Telegram-herald., 1888-01-01
NIGHT ON THE DOCKS
SHADOWS THAT CONC AND VANISH
Ths Goasly Iif< OF Ds<k watch nss sna
the oassr Nsys of ths kszazF<Hsis
Characters ~ he reausat tbs
Docks sftex DARK

I1o1 0f " 60 vent -ss1l- sttcSt q rtt01 tcf
spprcAehs-d tAs wharf buildings. and peered
Ia as ~Eud0s through which light was
shining IA the rooln seated In an arm
chair. uniformed. his cap On hs head, a Ian
terra closs beside him, Was the wstchman
A sharp rap on the dor startled hin, and
ias1lncLiysly be seized the lantern and came
cut
AS the reporter Withdrew the wstehman
he'd his lantern high up in the air and psered
around as the Of timber and rubbish,
then closed the door aud returned 70 his
shelter.
At an adjoining wharf canal barge
swaysd gently on the waves Attracted BY
a cheerful hgkt which shone from its cabin
window. the reporter went toward IL. Ths
room was tastefally furnL.lsd with the ordi-
nary comforts II chamber. It was a suite
CT apartments gathered together IN space
about nine feet square A kettle boiled
cheerily on the small stove In one corner, a
rairror in gilt frame hung from the ceiling,
marine chronlos decorated the walls, little
white curtains adorned the windows, and a
canary luttsred about in . cage hanging in
the center ef the cabin
Tho reporter tapped on the window, and
thin, lanky boy who was whittling beside the
stovs got up, thrust his nose against the win
dow pan0, then climbing the companion way
raised the hatch and appeared head and
shoulders above the cabin. A few inquiries
s.,ysloped the fact that the barge was named
Mary Jane, and that she carried lumber up
the Erie canal
sAre you all alone on boardF He replied
with slow nod Of the head
Are you the captainF
Nav, dads gone ashoor,- he answered
II.
peared beside the boy and a whispered con-
florence enSaed.
''Ars you the captains wife, madamgn
asked the reporter.
Il reckon So" replied the woman angrily,
s'bgt what do you want 10 know forl Suth-
in's wrong, | guess" and pained expression
passed over her face as she looked with long
ing eyes toward the lights and the city in the
distance. In spite Of ASSURANCES, her anxiety
aroused by the questions ;.sked became
greater.
Now If suthirs wrong, why don't We tell
meln she pleaded. 81 know suthin's the mat
ter. I'm sure on it, Why don't We tell me!'
Nv hat is wrongl" asked the reporter.
"Well, We see my husband went ashore this
nornin' specting to return at noon, and he
sil't hack yet
Il was usless to ask further questions; the
woman was inconsolable, and refused TO an
Ever any. The reporter withdrew, leaving
the two figures outlined against the sky-the
wife looking anxiouslJ toward the city, the
boy watching the lights on the river, while
the cabin within Was desolate
On the Wilson line steamship docks little
man leaned lazily up against a post, putting
huge clouds of tobacco from pipe and gaz-
ing sclennly at the boards.
Pretty quiet around hereI" said the re-
porter.
Yes Sonethin' Ike a graveyard to-
night" replied the man in deep, sepulchral
voice, his eyes still fixed on the ground. Il
was watchin' the rats scanpsrin' about there.
Hin, They're hsvin' a high old time to
night; none Of the mems workn' ye see, and
they're undistrrbed7
4 stout. muscular man clothed in pea
jacket and sou'wester, sauntered slowly up
and down the dock, humming the "Girl left
behind me" in grutf, unmusical voice
'.Wuz that two bells, nateF he inquired of
the solemn individual
''One bell replied the watchnan-
"Good night for suicides" suggested the
reporter
"Yes, or even a murder" continued tho
wnfchnan. gloonily. There's been many
around here night times"
''Do yon generally attempt rsscuei'
''Of course We do. Who else would IL we
didn't You see we're 50 usei to it that we
understand al the sounds and noises around
here. We can tell the difference between q
dash Of the wavo and the spiash OF suicide.
Why I could asetect the sii ghtest footstep in
auy part Of this dock. Do You hear thatsr
low, piaintive sound like the moan OF
some one in distress echoed near By. 'Nos,
thai sounds Ike grcsn, but It amt; its the
wind There, hear taatl That's the side Of
some ship scratehia' alongside fHe wharf.
Some time age a SELDOM keeper had troHbIe
with his wife he took duckis', and when
We fsbes him eut he thsnked rs. took car
and vert home No ore wss the wiser 'ceps-
iRx ourselves. Pretty woueA-trsfnFs, brs: "a
do.Sn bankers. lovers. bv1s. ali kisss drsss
ossr the side here into she river At sight, sad
no generally fishes EN- cut"
Don't you r-oHt tssss cases TO the
poIicer
we amt obliged To. cause we amt officers
- ms law Thaa we dop's sfs@s sse a police
asaa absrs Fourteenth street. Its too quist
, fsr ga. guess.
S.-hoon-s All small craft were anchored
slsag-sid- the ~hsrveS. vail> lights skens
, froaa the cabin winssws and their columns
81 sr-oke poured frsn tbs small chissseys on
, sb~ hargs~. Afsrsxfed by light which hang
, frsa ssort rnsSt driftiEg about 10 Ina wed
tse reporter walked to tae end Of q wharf
and fourd cznsl boat lyins few yards
, from the end solitary man paced the
, de- -1daavoriuE IN every vsy 20 dsdSe the
e0sA ~isd Ia reply to iadssriss ss - wbai
, was on bosra the sssa sh0atsd in answer:
"Tufhis rm light"
'tfoug 20 start
"Yss. in hair sn hour; waitin' fer q steam
tux ao~-
!. Two rough looking men wsrs waking
! aioasz "a tf@ darkest portion of the read and
! tslSinz in ssbds-i ~oics~. VIXEN sui3cniy
tkey s7seed out ef ssght Presently they
; ezs-zsd o. To- Deserted deck ef hsrgs.
.fii th.r- vast dys want stoased one
seei-a 80 rrooTter '.Nntaia. eht Wen
tase if aa5 e. ther - = th. sar1e sirns 70
ia-,fn- kss rae he si~srp~sr-d ov-T the sid.
cf tse herge apparently into tas rfvsr. A
us,.ssut Gs1sr ae6 rcwsoat si1sd out n
~ sip ziss Two r1en IN t. Tsey roV-i
ees 10 tna &cxs a1d sfees II toward
, nt1rn
"ai~-r ri~an-s. I E-1-@s Whispered 4
-rse, 50, - Sic rsraf s@r The riv-r crsfi
, p.a $50 s1ser h<t movlag 10 AZ d.rec
tess nstes z n.l-uter- a1d sEeTce -
earz7 ntere lzn eressIv- every zEecHefE t,a~1
VS. trsa ~. aVer tEe rfins1srr q oi<ssa'
Ehas aoS = x~atif r~sy as S97.e eveT -
serr t1 t4e4 50 zer fT'
saeaee 81 ~ trse. tssa 80 S~;sr6 4
rss~snr sas sae s.gss - harry
f-rss So tssf zat - - dec<s haj
paSse4 - ers sg@1snS Ssa