Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-03-04
Copyright, 1897, by Clark RUSSELL

b, Empire that | made up my mind to
krork off the sea. We was homeward
Hound from Adelaide, and was keep.
ing lookout one black night on the
fok'sle, when, there coming a yelling
spit Of soaking blast slap into my face,
I lifts up my fist and brings it down on
the rail. For more than 20 year had l
used the sea, and what was it come to?
An old chest, two or three shifts of
rags, a pair of sea boots and, s'help me,
no more. Through the improvidence of
the sailor? By thunder, then, mol
What's Providence got to do with such
a withered life as the ocean? Saving
means getting, and where in niggers is
the getting to be found where it's all
living hard, faring hard, dying hard
and going to hell after all?
Beef you could chisel into snatch
blocks, pork too foul to grease your
boots with, kicks and curses aft, wet
and famine forrards-is it good enough?
With fok'sle so full of fired Dutch
men-why, when they hoist the Eng
lish red ensign the flags the bitterest
lie since Annynius and Sophia.
But how was to get a living ashore?
That was the question that occupied
my attention when walked them decks
in solitude. I'd say to my mates, "What
nd you do if you knocked off," and
some was for going to sea again, and
the rest was for the work'us I'd seen
so little of life ashore that / couldn't
guess how men got their livings. What
10 nn
traded. What was clerk? He was a
covey who sat on a stool and wrote in
a book. No use of my laying a course
for the likes of that. Ny taste went to
the country, deep inland. fancied I'd
like to get a job under market garden
err Ia feel pleased when | thought o.
reaping wheat and cutting down grass,
of going home at shutdown on top of a
wagon load of hay, the air sweet as
nuts, and sitting down to bursting
blowout of ale and roasted apples and
bread and cheese. go away, salt
waterl' I'd think then.
was about 35 years old and looked
40. Lobscouse'll serve you measlier than
weather. They say a weak heart paints
the nose blue, which colors the spirits.
Soup and bully's worse than a decayed
vital, and if you leave your teeth in the
mess kid how many spOonfuls of peas
soup do it take to raise wrinkle?
The ship duly arrived, and 1, along
with the rest, was paid off. There was
20 months wages to take up, so l had
scope to ride by. l took lodging at 2
Bromley street, Commercial road, and
spent co in landgoing rig out. Then
l was at loss. The name of the land
lady was Mrs. Bloomer, and her hus-
band was waterman. Meeting her one
day in the passage as was going to
take turn to look about me, | says:
Il should like to have short yarn
with you, missis, if you've got a
minute.
Certainly, sir, she answers.
Don't sir me, beg, says l. I'm
no dog"
She steps me into bit of parlor,
close with careful keeping. There was
a little looking glass over the mantel-
shelf, bound in yaller gauze, with oys-
a glass case, with a stuffed bird, in the
front window.
"Can 1 sit?" says 1.
"Why, yes" says she, smiling. at
can't hurt you. "
put down my cap and took chair
and says: MRS. Bloomer, I've been q
sailorman all my life and have come
ashore to find job, meaning to stoI
ashore. I've got few pounds and car
I
to tell me how ought to go to work. >
What's your age?" says she, looking
me over.
tolu her
There's many situations agoing, >
says she, land handy man ought nevel
to want for job. Why not turn water
mani"
"No more water for me-" says l.
Light porter" says she.
Thought she meant something Il
drink.
Can you drive 'orse?'
81 don't fancy driving" says 1.
"Look ERE, Mr.. Pooley," says she
your chance'll lie in advertising
Write out little piece for the papers
It'll cost you about 8 or shillings Il
put in. Answers'll come, and you Cal
pick and choose"
l allowed this to be up to tn
knocker, and in that same room sh
and me made out this advertisement:
"A sailorman wants job. He is al
all round hand, useful anywhere ant
any time, being accustomed to calllnI
that runs a days work into "a hour
and pays no overtime wages. Addres
William Pooley, 2 Bromley street. Com
mercial road, L. "
When Bloomer came home that night
he recommended me to put the piece IN
to the paper which says it has the lar
gest circulation in the world. This di
next day-forget the cost Nalulng
in pints of beer, call it four gallons
I'm a slow hand at reading, and 1T too
me smothered long time to spel
through the advertisements on the da
when the piece l had wrote was to al
pear. At last down in corner l sple
my name.
"Whos a-going to see this?" says
to Mrs. Bloomer, putting my hnge
upon it.
1T do look insignificant, certainly
said she
"Who the blooming blazes is a'goln
to see it?" says l, a-bringing down III
fist.