Humour Among the Father folk.

Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 134, 3 December 1904, Page 13

Humour Among the Father folk.

"It' a all through that there arrow, sir, on the Church tower." I had heard toaay surprising explanations of things from my old salt-water friend, Cutting, but tke arrow on the church tower as a reason for entering the holy state of matrimony rather staggered me. Cupid's arrow of course — but the wind vane on the church flagstaff— " How do you mean?" I asked. ' "Yes, you may look, sir, but it's right. The arrow has done the triek — put in the banns if you please. It is a curryus thing, sir," he continued, "but I ain't seen that there arrow for nigh on forty year. Yisday I seed it quite plain like, just as I used to see it when I was a, boy. Yes, you can put in the banns, for I'm going to marry Ann King. She's a dainty craft, saucy, and sixty-seven, she's good for some years yet. Why, them new teeth she g6t the other day cost nigh ten pounds, so they tell me. Oh, she's in good repair." "How old are you, Cutting?" I enquired. " Eighty-five years this spring fishing," he replied. "But as I say I can see that there arrow quite plain, and I can see to look after another ship — meanin' thereby a wife. x Why, sir, I feel quite young again— a mere boy. Why, what is it, sir?" I was lying back in my chair laughing as the explanation of the arrow as the factor in determining old Cutting's decision burst upon me. We had just placed a new wind indicator — a huge gilded arrow — on the top of the church tower flagstaff. The old one after a useful life of two hundred and odd years disappeared one night in a gale of wind. The new one was three tunes the length of the old, and correspondingly large, thus it was that old Cutting saw it plainly. He had not heard of the difference in size, hence the inference that his eyesight has "come agin," as he described it. It was a case of healthy suggestion acting upon his whole constitution, and he felt better all round. Cutting was not the only one whose general health improved with better vision. Several old-life boatmen and a couple of superannuated pilots found they could see that arrow clearly now. "It means rain when you can see as clear as that,". said Captain Leggott. "It's 1 due to the clear atmosphere — everything gefain' out o' the way o' the , wet. You see th« air is full o' parasites of ail kinds, and rain water kills "em." "I'll tell you lads what it is, it's a mirage. I've seen them to the suth-ar'd o' the line," was another old skipper's theory— "an' ib belongs to the soopernatral." Such was the conversation on the pier when the new arrow of twelve feet instead of four was first noticed. The difference in size has remained a, secret until now. The subject of marriage naturally suggests courtship. iFiskernien have a great respect for women. Perhaps it is because they do not see so much of them as the ordinary landsman — at least this has been suggested as an explanation. He is always polite to them. "No, lady." " Yes, lady," and a quick readiness to be of service to what has been termed " the sex" are alike indicative of his courtesy and his gallantry. "Has boy George been to see you this morning, sir?" And a bright, dark-eyed girl hailed me from a cottage window not long ago. 'Yes," I replied. "He chucked his sou-ester in last night," and she laughed merrily. And that was his proposal of marriage — it is done without a word. The young ' lover, or old for that matter, will open the door of the cottage where dwells the maiden of his choice, and simply throw in his headgear. If there be more daughters than one it is accompanied by the name of her who has won his heart. Should the sou'wester be allowed to remain he follows it into the house. If his addresses are unwelcome it is promptly thrown out, and the disappointed swain goes off without more ado. If the lady later on repent her decision the advance must come from her, and she h~as many ways of doing it. * " Why, Rose," I said to a girl, who came to put in the banns, "James told me last week that you had refused him.* "Yes, sir, bub I thought better of it, so last night on the pier I just went up to him and smacked his face." Then Jim chased her — caught her and kissed her for it, and in order to keep her in better order bound her "to love, honour, and obey " him in the future as his lawful wife. It will be seen that a smack in the face is in some instances a mark of affection, and sign of encouragement. No doubt it is a relic qf the days when man was ever the mighty v hunter, and courting was a more serioUs business than it is now, and the claws of the bride made v their final protest against self-surrender. A little knowledge is a dahgelous thing, and it is fatal to air that little in the presence of experts. A bishop, who shall be nameless, was spending a few days with me, and as he has more adaptability than the majority of his brethren pn the benXjh, he was soon friends with the fishermen he met. "Well, and what have you been doing ?" he asked of a little group on the pier head, by way of making conversation. " Well, as a matter of fact, your reverence, we have just been 'splicing the main brace.' " The bishop laughed goodhumouredly, and I smiled; the bishop looked grave, then remarked: " Well, I hope you made a good job of it." This pleased the men, and on the spot I could sea they voted him a good sort. It never dawned on me that my episcopal superior wasi unaware of the meaning of the phrase, and as there may be others equally ignorant, I may say "splice the main brace" means have a drink. The next scene in this little comedy is the Parish Church, and a large congregation of fishermen were there to near the Bishop preach. His "subject was "Courage," and he handled it well. To my horror in a very impressive part of his discourse he said : "If at the dead- of night the cry went up 'all hands splice the main brace,' wouldn't you respond?" The Bishop was quite unprepared for the thrill which moved and then shook the audience. His distress when I explained matters afterwards was very great. _ "Don't you mind naWthen about that, sir, you couldn't have done it better," was the reassuring comment of an old weather-beaten stnacksman, who happened to meet the Bishop next day. The incident led to an interesting conversation between his Lordship and myself on the subject of sermons, and the danger of using technical terms. Afterwards at a Church Congress he made quite an interesting speech on the subject, but ho did not quote Gorleston Parish Church. This recalls another Churchy incident. One day I was out on the North Sea i fishing for whiting. *ly companion sup-

