Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-23

| after his stuffy ride had a cheering effect
and he soon forgot his troubles in the effort
| to get a berth.
1t was his intention to ship from Lyttle-
ton aboard one Of the passenger steamers
| plying between New Zealand and Austral-
ian ports-Melbourne preferred-which city
| he was eager to visit. But he was not
more fortunate in obtaining q billet here
| than at San Francisco, and after meet
Ing dozen rebuffs he gave up the attempt
| and secured passage on a small coaster to
/ Dunedin, one Of the principal cities Of New
| Zealand.
At Dunedin, a bustling, hilly city of
/ $4,000 Inhabitants, settled mainly by the
| thrifty Scotch, Paul stayed three weeks,
! vainly endeavoring to secure q position in
| any capacity on one of the many steamers
| touching at that port. His small savings,
| although carefully handled slowly melted
| away during this period of idleness, and by
the end of the third week he had dispensed
with one or two articles of his wardrobe
/ which he began to consider as unnecessary
| luxuries.
The outlook was blue. and the boy several
times thought regretfully of the circus and
his three meals a day, and wondered IL he
hadn't been too hasty In burning his ships
One bright afternoon. while sitting on a
! noorng block at the wharf, watching the
steamer for Melbourne and Sydney make
fast and mentally wishing he was aboard
her. he spied familiar figure run across
the gangway that had just been lowered
from the vessels side. In minute he was
OF his perch. yelling. "Davy, o Davyv' at
| the top of his voice.
The cause of this sudden outburst was a
slim lad about Paurs own age, who, hear
Ing his name called. halted irresolutely un-
I'll. tracing the sound. he gave a shout OF
recognition and came up the dock on a run
Hello. Paul"' he exclaimed. What in
the world are you doing here? Thought
| you was with the circusv'
so l was up to a month ago. when /
tired OF the job and quit. But say what
are you doing on the Koturah?"
working. faith. Shipped as brass trim
mer and lamp cleaner at Auckland lip
before this and like the billet first rate.
| Nough sight better than the hotel I can
tell you"
Davy Marston had been a sort of boy-of-
all-work at the hotel in Auckland where
Paul and the circus hands boarded while
the show was in that city and the two lads
had become quite intimate. Davy was a
slender. dreamy kind of a chap whose par
ents were both dead. so that he had been
compelled to shift for himself at an early
age. Bright. cheerful and obliging he was
most companionable little fellow, toward
whom Paul had been greatly attracted
fever for travel and decided to go away too,
and through the good offices of the local
agent OF the steamship company he obtain
ed a berth on the Koturah, with which ship
| he had made the round trip to Australia
and was now on his second voyage. He de-
ciared money couldn't hire him to work on
| shore again.
| Paul sighed. Wish could strike a piece
of luck like that" he dolefully remarked
DO you suppose there's any show for me
| on board. Davy?"
The boy puckered his forehead and
thought minute. Seems to me / heard
the pantryman say they were shorthanded
| in the galley. Tell you what I'll do. Wait
here while skip back and see If 1 can't put
! in few good ticks for you. Don't count
on me too much. but I'll do the very best
l can"
Away sped the good-hearted young colo
| NAL, leaving Paul intently praying for the
success of his mission. In twenty minutes
the lad returned, his honest face wreathed
in smiles.
did it up brown" he gasped. between
breaths. You're to get your kit and come
aboard right away. Cook says he'll find
place for you in the galley helping him.
Barely stopping TO express his gratitude
off Paul started for his boarding house
where he settled his bill with the last shil-
ling he possessed. hastily threw his be-
longings in his valise. and rushed back to
the vessel, where Davy was on hand wait
ing to receive him.
Half an hour later Paul might have been
seen in the ships galley, seated on an in
verified bucket, his coat of. and his sleeves
rolled back to his elbows, peeling "spad"
as II he had served a life apprenticeship at
the task. And Davy CHANGING by the open
doorway chuckled audibly at the sight,
significant wink from Paul helping him to a
keener appreciation Of the joke.
The days which ensued were full of in
terest to the young Chicagoan, who was
too happy planning for the future to feel
at all Inundated by the drudgery of mis-
aNfn pnrf lv,anr
koturah's next stop was at the BLUM, and
then the boat headed direct for Melbourne
reaching Fort Philip after a delightful run
1t had been Paul's idea all along to quit
the vessel at Melbourne, to which point he
intended having his mail forwarded from
Sydney, but his relations on board had
been so lea SAINT that when Davy urged him
to go on as far as Sydney he was easily per-
suaded.
Before Port Jackson heads were sighted
one of the understewards was taken Sc
riously i'll, and when the Koturah steamed
alongside her dock at the circular quay his
condition was SO alarming that the ship's
doctor advised his removal to the city hos
pital, where he could have better care
This made vacancy on the saloon staff.
which the chief steward was disposed to
| fill by offering Paul the position.
The temptation to stay awhile longer in
such pleasant quarters was so strong that
after short mental struggle Paul Yielded
and gracefully accepted the proffered Ga
on her return trip to Auckland he obtained
leave to so up town TO inquire for his mail
goodly budget of which he fully expected
to find awaiting him at the post office
Nor was he disappointed. Big, fat LET
ters In the dear. well-known handwriting
were given him bearing the old, familiar
Chicago postmark. half blurred IL is true
as usual. but still decipherable. He strolled
over INTO Cook Park for an andisturbed
reading, and, sitting on bench near the
colossal statue of the great circumnavi-
gator in whose honor the park is named
greedily devoured the thrice welcome
epistles.
Letters from home. Only those who have
Journeyed thousands of miles from all they
hold dear. and who have been deprived of
all news regarding them for endless weeks
can appreciate with what trembling anx-
fety Paul tore open his first letter He
laughed and cried by turns as he read the
closely written pages from his mother
which told of Madge's clever sayings of
Ediths longings for her comrade brother
of his fathers latest fit of ludicrous forget
fulness and of the hundred and one petty
details of home life. every item of which
was of intensest interest to the wanderer
Now that her boy was fairly launched on
his long tramp the gentle mother had
ceased grieving on account Of his absence
but on every page her messages of caution
predominated. AS Paul absorbed the loving
admonitions his eyes became blurred and
the tears stole swiftly down his cheeks, to
be stemmed a moment later as he read
some particularly bright bit of absurdty
credited to his light-hearted. mirth-loving