New-York tribune., 1903-07-05


Morburn, grocer, Cheap teasD. There is neither
sympathy nor mercy for the fisherman here.
though there is a most enthusiastic reception
for what he takes from the sea; he is regarded
as legitimate prey; is most marvellously lied
to before election, and abused ridiculed and re-
viied afterward. But through it all he pre-
serves a humble faith in all those set in au-
thority him..
"A doctor of the outports-the incident is
lated because, though it may appear an extraor-
dinary case. it yet apty indicates what has
for years been the attitude of the upper classes
toward the fishermen, without whom Newfound-
land would lie waste and deserted. the shame OF
the fair earth-a doctor Of the outpOrts was
once called to little white cottage where three
children lay sick of diphtheria. He the
family physician; that is to say. the fisher
paid him much by the year for medical
attendance But the injection of antitoxin is a
surgical operation and therefore not provided
for by the annual fee.
This, said the doctor, will cost you 81 an
injection, john
"'Oh. iss, zur.' was the ready reply I'll pay
you, zur. Go on. zurr
But you know my rule. John-no pay. no
work I can't break it for you, you know, or
I'd have to break it for half the coast
"'Oh. ay! 'Tfs all right I wants un cured.
I'll pay you when I sells me fish
But you know my rule. John-cash down.
The fisherman had but ST, no more: nor could
he obtain any more. though the doctor gavs
him ample time. sure that he loved his
children dearly, but. unfortunately. he had no
more than 81, and there was no other doctor
for fifty miles up and down the coast
-Four dollars said the doctor. two children
Which ones shall 1t be- John?'
(which ones? Why. of course. after all, the
doctor had himself to make the choice John
couldn't. So the doctor chose the handiest'
ones. The other one died.
"'Wen,' said John, unresentfully. the day after
the funeral spose doctor have a right t
be paid for what he does. But much puzzled
tits kind O. queer|
'"The Newfoundland outporters are hardy,
courageous. boldly adventurous, simple lived,
Godfearing, warm hearted-a physically splen-
did race of men, Cowards and weaklings have
for four hundred years been the unfit of the
place; they occur, of course, in the best regu-
| lated families but do not long survive, for
posure kills off the weaklngs, and in the midst
of many dangers the towards lose their lives.
Children learn to sail a punt at six or seven
years DID, and at every age they encour-
aged to play at the highly dangerous game
| (caIIed copying) of prancing about floating
| ice; the skill acquired in leapng from one sink
| ing block to another would make the trumpeted
| river driver look like laundering child. AS
men, they know their punts intimately
| a cowboy knows his horse. and they will say
| of their boats in a gale, thought she'd not live
| through ii, tday,' with the same uncOncern
that cowboy might say of his horse He near
| ly throwed me that time The race is truly
| hardy and courageous. 1t was John Butt. with
| nothing more than broken collarbone and a
| spIit forehead to show for 1t, who survived two
wild snowy nights and a day on a 2O-foot
| icepan, over which for many hours broke great
seas. heavy with jagged fragments of ice, and
| it was a reckless Green Bay skipper who let
| the wind blow the masts out OF his schooner
| rather than reef her. because he had been told
| that his crew thought him nervous mad sort
| of courage. to be sure. but proof positive for
| all time that he no coward"