plied me with information in regard to the most prominent landmarks. "That there church over there, about west-by-south, is Corton old church; it used to be as big a-s the cathedral until Mr. Cromwell blew it up with gunpowder!" Then he gave me other information. "Mr. Cromwell's daughter kept the White Horse Inn in Gorleston." This, I believe, was so. "Did you know Mr. Cromwell?" I asked casually. "No, sir; you see it is some years ago now, but my father knew him" well. They've 'ad many a drink together in the 'Old White Horse,' so I've heerd him say, and weren't he dead on churches! But I don't think it were none o' his fault, sir, so I've heerd my father say. It was the Pope of Rome. One grand trait of these men is their love of children. "How is the Hl' maid, sir?" I had just been to see the little one, and this burly giant with a fist like a leg of mutton, and a voice like the rumbling of distant thunder, left a 'group of his companions to put a kindly question to me about a sick child — the parents of the cnild were strangers to him, but there was a world of sympathy in that enquiry about the "liT maid." The rough Vikings have the big hearts of children — in a way they are children. The tears came to Ms eyes when I shook my head and said : "She is very ill." , Some captious critic may say what has this to do with comedy in a fishing village. Only this. _ One aspect of their character would give an incomplete impression, and therefore a mistaken one. These men are often represented as a God-forsaken, drunken crew, whose time ashore is spent in ribaldry and profanity. They are not teetotallers. They are not perfect, but their character, when all is said for and against, remains grand. Braver men cannot be found. Their life is devoid of all that makes it tolerable to the majority of people. They take hairbreadth escapes, and face what looks like certain death as everyday matters of course that call for no comment further than "\Ay, lad, 'twas a bit rough, but I'm 'ere, thank God." How often have I heard this. For these men have not lost their faith. Their language is sometimes strong, a bit of smuggling never loses its attraction, and a wreck is a rightful heritage, but their character can bear many minor defects of this kind and still be grand. Two men I knew were washed off their ship. They managed to secure a broken fish-trunk sufficient to float one but not two. "This ain't going to hold us both, Dick, says the younger man/ "An* I would rather face the Almighty than youi missus and. the kids without you. Goed luck," and he disappeared from sight. A smack had to be abandoned in a sinking condition. There was a heavy sea running. The men had to take their ainghy and begin the struggle for life under the most desperate conditions. Just as they had got nicely clear of the vessel — and those whose faces have been washed in salt water will know all that means — one of the hands cried out, "Why, we have forgotten the kitten!" There was no hesitation : the boat was swung round, they. boarded the sinking smack again, and brought away the little companion safely. England must remain mistress of the sea so long as there are men like these to draw upon. The blood of the old Viking rovers throbs in their veins. They, as their forefathers before them, live by the sea ; as babes, they are lulled to sleep, some on its bosomj all by its music. They understand its every whisper— read its humours and profit by its warnings. When the broad ocean shudders and leans heavily against the land, the true child pf the sea knows what to expect and acts accordingly. This is seamanship— the seamanship that has made England what she is to-day, and this seamanship means something more than a knowledge of navigation and a certificate in steam.— Athol Forbes, in St. James's Budget.