The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1893-01-25

Atihe first sight Of Truth.
The Gibrontus, of the Hot Cross Bun
Line. was at one time the best ship of that
Justly celebrated fleet. All steamships
have. of course, their turn al the head
of the fee, until a better boat is built,
but ,hu Gibrontus is even now a rea-
sonab v fast and popular boat. An ac-
cident happened on board the Gibron-
tus some wears ago which was of small
Importance to the general public, but of
some moment to Richard Keeling-for
IL killed him. The poor man got only
q line or two in The paper when the
steamer arrived AT New YORK, and then
they spelled his name wrong 1t hap,
pened something like this: Keeling
was wandering around very late at
night. when he shou d have been in his
bunk, and he stepped on a dark place
that he thought was solid. AS it hap
peped. there was nothing between him
and the bottom of the hole but space.
They buried Keeling at sea, and the
officers knew absolutely nothing about
the matter when inqulsltive passengers,
hearing rumors, questioned them. This
state of things very often exists both
on sea and land, as far as officials are
concerned. Mrs. Keeling, who had
been left in England while her husband
went TO America TO make his fortune
and tumble down a hole instead, felt
aggrieved at the company. The com
pany said that Keeling had no business
to be nosing around dark places on
the deck at that time of night, and
doubtless their contention vas just.
Mrs. Keeling, on the other hand, held
that a steamer had no right TO have
such mantraps OPEN at any time, night
or day, without having them properly
guarded, and in that she was also prob
ably correct. The company was very
sorry. of course, that the thing had &C
CUR ed, but they refused to pay for
Keeling unless compelled TO do so by
the law OF the Land, and there matters
stood.
No one can tell what the law of the
land will do when it is put in motion
although many people thou ut that if
Mrs. Keeling had brought a suit against
the Hot Or, 80 Bun Company she would
have won it. But Mrs. Keeling was a
poor woman, aud you have to put a
penny in the slot when you want the
figures of Justice to work, 6 % the unfor-
tunate woman signed something which
the lawyer of the company had written
out, and accepted the few pounds which
Keeling had paid for Room Is on the
Gibrontus. 1t would seem that this
ought to have settled the matter, for The
lawyer told Mrs. Keeling he thought
the company acted very generously in
r~efuuding the passage money; but il
didn't settle the mater. Within a year
from that time the company volunta'
rily paid Mrs. Keeling 92,100 for her
husband.
Now that the occurrence is called tc
your mind you will perhaps remember
the editorial one of the leading London
dailles had on the extraordinary cir.
cumstance, in which il was very ably
shown that The old sayings about cor
porations having no souls to be con,
demued or bodies to be kicked did no,
apply in these d AVS Of commercial honol
and integrity. 1t was a very touching
editorial, and it caused tears to be sheC
on the Stock Exchange, the member,
having had no idea before reading il
that they were so noble and generous.
How, then, was it that the Hot Cross
Bun Company did this commendablt
act when their lawyer took such pains
to clear them of ali their legal liability
The purser of The Glblontus, who j.
now old and superannuated, could pro
badly tell you if he liked.
When the negotiations with Mrs
Keeling had been brought to a s~atisfac
tory conclusion by the lawyer of TIT
company, and when that gentleman
Was rubbing his hands yer his easy
victory, the good ship Gibrontus wa
stesmlug out of the Mersey on her wa,
10 New York. The stewards in thu
grand saloon were busy getting thing
in order for dinner, when a wan ant
gaunt passenger spoke to n of them
where have you placed me at ia
ble?" he asked.
"What name, sir ?" asked the ste "
ard.
"Keeling."
The steward looked up along tn
main tables, up one side and down tn
other, reading the cards, but nowher
did he find the name he was in searcl
of. Then he looked at the small tables
but also without success"
How do you spell it, sir 2" h,
asked the patient passenger.
"K-double Ell i n.g."
"Thank you, SIR"
Then he looked up and down the fou
rows of names on the passenger list b
held in his hand, but finally shook hi
head.
81 can't fud your name on the pas
senger list" he said. "I'l speak t.
the purser, sir"
~ wish you would" replied tn
passenger, in a ~lislless way, as if h
had not much interest in the matter
The passenger, whose name was no
on the list, waited until the steward re
turned.
Would you mind stepping into tn
purser's room for a moment, sir? II
show you the wav, SIR"
When the passenger was shown int
the purser's room that official said t
him in the urbane manner of pursers:
might look at your ticket, sir?"
The passenger pulled out a Ion
pocket book from the inside of his coat
opened it and handed the purser tn
document it contained. The purse
scrutinized it sharply aud then referre
~ 49,