The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-11-09

born, and the old man likes to talk
about old times. -
Old John Torquay's house was two
miles west of the village. / paid him a
visit and found him a gaunt, white
haired pld fellow of 90 years, palsied,
but benevolent of aspect.
"Ah, no, young man, - he exclaimed,
with a pensive sigh, ''times aren't what
they used to bel What with steam and
Lloyds and coast guards it's all man
can do to keep body and soul together.
The old days are gone. Why, mind
now when the old Marathon came
ashore nigh on So year ago. There was
fine doings then, and most of the stuff
came floating in like the gift of God
when she broke up. never seen yes
sci break up as nice as she did All, we
all had our jewelry in them days, and
there wasn't good looking girl from
Penzanoe to Lands End but had her
Injun shawl, fit for the queen herself
God bless her land good silk enough
for a couple of Sunday gowns. / mind,
too, it was old Jim Hetley as set the
light that time. He was a daredevil,
was Jim, dead and gone this 40 year. 1
mind we used to call him Old Nick. for
he weren't one to stick at nothing, he
weren't. Them were good times then,
eh? You mind, too, perhaps?'' he asked
wistfully as his eyes watched a sturdy
tramp steamer churning up the coast.
The old man lit his pipe with shak-
ing fingers and then went on. It took
him several minutes to gather up the
scattered threads Of his memory: ''But
those Injinmen days, young man, them
were the good days for us. There was
one of as was all honest men. They
used to come rolling up the channel,
two or three of 'em week, and full Of
everything one could ever want He.
rubbed his Raunt claws together at the
thought of their wealth. Eyes young
man, and most of 'em wore diamonds,
and often the officers buttons was real
gold. But that's all past now-alI past
Nowadays if stiff southerly gale brings
Us a hundredweight of frewood we
don't grumble. Steam has done it
steam and coast lightE-and now they
keep too far out to do US any good. And
the boys tell me everything is going to
the dogs.
"But there was times, if you'd be-
lieve it, when the women who'd come
ashore had as much on 'em in the way
of clothes and jewelry as one could earn
in six month in the quarries or year in
a fishing boat. Why, these old hands
have taken rings and lockets and chains
and stuff of that sort off of 'em as
would make your eyes stand out, and
most of 'em with silk underwear on as
would break a young Cornish girls
hearth And the poor things would
never miss 'em, would they?" the old
wrecker stopped to query, with childish
wistfulness.
cit was the East Injinmen as always
made the best wrecks for us, though
we used to get plenty Of good stuff out
of the West Injinmen as we'll. Time
and time again I've sat and watched
'em come numbering into the channel
with a good, strong sou 'wester astern
of 'em, and then after it got bit dark
we'd set the lights agoing, and afore
morning one or two of 'em would be
down the coast yonder pounding herself
to pieces on the rocks as nice as you
please. By the time the reserve men got
wind of it and came hurrying over from
Penzanoe 1 fancy us chaps had most Of
everything we wanted out of her ~
The old man chuokIed with satisfaction
at the memory of those days.
EsYou see them rocks out therel Them
rocks is like dog fangs. They chew
right through a ship, and she's bound
to go to pieces in an hour or two if
there's any wind at all. mind one case
now-why, it must be nigh on so year
agol There was strong sou'sou west
wind on and just as dirty weather as
you could ask for, for it was getting on
late in October. Just about nightfall
we saw that Injinman coming ashore
with all her head canvas blown away.
There she was plain as day. Then fog
blew between US. When it lifted about
ten minutes later, there wasn't a stick
of that big Injinman to be seen. She
was ship of way over a thousand ton
and should have brought US in a decent
return, but all that ever came ashore
was a keg aud two or three of the sea-
men. Yes, we waited out there all
night in the rain and didn't get thing
off her, not a thingl
"But steam has pretty we'll changed
all that now. With those coast guards
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