Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-01-23
A DoCE wALLOPER.

myself surrounded by jabbering crowd OF
Aliens with only here and there an Ameri-
can, it was only natural should think the
people strange.
Efbowing 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
community-of the Sandy City, as its rivals
call it--of the Iron Capital of the Upper
Peninsula, rs it revels in calling itself.
A lively town of 5000 people is Escanaba,
and one possessed of lovely situation
withal. 1t stands Oh 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 have said
a very new town, and yet it has the largest
iron ore shipping docks in the world and
does a larger shipment in that staple OF
commerce than any other port on the great
lakes. 1t has gathered together in conse-
quence queerer combination of cosmopo-
lites than any other place Of it's size on our
planet.
walked down to the docks. A storm
had just passed, winding up with 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 / went my way be-
tween the brave green lawns on either hand.
Suddenly, sharply, as it seemed to me,
the 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 q great beefy brute.
coming toward me. Hits a lard time
we're a-'awvin. Cawn't ye set up an arr
an arf?'
"What is an arr an arf?" Iqueried sharply.
Now, 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 Il drink" and
he laughed low, brutal laugh that made
me shudder and look round for q possible
policeman.
BY this time they were three to my one,
so, being unarmed, surrendered with all
possible good grace. followed them into
dirty little dive, where a parcel of fly
freckled bottles stood behind a counter,
presided over by a ferocious female, who
seemed more fly freckled than the bottles
themselves. Before I 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.
l stood treat for the whole grisly gang
perforce, and it was wonderful to witness the
variety of the insane intoxicaGs 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.
went back to the hotel where 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 fellar up fer his coat, an hat before
they let up on him."
"Where's your police?"
"Police be hanged. We hain't got none
down there'll tackle one of them air chaps.
It'd spile his pull, an a police thet'd spite
his pull here bouts is looked upon ez a
1umfulSpn gineral principles"
| So, being tenderfoot, thought it better
20 change the subject.
SHOW is the iron businessf" asked.
| GOOD and bad"
"Money made at its"
"Yes and no. It's all matter of luck
Now there's my friend S." naming a
prominent citizen whom l hardly think
| have right to designate by more than the
initial OF his last name here. There's my
| friend S., who was big, stupid larky.
Jest bout made both ends meet ut the
shank O. the year. He had customer who
was OWN him SEQ. Finally s. said he
must have his money. Can't pay it, said
the dead broke man, but I'll tell We what
| FIJI do. / hev title deed to 10 acre
patch o. ground out'n the Vermilion range,
an if yell call it squar' I'll histe it over to
you.'
"'An what could do with 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.'
"'That's all l kin do them, said the
| debtor, turning slowly away.
/ Kim BACK mere, ordered 81. "A
half a cheese is better'n no condensed milk.
I'll take yer plaguoned ol Ian. Whar's yer
title deed!
Here it is said the man meekly. AN
think ye oughter throw in drink fore
the transfer be made
"'Waal. b gosh! II thar isn't gorgeous
gall. It's with drink to sec It,. Here's
yer bottle. Help yerse'f, an never let me
see yer face sg'in,' said s. through set
teeth.
1.-THE transfer of the deed was duly made
S. filed it with his other papers. and
from day to day, from week to week, from
month to month, he tried to sell it for SO
at first. then for sl;,, $40, s., but nobody
/ wanted it, nor would take it. At last he
was strapped. He wanted money. He Of