Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1878-07-10
Wharf Rats.

Wharf rats are long, lean hungry
looking vermin. Did you ever see one?
Their haui.ts are between old bales and
barrels, and in holes that long ago rot
ted out of the spiles, posts and logs of
wharfs. They are sharp-eyed creatures,
and of course avoid the sight of man
kind. Your rat of that sort is know
ing animal.
But there is another kind of wharf
rat-a more interesting object of study
that | have in mind. Ii is the human
wharf rat" He is as keen, almost is
Quick, and good deal more dirty, than
his namesake, the quadruped.
One pleasant morning, not long since.
L went down with two friends upon one
of the wharves in Gotham, to get view
of the harbor. As we were standing
quietly watching the shipping, our es-
corr, Harry, exclaimed: ''why, what is
this:" and he poked with a stick At
something between two bales.
''HallO, that's me, that is :" cried a
shrill voice; and there slowly rose to
view curious specimen of humanity,
bearing general resemblance to a child
of some six Yeas, 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 clearinghouse ~
he asked. "When a feller pays for
board and lodgin', he doesn't ginerally
like to be 'sturbed; ;" and he pulled at
an imaginary visor, the real one having
probably been torn of in yesterdays
fights.
''HOw many of you are boarding
round here?" asked Harry, much taken
with the whimsical idea.
''That's telling" said the youngster,
with a provoking smile, his srimy hand
fumblIng in his pocket.
"Will that help yOu:" asked my
friend, showing a bit of bright silver.
"Well, Governor, it will reckon"
was the quick response, and never in an
old miser's face came a greedier look.
The small, cunning eye fairly deyoured
the coin.
There's sometimes dozen, and
sometimes more," said the small boy.
There's two or three slowed way i'm
there" pointing 10 several bales and
barrels. Its snug in there, and they
keep each other warm
And have you no other home:"
Il hasn't, sir. I've lived round the
wharf ever since was a little feller.
never had no home as knows of; was
raised in hOspitle, N Ipever saw no
body b'lOnging to me-"
DO you come down here only to
sleep:"
The boy gave droll, evil sort of
glance as he answered:
''We git jobs, you know. The sailors
are good to us sometimes, and then
sOmetimes-we find things"
"What do you mean by finding
things" :"
''Well, you finds 'em in boats, and
you finds 'em some fOggy nights on the
ships. There's little punts along these
yere wharves, kept oCt of sight mostly.
and there's old men been at the business
a good while, and they're the ones as
finds things, and we gifts somethin' for
helpin' 'em. Sometimes there's smash
or the watchman sees 'em, or the periice
is aboard. Golly, then we puts, No
matter bout boats-we jest swims for
it,"
''DOn't you know that this is wrOng?"
asked my friend, with an innocent ex-
preston.
'Well, we don't know nOthin' down
here" was the answer. ''We ies gets
a livin', that's ALL"
"And a pretty hard one muttered
Harry, as two or three shocks of un-
combed hair were seen emerging from
the hooks and cOrners-sleepy, blear-
eyed boys, with faces the cunning mean
ness and cruelty of which no painter,
however skillful, could portray,
Probably they were all thieves of the
meanest sort; though Bill Hiltz, who
was pointed out to Us-the bouquet
seller in summer-had a better express
sion, clearer eyes, and a really sweet
smile. Some of these boys had parents
of the baser sort. One of them said his
father was in the hospital with a broken
leg.
YES" cried another, .'he got caught
a-burgling, and fell out of the second
winder; that's wot's the matter of
him.
They were all ragged. One or two
had armless overcOats, and others fur
caps, from which the fur was worn i'm
ridges. ! never saw queerer assort-
ment of old clothes. And the pinched
faces, haggard and gray, as if genera
tiOns of sin and shame had sifted all the
evil of their wicked lives into them,
1 wondered whether these "ra;s''
ever played like other boys at the merry
old games that seem to have come down
from the time of the deluge; but when
| turned to ask, the speaker, who was
unquestionably the brightest among
them, had gone for a wash.
The last ! saw of him he had crept
down close to the water, and was dip
ping his shaggy head under, while only
his heels and few fluttering rags were
visible.
Incorporate Water Drinking.