Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1896-12-31
SOME QUEER TOURISTS.
They Go Abroad as Cattle and Return
as SwelIS,

S'SAAS
While hosts of people look over the
passenger lists of the lucky ones who
are able to go abroad and envy them
way down in their hearts. there is a
class of men who make frequent trips
across the ocean which would hardly
excite envy, excepting by reason of
their peculiar privileges. This class is
humorously called cattle chamber
maids. because Of the fact that those
who belong to it give their attention to
the live cattle that are exported from
this country to Europe. The men who
do this are the riffralf of the world and
when here find it difficult to earn more
than enough to keep body and soul to-
gether. But when they are lucky
enough TO get n of these chamber
maid' jobs they feel like %millionaires,
for they get more money Il day for the
trip than they could get on shore in Il
week.
Ther are a number of Chicago stock
yards men who do a large business ey-
porting cattle, and they always have Il
gang of fellows around waiting for the
first chance to go out with a cargo. The
average time of these trips from Chi
cago to London is about fourteen DAYS
and the price paid the attendants is $50
in gold. The chambermaid is at no eX-
ptnse whatever. lie is fed. but, oh,
such feed. 1t is worse than that of the
animals he looks after. There is always
a gang boss and he it is who dispenses
the grub" Ordinarily this is boiled
fat pork and bread, with only water to
drink. The pork comes from the kitchen
in a great pot or tub. The boss stabs
a chunk of solid fat with the long hap
died fork, almost n pitchfork in fact,
and hurls it at II of the maids"
with some choice specimens of billings
gate. 1t is caught much as a dog catches
a chunk of meat in his mouth and no
attention is paid to the liquid grease
which flies in every direction. The fat
pork is followed by Il hunk of stale
bread, and IA drink of water finishes the
repast.
But what care these fellows for the
fare and the labor going over. They
know there will be joy and pleasure
when their destination is reached. Once
landed in Liverpool or Southampton
they are given their $50 in English gold,
this so they will spend it in England,
and Il return ticket good for ninety
days from date.
Then at nee begins a season of riot
Il living. The first thing is a tlashy
suit of clothes and IA walking stick and
then off for London. The old hands
know better than to elbow in" theil
money on expensive eating. They have
become familiar with the coffee pal.
aces to be found all over London,
where they get an imperial quart of
coffee for II penny and Il bun" equal
in size to an average loaf of bread, and
thus for two pennies they buy all they
can possibly eat. On certain days
when they feel like Illustrating. they
may perhaps spend t%hreepence on som
dainty like Il dozen shrimp. but ever
with that extravaganza INDUCED il
every two or three days the $50 will no
last ii long time and give plenty of OPP
portunity to soak themselves with al
and 'alf."
These chaps always stay until tht
money is about gone and then bacl
they come to Chicago. where the glor!
of their London clothes Dol becomes
dimmed as they loaf around the cattl'
pens at the stock yards while waiting
for another chance to act as chamber
maids to a drove of cattle.-Chicag'
Chronicle.