Smyrna times., 1878-07-31
Wharf Rats.

mari TdLs are long, lean nungry-IoOk-
ing vermin. Did you ever see one? Their
haunts are between old bales and barrels,
and IN holes that long ago rotted out of the
piles, posts and logs Of wharfs. They are
sharp-eyed creatures, and of course avoid
the sight Of mankind. Your rat of that
sort Is 4 knowing animal.
But there IS another kind Of wharfrat
"a more interesting subject Of study-that
have in mind. It is the human wharf
rat" He Is as keen, almost as quick, and
good deal more dirty, than his name
sake, the quadruped.
One pleasant morning, not long since,
went down with two friends upon one of
the wharves in Gotham, TO get a view of
the harbor. As We were standing quietly
watching the shipping, our escort, Harry,
exclaimed: Who, what is this?" and he
poked with n stick at something between
two bales.
Halo. that's me, that isr' cried a
sArill voice: and there slowly rose to view
/ a curious specimen Of humanity, bearing q
general resemblance TO a child Of some six
years. but probably more than twelve.
| His face was unique, small, droll, old and
strangely pathetic in its drollness.
Look here, mister, what right as you
to come into my boarding -house?" be
asked. when a feller pays for board
and lodgin, he doesn't gincrally like to be
'sturbed; and he pulled at an imaginary
visor, the real one having probably beer
torn off in yesterdays fights.
. How many of you are boarding round
here?" asked Harry, much taken with tn,
whimsical idea.
That's telling, said the youngste
with provoking smile, his grimy han(
fumbling in his pocket.
will that help you? asked my friend
showing bit of bright silver
"Well, Governor, it will reckon = wa
the quick response, and never in an oil
misers face came a greedier look. Th
small, cunning eye fairly devoured tn
coin.
There's sometimes a dozen, and some
times more" said this small boy" There
two or three slowed away in there poin
ing TO several bales and barrels. 1t
snug in there, and they keep each othe
warm
And have you no other homer
Il hasn't sir. I've lived round til
=. wharf ever since / was a little feller.
! ! never had no home as l knows Of; W.
! raised in a hospitle, N l never saw nobod
b'longing to me-
+ do you come down here only to sleep
: The boy gave droll, evil sort of glant
, as he answered:
1--WE git jobs, you know. The sailo
: are good TO US sometimes, and then-som
> times-we find things
> What do you mean by finding things
y well, you finds 'em in boats, and yC
5 finds EN- some foggy nights on the ship
! There's little punts along these ye
0 wharves, kept out of sight mostly ar
e there's old men been at the business
Il good while, and they're the ones as fin
J things, and we gifts somethin for helpi
en-. Sometimes there's a smash or Il
d watchman sees 'em, or the perlice
.. abroad. Golly, then we puts No matt
Z bout boats-we jest swims for it.
g "Don't you know that this is wrong
y asked my friend, with an innocent expr
W sion.
d "Well, we don't know nothin' do,
e here" was the answer. We jes get:
Is livin', that's all"
u And pretty hard one muttered Harl
ls as two or three shocks of uncombed hi
re were seen emerging from the hooks a
N corners-sleepy, blear-eyed boys, with fat
- the cunning meanness and cruelty
q which no painter, however skillful, COT
ca portray.
frODODly tney were ali tnleVeS OF
re meanest sort; though Bill Hiltz, who v
tn pointed out to us-the bouquet-seller
ed summer-had a better expression, clea,
Ut eyes, and really sweet smile. Some
is these boys had parents of the baser SC
One of them said his father was in
20 hospital with broken leg.
Vn "Yes," cried another, "he got caught
ar burgling, and fell out of the seco
IN winder; that's wot's the matter of him.
m, They were all ragged. One or two
up armless overcoats, and others fur ca
ng from which the fur was worn in ridges.
ay never saw a queerer assortment of
ny clothes. And the pinched faces haggi
es and gray, as if generations of sin a
ne. shame had sifted all the evil of their wicl
ne lives into them
es. l wondered whether these "rats" e
ma played liked other boys at the merry
ain games that seem to have come down fr
en- the time of the deluge; but when turI
ast to ask, the r.5eaker, who was unquesti
ing ably the brightest among them, had gone
'rk a wash.
to- The last saw of him he had crept dc
IN close to the water, and was dipping
Ter shaggy head under, while only his h
her and a few Auttering rags were visible.
Hard times are plainly visible at Il
!. ionable watering places. The ladies
not appear in such elaborate toilets,
retrenchment is in order among gen