The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1897-01-01
soMR QUEER TOURISTS.
They Go Abroad as Cattle and RetuYr
as SWelis.

i as SWetlSs
While hosts Of people look over til.
passenger lists of the lucky ones who
are able to go abroad and envy Their,
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
bumorously called seattle 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 riffraff 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 one of these chamber
maid' jobs they feel like millionaires.
for they get more money day for the
trip than they could get on shore in a
week.
There are number of Chicago stock
yards men who do large business ex-
porting cattle, and they always have a
gang of fellows around waiting for the
first chance to go out with 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-
pense whatever. He 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 great pot or tub. The boss stabs
a chunk Of solid fat with the long hap-
died fork, almost pitchfork in fact,
and hurls 1t at one of the maids"
with some choice specimens of billings
gate. 1t is caught much as 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 a hunk of stale
bread, and 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 return ticket good for ninety
days from date
Then at once begins season of riot
GUS living. The first thing is a fashy
suit of clothes and a walking stick and
then off for London. The old hands
know better than to elbow in. their
money on expensive eating. They have
become familiar with the coffee pal
aces' Ito be found all over London.
where they get an imperial quart of
coffee for one penny and "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 luxuriating, they
may perhaps spend threepence on some
dainty like a dozen shrimp, but even
with that extravaganza INDUCED in
every two or three days the $50 will not
last long time and give plenty of op-
portunity to soak themselves with calf
and 'alf"
These chaps always stay until the
money is about gone and then back
they come to Chicago, where the glory
of their London clothes soon becomes
as they loaf around the cattle |
pens at the stock yards while waiting
for another chance to act as chamber
maids toea drove of cattle.-Chicago
Chronicle.