The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-12-21

AuLFORD,
l.
In 1885 / shipped 'bsfOEe the mast"
on the A drst'class clipper Wizard
bound from New York to San Francisco.
When made up my mind to become
a sailor, | had tried several Of this
worlds calllngs and seemed to fud none
suitable. l had asked counsel OF several
elderly gentlemen in my native village
as 10 the best way Of securing all things
needful during my %soiourn in this world.
They said many wise and good things.
They looked wise and good. But really
the Wordy help they offered was uusatis.
factory, So | cut the knot myself and
said l would be a sailor, 1 explained to
my male and female friends thut 1 felt
myself destined for q maritime career.
| needed more excitement than could
be got out OF u shore hundrum life. The
sea was the place for enterprising youth.
full Americans, The American mer.
chant marine needed American officers
and sailors. All heard NE aud agreed.
No dOubtit was the best thing. And |
talked on and they agreed with all my
arguments. How people will agree
with you when it's all one to them what
you dol / was eighteen and in most
respects a fool, including this-that did
not know it.
The Wizard, on which l shipped with
I've other boys from my native town,
was a frst.Class clipper. She was u tine
thing to look at FROM a distance, either
as she lay At anchor, tho trlcery Uf her
spars and rigging in relief against the
sky, or speeding along under studdiug
sails Iigged out on both sides. But OnCa
ON board aud Inside her symmetrical
lines, things were not so beautiful.
Those white, cloud like sails tore mems
fingers us, bard and heavy with ice or
snow, the sailors tried 10 furl tlIuul.
Those graceful, taperiug yards, supports
ing the studdiug sails, straiRed aud half
crushed mems backs when lowered and
tOted about the deck, There We're
wooden Delaying Plus, iron marline
spikes and other miscellaneous things
10 fling ut mems heads by those in au.
thOrity. Those COb-Web like ropes had
hard, thick ends lying cOiled on deck to
lash mems bodies.
We, the six boys, were obliged to
leave our native heaths becaupc there
wasn't room for Us on them to earn our
bread and clothes. Wewere not clearly
aware Of this ut the tine, though an un-
spoken sentiment prevailed there, M II
does In most Of the older settled states,
lhatthe young man must move away to
seek his fortune"
The captain Of the Wizard was from
our native town. Therefore myself and
tue five other boys had shipped under
him, expecting special favors. A mis-
take. Never sail under u captain who
knows your folks at home. You have
no business to expect lavorltism hs has
no business to grant 1t.
1 was the last OF the six young lubbers
to leave the town for New York. On
the morning OF my departure tho moth.
ers, sisters aud other female relatives Of
tue five who had gone before discovered
many other things which they deemed
necessary for the urChins TO carry Oh the
voyage. So they bore down OH me with
them, and l babe most Of These good
people an earthly farewell, loaded down,
in addition to my own traps, with an
assorted cargo Of cakes, swgetmeats, bed
quilts, Bibles, tracts, and ont copy oil
"Young's Night Thoughts, for the boys.
/ ate my last dinner as q free man at q
Broadway restaurant, aud then | went
10 the wharf where the ship lay. AL.
ready the tug was alongside, preparatory
10 hauling her out In the stream.
went up the plank and over the aide,
a gentleman iu authority asked me, asl
stepped on deck, II | belonged to the
ship. l said l did. "Take off those
toys, then, put on your working duds
and turn 70, then,"he remarked. The
toys went oil. | put on my canvas
pants and flannel shirt, the gatb Of sea
setVltude. HenCeiorth l was q slave.
The ship Just then was not a Sunday
.clool nor u society for ethical CULTURE.
II was bowling pandvmonium OF oaihs
and orders. Fully One.third Of the able
seauvn had not recovered from their
closing out shore spree, aud had tutn.
blvd into their bettbs Or were sprawlUd
IN deck drunk. Cargo In casts, bales,
oOxes aud barrels Was still ratified over
.ho bulwarks and into the hold. Every.
body seemed TO DO swea'ing-6rst, each
. ON his own private account, and
secondly, all In one general chorus for
mutual purposes. Many people seemed
IN command. | couldn't distinguish
thu officers OF the ship from the steve.
dores. Still the officers continued 10
turn up everywhere, aud eAch officer
ordered mo TO do some particular anu
separate duty,
The world locked pretty black 10 me
then. 1 wished there was some way out
of It, On shore the period between tho
tOremaat hand aud the position OF cap
tain was only the duration Of o thought,
Here II waa an eternity. Day dreams
are short, real experience 10 long. But
all this 10 often In youth q difficult mat
tor 10 reA'iGa.i
. There came along a short stout man
With O deeper voice aud more BOtioroul
lRth than anybody else. This WAS The
fourth and last mate. II was q relief u
bhd AZ last the end oil tho mates and Y
know the exact number OF men legitI
: mately entitled 10 swear a. me, Thu
! gentleman for d BeaSon concentrated
3 Himself entirely on inc. He ordered M
Sith a broou and sCraper Into the ship'I
, pIR pen, which no argued needed clean
l. ne, This was my Hfst Well.defhet
= maritime duty, II WIS q lower round 9
tile ladder than l had anticipated. 1
seemed In ia nature AZ occupation inott
buColiC than nautical, would lay
preferred, also, that compliance WIN W
order had not been exlGlbd Until the ehi
i tad left the wharf, because there Werj
several shOfa visitors on board ahl
! Among them two Of my intimate itlendl
who had come t0BVe the OF, There the.
: stood, 10 oil thH bravery Of silk hats an
thhiunAbly.Cut attire, COuvefBlhg o.
terms Of equality With the atst male
They could talk With him OH the Vealhe
or any subject l, by virtue 81 my IL
tefiOf position, WAS not al liberty Il
bbpAk " this p~ntAntalH ali.