Year: 1872

Tile DlVEh - SIOh l..


was diver when young man. may
say was born diver, for my father was one
before me. You may have heard Of him
Bill Hurst was his name; he was pretty well
known in his time, and almost the first thai
ever vent down in the dress without bell
Even when I started at it there were not many
in the business. Father began to train me
for it early, and consequently from habit and
experience, got to be considered frst-rate
hand, and got my share of employment.


But you see diving isn't like other things
it's not as good as fishing, even. Of course
you can't always be sure of catch, but fish
are always saleable when you can catch them
There is constant demand for the article
But with diving it's different. You can't al.
ways expect ships to be sinking with valuables
aboard, or that people should be constantly
building piers, or bridges, or things of that
kind. Consequently wasn't making for
tune at the best of times, while at the worst Of
'em had sometimes to turn my hand to other
jobs, such as shipping on board of coasters or
packet-boats for spell now and then.


1t was at one of these hard times that / 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 great big steamer coming round
the Bolt, as the point is called. They were
keeping mighty poor lookout on board that
boat, for though when we saw she was coming
right straight down upon us, we hallooed, and
rung bells, they didn't take bit of notice
Our skipper rammed the tiller hard aport
hoping we should swing off and the steamer
only Craze our stern but unluckily, the wind
fell dead all Of a sudden just for minute OF
two, but quite long enough to settle our fate
The steamer struck the schooner full amid.
ships, and cut her in half, like so much cheese.
I was knocked down by the wreck Of our
foremast, which broke my leg. became in
sensible, but, going down with the vessel, was
brought to myself by the cold water, and con-
trived with difficulty to swim ashore.


There was pretty fair crowd collected by
the time I reached land, and by somebody's
order shutter was fetched, and was carried
to the nearest farmhouse, the very one that
belongs to me now


My leg was set all right, but took fever,
and was very bad for some time. The farmer
was for sending me off to a hospital; but his
daughter-that's my wife that is-begged of
him not to do it. He was widower, and she
was bis only daughter, so she generally got her
way in most things. I wasn't sent away.
Bye and bye I got bit better, and was able
to creep about the house with stick, or sit
outside in the sun. The farmer was mostly
out, looking after his crops and his cattle, ex-
cept at meal times so Polly and l saw good
deal Of one another, and very naturally fell
in love.


1t was very pleasant time for bit, before
got thoroughly strong and we'll. But as
soon as ! began to feel I was getting fit for
work again, began to long to be at it.
felt that was, in fact, no better than beg
gar, and knew the farmer would be furious
to think of my daring to make love to his
child, who was reckoned the heiress as we'll
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 objected to our loving one
another at first, would be sure to give in to her
in the end.


Well, unluckily, she soon had an opportu.
nifty of finding out that she wasn't quite SO
powerful over her father as she thought.


One afternoon the farmer came home un.
expectedly, to fetch some medicine for one Of
the COWS that had been taken suddenly i'll.
Polly and I, never dreaming of such chance,
were on the settee by the 6re-I with my arm
round her waist, and she with her head on my
shoulder. 1t was very pretty picture, per-
haps, for some of those illustrated papers, but
I can tell you it didn't suit his taste, anyhow.


Well, there was pretty row, | can assure
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 Polly tried her powers of persuasion,
for he wouldn't listen 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
I had to say.


1t wasn't very much beyond that loved
Polly. could only say hoped I should
get work, and save money, and that sort Of
thing. He laughed at the idea. "What
could we live on if we were married ?" Polly
jumped up and said she could and would work
at needle-work, or she'd 60 into service-any.
thing and then she burst out crying, and
went into Mysteries. That touched the old
man bit, and somehow or another, after a
long time, he consented to give me twelve
months grace If could come back at the
end of it with prospect of earning a fail
living, might have Polly. But she declared
shouldn't be fit for work some months yet
and that the twelvemonth should begin from
when was we'll and strong! So her father
said, "Its autumn now; I'll give him twelve
month from Christmas And with that he
stalked out of the room to give orders about
the cows medicine.


Polly and I had long consultation, and
persuaded her that the sooner started the
better was my chance of getting good posi-
ton. So she very unwillingly gave way tc
nv going at once: So 1 packed up my few
things in handkerchief-my bag had beer
brought ashore from the wreck of the schoon
er at low water-and with couple of pound:
in nv pocket, which Polly had insisted on my
taking of her, if only as loan, set out fol
London.


"Ishall come-never fearw said I, as turn
ed from the door.


$50 will Christmas !" said the farmer, crus
tily, as he came in at the gate just as got tc
it.


$50 will the Christmas after p said I ant
I strobe out with all the appearance of hope
and cheerfulness could muster, until wa
out of sight. Then all my pluck left me ane
Itramped along drearily enough, till at length
l saw the long lines of gas lamps, and knew
I was "a London streets once more.


They re uncommonly hard and ptiless things