The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-09-20
A DOCK wALLoPER,

myself surrounded by a jabbering crowd of
aliens, with only here and there an Ameri-
can, it was only natural / should think the
people strange.
Elbowing my way through the motley
mob Of miners. lumbermen, dock wallpapers
and human drift in general, my quick gait
soon brought me into the center of the
communicate the Sandy City, as it's rivals
call it-of the Iron Capital of the Upper
Peninsula, as it revels in calling itself.
A lively town Of 5000 people is Escanaba,
and n possessed Of a lovely situation
withal. 1t stands on a long, narrow. pictur-
esque spur Of sand that runs far out into
Little Bay de Noque, an arm Of Lake Michi-
gan. Back OF it-back of the blue, bold
pillows that beat and break on the sides OF
it's an interminable forest Of immortal
pines.
A new town is Escanaba, as I nave said
q very new town, and yet it he's the largest
iron ore shipping docks in the world and
does a larger shipment in that staple of
than any other port on the great
lakes. 1t has gathered together in conse-
Quence a queerer combination of cos,nopo-
lites than any other place Of it's size on our
planet.
l walked down to the docks. A storm
had just passed, winding up with a water
spout that swayed and swung between the
waves and the wandering clouds. The sky
had cleared to a crimson crystal, and the
roses nodded and dragged themselves in
the August grass as I went my way be-
tween the brave green lawns on either hand.
Suddenly, sharply, as it seemed to me,
thes street made a trend, and straight before
me stretched the dark, sullen, noisy docks
sharp %silhouetted against the savage scar
let Of the shutdown sky. The smoke, rattle
and din in their vicinity contrasted strange
ly with the peaceful picture beyond-the
picture Of great ships going out and away
out and away until they sank in silence
below the radiant rim of the hectic horizon.
"'Ello, pard!" cried a great beefy brute,
coming toward mt. Hits a 'ard time
we're a-'awvin. Cawn't We set up an arr
an arf?"
What is an arr al arf?" queried sharply.
Nov, listen to that, lads, will We? Well,
he'll dawnce to our music fore he's out o.
this, unless he let's us AWE a drink" and
he laughed a low, brutal laugh that made
me shudder and look round for a possible
policeman.
By this time they were three to my one,
so, being unarmed, l surrendered with all
possible good grace. l followed them into
a dirty little dive, where a parcel of fly
freckled bottles stood behind a counter,
presided over by a ferooious female, who
seemed more fly freckled han the bottles
themselves. Before l could arraign them
before her bar their number had been
swollen to at least a dozen-no two of the
dock WALLPAPERS being of the same nation
atty.
stood treat for the whole grisly gang
perforce, and 1t was wonderful to witness the
variety of the insane intoxicants for which
they called. The Englishman wanted his
arr an arr, the Frenchman his wine, the
German his lager, the Scandinavian his al.
cohol, the American his whisky and SO on,
on and on to the end of the serio-comedy
and the bottom of my purse. when l man
aged to make my escape.
wen back to the hotel where I left my
valise. well, I must say you got Off
mighty slick" said my jolly old Yankee
landlord, to whom l casually related my
adventure. 'Them blamed dock wallop-
ers-I mean the kind you met-usually
hold a fellar up fer his coat an hat before
they let up on him"
"Where's your policeS"
police be hangedI We hain't got none
down there'll tackle one of them air chaps.
It'd Spite his pull AL a police thet'd spile
his pull here'bouts is looked upon ez a
dumfule on gineral principles"
So, being a tenderfoot, l thought 1t better
to change the subject.
"How is the iron business2" I asked,
"Good and bad"
money made at its"
YES and no. It's all n matter of luck.
Now there's my friend S." naming IL
prominent citizen whom l hardly think l
have u right to designate by more than the
initial Of his last name here. There's my
friend s., who was a big, stupid larky.
Jest bout made both ends meet at the
shank o. the year. He had a customer who
was OWN him $40. Finally s. said he
must lave his money. Can't pay it, said
the dead broke man, but I'll tell ye what
I'll do. I hev a title deed to a 10 acre
patch o ground out'nthe Vermilion range,
an Ii yell call it squar' Ill histe it over to
you.'
"'An what could / do with n pile o dor
nick out'n the Vermilion ranger queried
s.. You can't raise enough grass on
10 acres of it to feed five sickly keows.'
".Tbat's all l kin do them said tho
debtor, turning slowly away
"'kim zach here ordered s. "A
half a cheese Ia better'n no condensed milk.
III take yer plaguoned oil Ian. Whar's yer
title deedt'
"'Here It is,' said the mar meekly, an l
think ~ oughter throw In a drink 'foro
tho transfer be made
"'Wnal, b. goshl II thar isn't gorgeous
GALL It's wuth a drink to see IL. HERDS
yer bottle. Help yerse'f, an never let me-