
native seaman, compared to our maritime
interests, than any OF her country; but
what we have are far and away superior
to those Of other ma, ions
| have been dependent upon sailors
long enough to know which are he best
and most reliable The plain reason why
our men are superior lies in the simple
fact that no American boy ever goes TO
sea without hope and eNpeetetio ION Of be-
coming an able commander As early in
life a. it may be possible; while the ma
jority Of boys sailing from he old coun-
tries never expect or hope to get higher
than bo'e'n or secondmate, II, indeed,
he looks beyond becoming the best
GROWER in the forecastle. We, therefore,
have nearly no men at all who are pro
fessionala common sailors-they are only