Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1894-09-09
ONLY A DECK HAND.
CHAPTER I,

CHAPTER 7,
It was a feature OF Herringbouane
that the people always wanted some
thing 10 lean against.
Genth Hurley, the feet owner, was
doing what all owners do-he was pay
ing 8 smack's crew their pOundage.
They were a stalwart set Of men, with
basin cropped heads and shaved necks
One big fellow nursed on his sea boots
boy so small and black that he looked
as il he had just dropped down hue.
he was the cook.
81 see" said Genth, ''you are 3 man
short. Pm sorry about poor Billy.
Perhaps one OF you will take him his
pOundage. You'll have TO ship another
man, Holmes. Here's your money, my
lads"
de laid the last little pile Of money
on his desk One by one the crew
claimed their own. When all were paid,
aud the sound OF the last pair of sea
boots had died on the pavement, Genth
started TO put the books right.
There was tumble with the handle,
fatiguing wiping of feet on the flags,
then, as if by electricity, the door flew
open.
"Weel?" said Geuth. What is it?"
II have come," said the visitor,
''about berth-on a smack"
ITS no use coming to me, my man, F"
said Hurley. You must go to the
shippers don't ship any one"
"The shippers" said the other; "why,
they'd laugh at me. l don't believe
they'd have me for ballast. Yet they'd
have given something for a nod from
me once. had no need then TO come
like q beggar to the Fieet-not l. You
know thar, Hurley"
For the first time Genth looked up.
HIS pen dropped from his fingers and
made q great blot on the neatly ruled
page. Tom HarrlngtOn?" he ex-
claimed.
Tom Harrington was the son Of a
Herringbourne solicitor. 10 three or
four years Tom Harrington had spent
the accumulation OF thirty or forty.
Yet he had been more fortunate than
Genth Hurley, for he had won from
Genth the woman he loved.
Il was told" said Hurley, You were
going the pace. But | never thought 1t
was so bad as this. Pm sorrY."-
"Don't-don't preach; 1 get enough
Of that at home,
If the old man didn't mean me to
live like a gentleman, why did be make
q gentleman OF me? Why did he send
me 10 a tip-top school, give me first
class ideas. and then die and not leave
me enough money to develop these first
class ideas? Now, II hadn't been a
soft fool and married a woman who had
got bit"--
Genth's eyes grew harder He pick
ed up his pen and slowly drew a sheet
of paper over the ink blot. How is
your wiie?" be said abruptly.
30, Nell is all right. She takes in 3
bit OF dreSSmaEing and millinery. She
was always a handy girl with her
fingers. But somehow trade has fallen
of with her, so I'm forced 10 do some
thing. 0, you needn't look at me like
thatl I have tried before. But when
il comes TO your last loaf
WELL" said Genth, "a vessel came
in this afternoon, the Comet. Ons OF
the m9n, a deck hand, Wss injured by
the boom. You can 20 in her If you
like"
Harrington looked by no means elated.
Ii was evident that one OF the last
things be expected was TO be taken at
his word. lie had hoped for something
better-an easier job, perhaps loan.
I'm sure" he said, II don't know
whether I'm streng enough. I could
try It,"
"Stop a Minute, said Gsnth. "And
now listen. Tom. II you do 90, wish
YOU luck Make one trip, and directly
your foo. again touches Herringbourne
quay Win fad you something better.
Here is hy hand on it."
CHAPTER II.
eI4trary to Genth Hurley's expecta-
ii ons, Tom Harrington took the berth
ffe red him. A week after the inter
view in the Office be sailed in the Comet