Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1890-01-04

sAs.ss.s sn~sn swo " my ansamsss trsends,
who had come 10 80 me on. There they
stood. In all the bravery Of silk hats and
fasliionably-cut attire, converting On
terms Of equality with the flrst mate.
They could talk with him on the weather
or any subject. I, BY virtue Of my in
ferios position. was NOT At liberty to
speak to this potentate at I'll.
Jumped into the pig pen. Thus des-
tiny, despite our inclinations, forces
down our throats these bitter pills. The
fourth mate was not more than year
my senior. he stood over me during the
entire process and scolded, cursed and
commanded. My shore friends looked on
from afar and grinned. Already they
saw the great social chasm which
yawned between mo and them, and
governed their actions accordingly. Al.
ready did they involuntarily patronixe
me. II requires . wise man to detect
the wickedness and deceit in his own
nature. Probably I should have simi-
larly acted had our positions been re-
versed. The mate was very particular.
He made me sweep and scrape every
corner with an elaborate and painful
accuracy. He sent me into the pigs
house to further perfect the work. Twas
obliged to enter It in an almost recum-
bent position. Tho pig ran out disgust
ed. scraped his floor ina similar mood.
Thus commenced life on the ocean
wave.
But l got even with the mate. Destiny
made me my own involuntary avenger
of the indignity put upon me. BY In
dignity don't mean the cleaning Of the
pig pen. That was an honorable though
menial occupation-at least, in theory.
Cincinnatus on his farm may have done
tile same thing. But do mean the sour
rility and abuse the young officer be.
slowed on me, while l did my best to
execute his bidding.
hauled the young man overheard
about three minutes afterward, but he
never knew did it, and never allowed
myself to think of the occurrence while
on shipboard, for fear the powers of the
air might ventilate the matter. It came
about in this way: A line was passed
through hawse hole forward to the tug,
which was putting, fretting, fuming, and
churning with her screw the mud ooze
and garbage floating in the slip into q
closer fusion. My friend the mate stood
on the forechains with the end OF the
heavy rope in both hands, trying to pass
it to those on the tug. This line running
through the hawse hole aft was lying
near where stood. Some one called out:
Haul in on that line!" supposed that
the order referred to me and the hawser
lying at my side. So hauled with all
my might. felt at first some resistance
something like tugging at the other
end. I hauled all the harder. Then
something seemed to give way. It
hauled easier. heard, coincident with
these sensations, splash, loud cries,
much swearing and the yell of "Man
overboard" raised my head over the
bulwarks and there was my mate,
foundering amid dock ooze, rotten or
anges and salt water. 1t was he who
held the other end Of the line, and my
hauling had caused the center of gravity
in his short body to shift beyond the
base, and in accordance with natural
law he had gone overheard. He was
the general cynosure of all eyes. They
fished him out, wet and swearing. There
was vigorous demand for the miscre-
ant who had been hauling on the line. ]
was as far as possible from the spot and
kept myself very busy. Bluster went
below and changed his clothes. / was
avenged.
We were towed into the stream and
anchored for the night. To look at New
York city, with its many lights and its
thousands amusing themselves in various
ways, from tho ships deck, without the
possibility of joining them, was to feel
for the first time the slavery of marine
life. Emerging very early next morning
from the "boys' house," found every
thing i'm the hustle and confusion of get
ting under way. A long file of men were
tramping aft with very wet hawser.
As stood looking at them my ear was
seized by our Dutch third mate, who ac-
companied the action with the remark,
"Cooms, / put you to work" He con-
Quoted me in this manner to the rope and
bade ME lay hold of it. did so. Icould
have done so with better heart and will
had it not been for tho needless and de-
grading manner in which he enforced his
command. Most men do their work just
as we'll for being treated with a certain
courtesy of command due from the
superior to the inferior.
PRENTICE MULFoRD.