Connecticut western news., 1875-08-13
HUMAN NATURE.

HUMAN NATURE.
 How it Cropped Out on n Pacific Mail J!aa +.A ,'- Steamship. .. F Our amiable captain was pacing the quarter deck, the apparent picture of ease and contentment, and the envied of all observers. His luxurious dinner was over, and he seemed to contemplate with pleasurable serenity his splendid vessel, and the beautiful purple sea she was blowing through so swiftly. Finally, selecting 8 cozy spot in the shade, he ordered his Chinese servant to bring him 8 commodious easy chair, his we'll browned meerschaum, and little pack age of illustrated papers. Improving the opportunity, approached the ocean monarch. ri @ ." q is 1't.' , < Going to sea is 8 fine thing, cap | tain," I said, stwhen man has reached the command of craft like this.''
 " "Yes, you would naturally think so" he replied, "but it's the greatest mis- stake in the world" ,~.-.i 4 ,,.' s5~"
 was surprised, and continued :: | ss But isn't 1t immense satisfaction for a 1 man to find himself at the top round of the ladder of promotion, after so many I years of hard toll, from which he can command so many others who are yet eagerly climbing 2''4.':t: '' l,..,.,
 "Tut I wouldn't give 8 fig for all the pride I feel in the natter" he, an- 1 swered. ,.'The deuce of its, that cap tains nowadays are paid only about half what they ought to get. More or less Ilstealing is always going on at headquar- ters, and of course it has to be made up out of the salaries of the captains. They are always cutting our, salaries down. Things used to be different. In old times, sea captains were independent of 'everybody, as by right they should be. | Now we are tormented to death by man. agers, agents, sub-agents, and. the Lord knows what else, I fared much better when I was only first officer" | ""Yes, but isn't there quite differ ence between the salaries of the two ?' | I asked. Gul@5 @55GaI ri I'q.4 ts .. . "Not what there! ought to be. The l first officer is under no social obligations whatever, but the captain, in every port he stops at, is expected to spend his money freely, entertain visitors, be ib-- eral with the friends of the company, make presents, and 50 forth. He must keep the wheels greased, or they will break some dayQ other before he knows it., I am disgusted with the whole busi- ness. can't give my family half the money they want, and I haven't got 8 dollar to put in stocks or real estate. In fact, I'm really the poorest man on the ship" {. ;-3g.;i s,. -.:4. .'. .H.
 thought it time to change the sub ject, and accordingly made few casual remarks about the weather.
 | Shortly after encountered the first officer coming from his watch, and went down into the cabin with him, where good dinner, composed of all manner of delicacies and substantials, awaited his arrival. The opportunity was too good to be lost. 17dI -
 l. tGYou are quite young,"I I remarked, and yet you are filst officer of mag l niflicent steamship-a position to be coveted" -......-.'-
 @7"To be coveted, sir9 To be coveted, did you say ?z1! r should like to know whore that word comes in when you talk about myljob, ''he answered. "A sailor before the mast sees better time than I do: If l was captain everything would be different, but the way things are I've got all the work to do, and all the re- sponsibility on my shoulders, and the captain gets all the credit" ..-- ,.'. p"But you get a good salary, don't
 ssNot by any, means. Any land in his pockets than I do by being knocked about here eighteen hours out of twenty four. My girl has been after me for months to end our long engagement and get married, but how. can l save any money out of the miserable salary the company pays me ?'' '.-
 !" Everybody on the ship seems to be in bad fix, I said, with laugh.
 .'s Well, think I've got good reason to complain" " he replied; "but they're not all so badly off. There's the chief engineer over there-he coins money by merely doing nothing. Every time we reach port he travels with heavy bank book from the steamship office to say \ ings bank. His salary snlore than double mine, and yet while he's a snoring away in his blankets I have to face the winds, rains, fogs, and night air. as we'll as a scorching sun by day. Yes, sir, those engineers are overpaid for the little they know, while us poor, sailors have to sui fer for it. .a-.. ..... .. ',
 I concluded to interview the chief en- gineer. When found him he was en- toying bottle of ale and fine cigar, and appeared perfectly contented with himself and all mankind. G3-.n45t 5aais
 , 8"'' I'm glad to see you so comfortable, chief" I said. s'Your engines are as bright as a dollar, the old boats making big time, and we'll soon be rounding to at San Francisco. "9-" g.. a;-.
 "Well, sir, I'm doing all I can to get you there, was the response. stI al ways try to do my duty conscientiously, but it's precious little credit engineers ever get for the hard work they have to do. The captain and the other officers win all the glory and the benefits, and the engineer has to toll and sweat for the most miserable of pay" ..,..
 "That's. downright injustice," I re- piled. GA man in your important po- sition ought to get iberally paid for his services. i Why, some of them were saying, while ago, that your salary was almost as large as the captains. /"
 Yes, that's quite true, but you musn't forget that all the other officers of the ship have little perquisites that we engineers don't get. support my family only by the severest economy. Take the purser, for instance. Just com pare his position with mine. He gets good salary for scribbling down few letters and fguresyan loafs around the balance of the time. Why, purser is downright fool who don't get rich in. five years.I I only wish had his chance"
 This conversation possessed me with 8 desire to talk with the purser. He opened the conversation himself. |.
 ." My friend, never be purser,'' he remarked, languidly, laying down his pen with an air of disgust. ''Tt's dogs life. We'll soon be in port, and if I don't have my vouchers and accounts in perfect shape by the time, we strike the