The National tribune., 1882-03-25
A WHARF RATS DEBT OF HONOR
PART I.
A CRUMB TO A MOUSE.

1t was the wet forenoon of January day,
just two years ago, when the usual gang
of idlers that hang about the ferry wharves
were delighted at having the monotony of
gazing out from under the dripping
awnings broken by the singular movements
of a couple of policemen. One of these
| well-fed guardians Of the peace was on his
knees beside a hole broken through the
flooring of neighbOring dock, and engaged
in angrily issuing evidently disregarded
commands to some fugitive concealed be-
meath, while his fellow, with equal profanity
and perspiratiOn, endeavored to pry up a
loose board further along, for the purpose of
also gaining access to the offender.
whats up? What's the matter?"
asked tile bystanders, crowding up, while
the passengers coming off the just landed
ferry-hoat stopped also to look on.
The policemen, however, ignored the in
quiries leveled at them, with all the haugh-
tiness peculiar to the Celtic municipal
official Of the period, but when a bustling
citizen, who was evidently merchant and
a taxpayer, paused and said brusquely:
Hello there, Mike! What are you after,
Pat?" one of the blue and brass luminaries
looked up and growled:
Nothing but wharf rat, zur"
Then why didn't you send in dog if
it's rat?" returned the merchant inno-
Gently. But the contemptuous criticism of
his ignorance about to be made by the Off
Ger was interrupted just then by the cries
! Of the rodent in question, which appeared
at the aforementioned aperture in conse-
| quence of a vigorous clubbing administered
| by one of the policemen, who had finally
succeeded in removing the plank. The
capture thus secured was an indescribably
diminutive urchin, with the bIackest eyes
and reddest head imaginable. As the po-
policeman dragged him into the daylight by
! his threadbare collar, and perched him,
! trembling and whimpering, on bale near
at hand, shout Of appreciative qualification
went up from the bystanders. Nothing
tickles the risibles Of your ordinary street
crowd SO much as little genuine pain and
suffering exhibited gratis.
Looking at the spectacle in this popular
and kindly fashion, there was indeed oh
cause for mcrriment. Nothin a.
more pitiful could he imagine laa
little hunger -pinched, barefoot,
ure, with its untimely aged ar
TaEe, white with despair at the cor
of the one terrible dread of its oy
life-he had been "T0ok up"
whats he done?" asked seve
man, eagerly. "Not been fighting
"The bye, is't" responded one of the blue
coated magnates, leisurcy putting up his
club ooh! he's only war'er thin wharf
rats, as lies benathe the wharvcs here, an
stales from the prQio0se schooners o'nights.
We be running thin all in now for vagranCy,
an ondacent exposure by raisOn Ov thin
going in schwimmin' every foive minutes,
widout their clothes. It's afther this divil
we've bin fur q wake or more. It's 10 use
thryin' ter catch wan O Thin felJeys in the
wather. They schwim loise fish, begorra,
thin does, and thay've more holes to schlip
inter than the eels thimselves, so they have"
"Ah!" said the severe-looking man, who
was an officer Of the S. p. c. 4. i was in
hopes it was a case for me-" And he walked
OF much disappointed.
The wharf rat ceased his low, terrified
snivelling long enough to put in plea that
he was not vagrant, but sold papers; that
he only slept underneath the wharf because
it didn't cost anything; that he didn't know
it was any harm to 90 in swimming, and
other excuses common to great criminals.
One of the officers strolled Off to look up
an express wagon to convey their captive to
headquarters. This he did partly because it
would involve loss of dignity to carry so
insignificant a prisoner through the streets,
and partly because he had a friend in the
express business who was always good for a
Fdivy" on these little jobs. The other
guardian majestically reposed after his exer-
tions on a hawser post, after impressing upon
the child that an immediate cessation of its
blubbering would obviate the necessity of
having its head caved in with club.
Meanwhile several other passers to and
from the ferry loitered to gaze at the strong
hand of the law in full operation and to ask
the prisoners oficnse. One of these was a
SlCtk anu bCHCHciCIlO VI du uptown
church, but, as he was hurrying home to
write n pathetic sermon ON the text Of the
Good Samaritan he had no time to waste
upon latter day Philistines, and so passed by.
on the other side.
Another was a great mining capitalist.
but it always made him angry to look at
people that were poor and dirty and vulgar
He had been poor and dirty and vulgar him
self once, and he now regarded all such
attributes as direct personal reflections, SO to
speak. So he stepped frowningIy into the.
fine carriage that was in waiting and ratified
off
The next citizen who stopped to look on
was a political economist, who spoke three
times week on suffering Ireland and anne
liCrating the condition OF the working masses.
His soul sicIlencd at the injustice OF society,"
and he used TO say, pausing long enough to
make shirt cuff note on the fearful increase
Of crime among children, he too went of shak-
ing his head.
And then another millionaire CHANGED by
One of those continually haunted by fear
Of being themselves left in poverty and want
some day, despite their present wealth.
And so this one clutched his pur:
than ever, and gave way TO coup
Cling women, " no were the next C, ...