Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-02-28
A Sunday sketch ut the Wharf-What
the ShuCkefs Earn.

Sunday morning at the oyster wharf it is late
before the PUNCHES are opened for business. The
men on the boats, after putting in a hardSweek's
work, are glad when Sunday morning comes.
Then they can sleep late, and some OF them can
sleep all day. for there are captains who will not
open their boats on sunday. II is late In the MORN
ing when the smoke is nrst seen curling up from
small stove-pipe through the cabin door and the
cook appears and begins to prepare the breakfast.
The cooking is soon done, for there Is great
riety of food, nor are there any fancy dishes to
prepare. Breakfast over, the hatchway Is opened.
Tnen the colored and white shuckers begin TO APP
pear, to pick up an odd job soon persons can b
seen strdgg Ing toward the wharf from all drec-
tons with till buckets The shuekers strive to get
the first customer, and frequently they quarrel
over the first Conner but they So dom come TO blows.
Ate an hour or more every Shucker has had job
and has change In his pocket. Then some OF them
begin 10 drink, and before the second hour has
passed several OF them Will show the effects Of
liquor.
at the wharf, and customers enough to keep the
shuckerS busy for a time. When The rush
over crowd OF shucAers were ,ting Oh pie OF
shells enjoying the sun. ch told his yarn, and
the question was asked, "Wnat is the best thing
In the worid?"
whisky" answered the first
"No, indeed" said another; money is the best
thing, because II you have the money you can get
you arr both wrong said another. "a good
"No. SIR said the one who asked the question;
81 Know something that can beat good wife.
Then the shuc;ers began guessing, and every
mixed and straight dnnk Imaginable was men,
toned but the mo, was given each time.
We'll, what is IL that can beat good wife,
"a drunken husband" answered negro they
called .sBilL"
You take the cake, Ein," said one of the crowd,
who was willing 10 pay for the drinks.
you talk about your good vile" said a short,
thtck-set man; 81 amt never goin' ter get mar
ried"
.why?"
Because one day, When me and the girl made
up our minds TO get married, gave her dollar to
get ther license with, and instead OF buying the
license she stopped Ia the Police Cote and got a
warrant FOR me and kept the dollar"
"Iiow much do shuckeTs make day?" asked q
STAR reporter OF one OF the shuckers.
THAT depends entirely upon the shucker," he
answered. "If the shucker is good one he can
make from two to five dollars II business Is good
When we shuck for dealers are paid by the
gallon. sometimes we receive as high as 70 cents
Tor shucking gallon, and then, again, we are not
paid SO much When we shuck for persons on the
wharf, who only purchase bushel for family use
we usually charge % cents, but then We often
have TO wait sometime between jobs, and in that
way we DO not make as much as when we Shuck
Tor dealers sometimes, OF course, we catch a
customer who will not pay more than 20 cents
and II business IS dull some snuckers Will take
1ob at even less than that. sundays usually our
best days, Tor then we catch gent .enen no buy
buShel or so OF oysters and want them on the
half-shell We pay the FISHERMAN for the oysters
ana then charge what we please for them. Ii
there are four or five men 10 eat them we Will
charge them, say - cents each. They are useu 10
eating oysters in restaurants and, OF course pay
ing good prices for them. They think that our
pr.ce Is cheap 2 nd in that way we manage TO make
double our regular paw, and the oysters they leave
We shuck Tor ourselves. In the course or the day
we manage to pick up few left over oysters. and
when we are ready TO 90 home we have good
mess OF oysters 10 carry with US