The broad ax., 1897-11-20

New York Post. Technically, he may
have a. few superiors aboard, but his
innermost consciousness recognizes
none save the captain. For him his
veneration is absolute. He lords il
over the sailors. and as for the cook
give him your pity, for the steward will
show him little especially il he is black
and his superior lord of the galley but
half so.
The stewards day on a big merchant
man begins about o'clock in the morn
ing. Cook already is stirring and
serving coffee to the changing watches.
What a gloomy picture it forms. a
bleak morning somewhere down in the
southern ocean after a hard night OF
gales; the ugly, iron-colored. heaving
sea outside blurred against uglier iron
colored clouds-the forlornest waste
that human eye can look upon-and
the lonely dripping figures about the
wet decks showing drawn faces white
in the dirty gray light The coming
dawn is only beginning to struggle out
OF the awful night. and the day prom
Uses so little worth the effort. No won
der that the glistening yellow coats
group eagerly for the coffee before oil
skins are cast off and boots turned
out to dry around the galley fire Then
the steward goes to the captains room
with coffee. And the work of pre-
pairing breakfast for both cabin and
forecastle begins in the galley.
Soon after the steward waits on
the cabin table. He brings the food
from the galley in large basket, which
is deposited on the pantry floor; and
oh, the narrow escapes that he has in
crossing the main deck and lodging
seas on bad mornings; and the dis
asters that have overtaken that basket
on the days when the sea recognized
no ceremony in entering even the
sacred regions of the pantry, What
fascinating little cubby IL is when he
is a good steward and everything in
his domain shines, Everything is so
compact and secured in such orderly
arrangement. There are lockers be-
meath the shelves; cupboards and shell
tered slowing places above and cups
in rows swinging from the ceiling.
What hiding places that astute man
contrives therein you discover il you
make night raids for food after his
= busy day is over.
After breakfast the steward washes
the dishes. polishes the pantry again,
sweeps the cabin, puts that and the
captains room in order and cleans and
fills the lamps. This is no insignificant
function on sailing vessel. Also he
is experimenting dinner preparations
aS< various other mysterious vocations
forward. When eight bells strikes he
comes into the cabin and mounts a
stool to wind the clock and put the
hands so many minutes forward or
back, according to instructions. Direct
ly afterward he is sighted crossing
from the galley to the after house
bearing a soup tureen, with often a
dog or two. or perhaps cats, a pig, or
a monkey forming capering. shifting,
appreciative escort. Quick and alert
he serves the dinner courses; always
with the badge of his Office, a towel.
hanging over one arm. Take that away
and do not know where he would be.
Whether it is dirty or not is unim-
portant, but he must feel its presence.
Dinner out Of the way, this man Of
many calls is darting forward and aft
until 2, when he appears on deck, or
wherever the voyagsrs are sitting. with
tea. Then he disappears for a time.
and, let US hope. gets a nap. But a
hearty hot supper is on table at 5, and
then follow more clearing and hustIing.
At sunset the inside lamps are lighted.
and he climbs the companionway with
a pinnacle light under each arm. BY
this time it is the dog watch, and he
has time for little Cumming" with
the second mate, or IL his dignity per-
mits to join, or at least to watch, the
singing. dancing and frolic going on
among the men forward, though bread
for morning is yet to be mixed. At 8
his labors end and he retires early.
always prepared, however, for an in
Simultaneous turning out at any alarm.
Nevertheless. / have often thought
that the stewards is the most enviable
position on the ship. There are no
long, lonely hours for him. His days
must fly by, and meantime a goodly
sum is piling up to his account. He
enjoys the sort Of Importance that ap-
peals to natures like his; much power
in lesser directions, and little response
bilIty while the comfort Of even his
superiors depends largely on his good
will. Moreover his position admits OF
the various companionships on ship
board. / believe that his is the OILY
one that touches at some point every
other life in the ship. II he is intel
ligent, he may act in a certain sense
as clerk, as wen as serving-man. to the |
captain, and may manage that inter- |
esting Saturday feature Of ship life |
known as "slops," the sailors shopping |
time. II there are ladies aboard, he |
is the only man besides the mates who |
holds converse with them, and some
dimes he Is very bright and companion