Arizona republican., 1892-09-18
A SAILING DAY SCENE
ON THE DOCK WHEN A BIG OCEAN
 STEAMER MAKES HER START.

Is About to Sail.
 A sailing day at the docks of any of
 our huge ocean going boats is an inter
 esting and amusing occasion. The dock
 is nothing more than a long shed stretch.
 ing out several hundred feet into the
 river, with two offices, one on either
 side, and filtered over with casks, bales
 and cases of merchandise, either un- called for from the last steamer in or waiting for the next outgoing vessel.
 And the baggagel It comes down on the transfer wagons, and on the hotel buses and carriage footboards-moun- tains of it. Some of it is labeled "cabin, but most of it ''hold," and you see it run up the baggage gaugway and swung out over the open hatchway. There is rat tie and crash at the donkey engine as these American "boxes" are consigned to the depth below.
 Next in importance is the hand bag gage, and this consists not only of bags, but overcoats, rugs and wraps of every conceivable description. The inexperi- enced traveller has been told that they weigh all the trunks in Europe and charge accordingly. so he loads himself down with bundles and boxes galore, forgetting that tho first principle of a successful going abroad is to travel in "hght marching order"
 It is surprising, too, how much en- thusiasm can be kindled in the breasts of your friends when you are going abroad. In fact, you never can tell the measure of your own popularity until an occasion of this kind, when they combine to give you ''sendoff," often going so far as to hire tug and an "Eyetalian" band of music to accom- pany the party going abroad as far down the bay as the chartered steamer can keep pace with the Cunard, White Star, Guion or Inman liner, or, what is more to the point, when the ''sendoff" party reach a few of the white caps and the inrolling swell from the lower bay.
 Some friends have come all smiles and cheers, others lachrymose and full of sighs. And there by the rail is party of five, silent and constrained amid so much light heartedness and hilarity. It is mother and father and two sisters; the brother is leaning against pile of steamer chairs. and the wondering, eager look, that brilliant sunken eye. and hectic flush on the pale wan cheek. tell why he. when too late, is going abroad.
 And how many times some people will kiss each otherl And how many last messages, and frequently, too, com missions which mean an infraction of Uncle Sans custom laws at the end of the return trip, are exchanged at the last moment!
 In the midst of all this turmoil and crowding and pushing to and fro. the old timers, with their record of many voyages, look on in amused disgust, and wonder why some people can make such fuss about such little thing as going abroad.
 A fortune, too, is spent on flowers. Huge baskets, set pieces, wreaths. bous quets and cut flowers ad infnitum cover the tables of social hall," and make the already close atmosphere heavier and more unbearable yet by their sweet perfumes. To me this floral extrava- gance means a ridiculous waste of money. In day they have wilted and dropped and are thrown overheard.
 Here comes an excited group up the companionway. You hear a confused tumble between man and woman about keys left on her bureau, and you are conscious she has left the keys of her steamer trunk behind. The man fairly shoots down the gangway, leaps into the nearest cab and begins wild drive for those keys. Meanwhile the woman haunts the entrance to the gangway, and five minutes after the man has gone she finds the missing key securely slowed away in her pocketbook. Her troubles of going abroad are beginning early.
 Now that ponderous whistle deafens the ears of all on board. There are final tears and smiles and embracings, a rush down the gangwsy by the well dressed mob and then some climb on the near by cases or gather on the outer end of the dock to catch the last glimpse of the ship. Handkerchiefs are tied to canes and parasols; there is much cheering and last farewells. One young man calls out in a stentorian voice, "Give my love to MaryF whereat there are cheers and laughter. And now at the far end of the dock there is rattle and rumble and two cabs come tearing along. One contains a belated passenger, who has just time to scramble on board, the other the man who went after the key. And as the lady holds up the missing article, conciliatory smile upon her face, that man sinks back upon bale of goods, looking unuttorsble things.
 The key to the situation is plain to everybody. Now the 'planks" are down, and slowly and silently the huge black ship, that seems so high out of the wa ter that she looks like a great warehouse afoat, backs out of her dock and is soon in midstream. Slowly yet she swings around and finally squares away, her nose pointing for the Narrows. A mo- ment she seems to hang and to be taken lback by the tide, then forges ahead. The flag is dipped, then hauled down rom the aagpole on the dock and those on board are at last going abroad Harper's Weekly.
 - sjor HitehSock's story of A Close Call.
 'I was oncs sentenced 10 be blown from a gun" said Major John Hitch. cock. Il had long been resident of that land of revolutions, Central Amer