The Princeton union., 1891-10-08


had failed 1t proved to be an honest
failure, and both families were beg
gars.
| counted my pocket-book from
cover to cover. had just enough to
leave free of debt and get to Liver
pool. How to cross? Well, swim, if
necessary.
In the Liverpool steamer was an
old Harvard College mate. This en-
barrassed me. He owed me a grudge
from the football days at Berkeley
Oval. An Englishman seldom for
gets.
Determined to work my passage
over, | entered what supposed was
not the office where my old competit-
or was manager. l did not see him, but
lie must have caught sight of me.
was surprised with the promptness
with which was told to go on board
the c., and something would be
found for me to do. r..
Two days out was called to the
captains own room, insulted with the
charg>, first politely put, OF being a
stowaway, and finally stung to mad
ness bitter enough to obey silently
when the officer said, eff you really
don't want to steal your passage, go
report to the engineer, and Shovel
COAL"
This 1 did. My experience Iwant to
describe. It is common enough
to hundreds of poor scamps
this very moment all over the
seas. But, Heaven pity them, they
have not the tongue to tell. nor, per-
haps, always the sensibilities to feel,
what their life really is.
Dizzy already with the tossings OF
the sea, l staggered down those series
OF iron stairways till I stood at last
on the ships lowest deck. Behind me
were the vast bunkers OF coal that
glstened from a million eyes when the
furnace doors were opened and then
faded out OF sight. Before me the
huge pillows of flames rose, not silent,
but roaring monsters so hungry that
the pigmles who fed them jumped to
their task until the sweat rolled from
their bare backs. The heat was to
one descending from the pure breath of
the Atlantic something fearful. Twas
dressed in my ordinary attire, and
even an overcoat at that, so precipi-
tate had been my action. The smell
OF baking lubricants and red-hot iron,
the dead air, poisoned with coal gas
and bllge water odours, the dust, de-
spite all showering, but most OF all
the sudden transition from white
light to BLACKLIST darkness, momentar-
lily proceeding, as this and that fur
mace door was opened and shut, al
most felled me to the floor.
AS | stumbled and caught my hold
onthe stair rail again, the hardy fef=
lows shouted, "Give US your shilling
and 60 back!' supposing that was
a curious passenger seeing the sights of
the ship.
The voices OF derision aroused me-.
| was no passenger. Twas an honest
beggAr like the rest, and here l was
to he imprisoned for a. week, watch
on and off! ,s<<te r, ~+
In a frenzy tore off my clothing
TIL l stood in my trousers and shoes
like my fellows. l stated my hiring to
the fellow in charge of the watch, and
hegave me my shovel with a pitying
laugh.
l was put at the boiler nearest the
stair. The midships would have been
q less dangerous spot, but leaped at
tie hardest of the task.
My head grew dizzy. I pant
ed for a full vital breath The
corrugated flooring, polished till it
was glossy smooth in spots, tangled
my poor feet SO that / repeatedly
fell. All, that sense OF whirling, whirl-
ing, whirling! How little the fair folk
in the cabins know OF all this plutonic
hole beneath their carpets.
Really, | thought Icould describe
somewhat the lurid fantasia amid
these scarlet-skinned, good-natured
demons, but I cannot. Vertigo struck
me down III less than half hour.
The next knew was being revived
in the companionway, and the sea
air was SO greatful. The. ships sur