Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1886-09-17
PLEASURES OF THE sTEERAGE.
Experiences of Two Young Men an
Ocean demonstrating Food.

Ocean demonstrating Food.
"The rates for first-class passage to
Europe and back have fallen 80 low that
l would forego the pleasure of crossing
in the steerage again, said a friend to a
reporter the other day.
did you come as steerage passen-
ger?" asked the reporter.
"Yes, l was hard up last summer and
| had to either try the steerage or swim.
My friend Jim H. was with me, and we
are not likely to forget our experience.
1--WE boarded the ship at Havre with a
fine crowd of Italians, French, Germans,
Swiss, and representatives of every other
nation under the sun. Our bedroom
was below decks, fifty by twenty feet in
size, containing some 200 hunks in
double tiers, one above the other, and
separted bunk from bunk by Stat. A
few hours after leaving port, when we
began to think of our supper and to
wonder what the bill of fare might be,
bell was heard. We rushed down the
gangway in good spirits, but no signs Of
the feast were visible. A bare pine table
was in the center of our bunk room.
Twenty-four of us surrounded it. The
The remaining 275 sat perched upon the
hunks like hungry vultures. The steward
now showed himself, with bell in hand,
and invited us to be seated. We finally
learned we would have to divide into
squads according to the location of our
hunks. To a squad were given two
tickets-one for wine and coffee, the
nth 20 I'll
bearing the number of persons in the
party. We were also allowed two pans,
one deep and the other shallow. and
with these two of us were told to get
from the kitchen rations for the squad.
Jim and | failed to grab a tin cup, iron
fork and spoon when we had a chance,
and as these articles were scarce were
compelled to eat with our pocket knives
and from a saucepan in common with a
fat German until we hooked these luxu-
ries from our neighbors.
"The delegates sent to the kitchen for
our first meal, after waiting for an hour
were sent away rejoicing with stew
composed of odds and ends of meats and
vegetables, immersed in thick, brown,
uninviting gravy. You can imagine
that the menu was not very appetizing
to delicate stomach. really envied
the two comely girls at our table, for the
first mate took such fancy to them that
not only their lodging places but their
food was very much improved. For the
next few days we We're too sick to use
what we got. After that Jim and lost
considerable flesh, until a couple of Eng
lish rascals taught us to help ourselves
to the cooks or bakers supplies, when
we formed quite a successful confed-
eracy. \ way of loating around the
kitchen resulted in numerous gains of
boiled potatoes. A large leg of mutton
was one days booty; a couple of broiled
lamb chops and mashed potatoes were
another's. OF course it was necessary to
make some very quick and stealthy
grabs. The pastry cook once lost three
large round cakes at three separate raids
within half an hour. The last two days
were good for this sport, as the pastry
cook was then some distance from his
room busy stirring ice cream. Just OPP
posite this pastry-room was the bread
cooks room, at the window of which
divert his attention from the real game,
the rape of the cake opposite, Jim at one
time pretended to grab some bread while
another of our band carried off the prize
we were after. So much running around
after food and only getting half enough
then made us somewhat weak, ami we
were glad to lie down upon any con
venient spot regardless of the dirt of the
deck.
For six nights of our voyage SLEPT
on deck, as | objected to a bed already
filled with life.
Il must say word about our compagn-
ons de voyage. Werner, ruler of the
so-called Werner gang was in charge
of party from the Romansch valleys
of Switzerland. His subjects took hi!
lordly manner very meekly. AT mea
time their ruler presided over the gang.
meat and soup dish and dealt out tn,
portions according to his own pleasure
Though he was rough and could sweal
, roundly at them, he was very just. H,
was particular favorite with tn,
women, old and young. Good look
aided him here a bright eye, a jolly
laugh, curly brown hair, rosy cheek
and powerful frame.
Among the English gang were
t Harry, familiarity called the Bloody
Joker, younger son of a lord, likel,
enough, but who had gone to the devil
Pat, a representative son of Ireland
and 'Greenhorn Jack, a fellow of 9
years, trying his luck in foreign land
who was the funniest looking fellow
ever saw. His eyes were mere peel
holes, his nose was tipped up so mucl
that the bridge was lost sight of, hi
4 mouth constantly stretched with grin
displaying teeth of only half the ordin
airy length A brown, stubby chin bear
, did not increase his good looks. A ha
of "a style several years back was
target for the playful and rough wit G
e his messmates. The poor fellow merel
grinned at the rough jokes played o
him. He was rather quiet, probabl
: homesick, for he had little money an