Year: 1872

"eJore me ff'' nov nave hearC OF


-yn. lsavNn in Afs time; and al,
most the first that ever went down in the
dress without bell Even when | start
ed at it there were not many in the bust
ness. Father began to train me for it
early, and consequently, from habit and
experience, got to be considered a first
rate hand, and got my share of employ
mcnt.


But you see diving isn't like other
things-its not as good as fishing, even.
OF course you can't always be sure Of a
catch, but fish are alw IS salable when
you c,tn catch them. There's constant
demand for the article. But with diving
its different. You can't always expect
ships to be sinking with valuablcs aboard,
or that people should be constantly build
ing piers, or bridges, or things of that
kind, Consequently wasn't making a
fortune at the best of times, while at the
worst of 'cm had sometimes to turn my
hand to other jobs, such as shipping on
board coasters or paCket-bOats for spell
now and then.


1t was at one Of these hard times that I
had shipped aboard a small schooner that
was bound for Liverpool We were Just
passing that point there, with the tide
against us, when we saw a great big
steamer coming round the Bolt, as the
point is called. They were keeping a
mighty poor lookout on board that boat,
for though, when we saw she was coming
straight down upon us, we hall0ed, and
rung bells, they didn't take bit ofnotice.
Our skipper rammed the tillcr hard aport,
hoping we should swing off, and the
steamer only Craze our stern; but, un-
luckily, the wind fell dead all of sudden,
just for Il minute or two, but quite long
enough to settle our fate. The steamer
struck the schooner full amidships, and
cut her in half like so much cheese. |
was knocked down by the wreck of our
forcmast, which broke my leg. | became
inscnsiblc, but, going down with the
vessel, was brought to myself by the cold
water, and Contrived with difficulty to
swim ashore.


There was Il pretty fair crowd collected
by the time reached land, and by some
bodv's orders a shutter was fetched, and
] was carried to the nearest farm house,
the very one that belongs to me now.


My leg was set all right, but I took q
fever, and was very bad for some time
The farmer was for sending me off to a
hospital; but his daughtcr-that's my
T wife that is--begged Of him not to do it.
He was a wdower. and she was his only
child, so she generally got her way in
most things ] wasn't sent away By
and-by got bit better, and was able tC
creep about the house with tick, or sit
outside in the sun. The farmer was most
ly out, looking after his crops and his cat
tie, except at mcal-timcs 50 Polly and
saw good deal Of one another, and very
naturally fell in love.


1t was very pleasant time for bit, be
fore got thoroughly strong and well
But as soon as began to feel was get
be at it. felt that was, in fact, no bet
ter than a beggar, and knew the farmer
would be furious to think of my daring
to make love to his child, who was reck,
oncd the heiress as well as the beauty Of
the place.


Polly was unreasonable, like women
mostly are in such matters, and wouldn't
hear of my going away. She laughed at
the idea of my wishing to work again, and
said she was sure her father-if he object
ed to our loving one another at first
would be safe to give in to her in the end.
Well, unuckily, she soon hadan oppor'
tunity Of finding out that she wasn't quite
so powerful over her father as she
thought.


One afternoon the farmer came home
unexpectedly, to fetch some medicine tol
one of the cows that had been suddenly
taken i'll. Polly and !, never dreaming OF
such chance, were on the settle by the
frc-I with my arm round her waist, and
she with her head on my shoulder. 1t was
a very pretty picture, perhaps, for some
of those illustrated papers, but can tel
you it didn't suit his taste, anyhow.


Well, there was 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 ungrateful rogue
and vagabond. Then Splly tried her pow
ers of persuasion, for he wouldn't lister
to word from me. At first he wouldn't
give much heed to her; but by degrees she
got him calmer. AT long and at last she
got him to sit down and hear what hat
to say.


1t wasn't very much beyond that lovet
Polly. could only say hoped | should
get work, and save money, and that sor
of thing He laughed at the idea "Wha
could we live on if we married ?" Polly
\ iumped up and sai2k ka I " Gaaii - ,weu(
Vfee-anything and then she burs
out crying, and went into Mysteries. Tha