New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-07-07
MR. BOB'S DUCKS.
IN THE OLD STDE-WHEELER.

aBed of mint on top of the piloth0use." exclaimed
the Growler in Of his rhapsOdes al, those were
the days And a quartemaster 10 see that IL was
sheltered from the sun and the salt: unto that
luckless seaman II a single spear wled before Its
time. Whereas now"-and here the old purser puhed
his measureless contempt of modern seamanshp-
why it's only just ferry boating. That's what 1t
IS; ferry boating sir7 Fancy Mr.. Pickwlck as a
retired purser and there you have the GROWER TO
the life; high forehead running all the way back'
gold spectacles, benevolent expression and all. lie
never goes TO now by any chance the romance
Is out of It, gone with the last of the old sidewheeiers
he SAYS but he Is rich and afford to growl-and
does. We love TO draw him out, when he Is in TINS
mood "Tell usn we said, " how you came into your
property. Primage Ell Postage stamps. for instance
buy 'em in Frisco three threecenters for ve cents
coin and sell 'em to the passengers ten cents apiece
and fen cents change out Of quarter How was p
"Why.s says the GROWER, beaming, "you know
he old warn of course you do every old Californian
knows about old key Isaacson and White DUCK Body
and the big lnkstandl Boys used to call me " "hlte
Ducks and white Duck Bob,n cause 1 always wore
'em fresh and fresh every day, fIOm Panama clear
up till we struck the fog-bank OFF Cape san Lucas
and back again on the down trip. Well, sir, old
1kcv had an old grldge against the company ever
SINCE Forbes and Babcock found his wifes trunk
with dollar and half's worth OF old rubbish In IL
after they'd paid his little old claim for looo worth
Of brand new silk dresses straight from Paris, never
been worn don't you understands Had to hate some
body or something for that, don't you so he hated
your uncle Robert and his little white ducks hated
,em on sight, saw it In his measly old eye when nc
came up the gangplank of the old Golden State. then
living in the bay of Panama, Waters commander
Strong Watersp the boys used to call hm-bound Tor
san Francisco via Acapulco. Hated us on sight, sir
the way men do; say they don't but they do. SIR for
a fact. Well Sir the way that old junkman followed
Purser Bob up on that trip-it was voyage 63, re-
Iap hfc
speak was a caution to mariners. At last, Just after
We had cleared out from that fiery furnace called
Acapulco-where the man sent back for his 0vercoat
YOU know-I was sitting by the puIsers window about
len or twelve maybe thirteen, minutes before the first
sitting of the first-cabn dinner, busy you please In
that delightful, recreation called making up my APP
proximate earnings when old key loafs up, gets
his fluffy old head in the light and his garlc-locker
well to wndwaId of me, and wants something or
another awful bad. and can't wait till finish adding
the column, though / asked him like a gentleman Me
[ mean, not him. Well, sir, the garlic must have
gone to his head, reckon, for pledge you my word
I'd no sooner held up my finger than he ups with the
big nksand and lets have it ali over the shop anu
| al over everything Just missed my head doigei
too quick. But you Should nave seen those WIdc
ducks Ink Why, Sir. ink was no name for lt.
Looked more like a mourning suit sprlnked VII, with
vhitewash. Shut my window, on with white ducks
lime as beautiful as butterdy-white butterfly. Old
IsaacsOh there right next to me, right hama Oh
purser, Just green Olive-glecn. apted 10 chdhre
tables wouldn't lot him; applied to Captain seth TO
let him have meals in room; no good. without doc-
tors order; Doc knew too much Ikey just had 70 sit
the thing out till got TO Frisco. Ho, no! "ell
Sir lust as the seal rocks showed on our starboaj
bow steward waits Mr.. /. Isaacson with little DILL
l. 1saacson, esq, 49,, Oh. -.
TO Steamship Golden state Dr.
To bottles wine beer, viz -
To-. Ice tickets
! To. baths 80
To l suit white duck aloo
psor 800
Stood It like major. stepped right up TO the
pursers office and settled. aid down his i've beau
| tful 800 pleces-Pve got em now, and wish uefe
was more prettiest coin ever made, especially when
vou ect enough of EN-. Are square, Mr. PurserF
saws he Just about" says l. Them says no
IN remember you in my WIZ" And, By all that's
| FUNNIEST I'm this rum old world he just did Resh
| nary egatee sir. How is that for forced sale OF
| damaged cIothing-to oIdclothes-man at THAI
Now I'm a bloated bOndholder. but I'D ease up hand
somelv on the bloat IL could have Just one more
trim lust one. the old side wheeler with Capn
| nj A.