The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-09-04
The GOLD THAT BURNS.
How the Sailors of Our Fleets Get Rid of Their Money

little girl, too. Maybe I'll buy a farm
fur her some day. We talked it over.
and-say, want TO go aboard the guar
do and sign in. Had a terrible time
shore. and want to get back in service
again. Lemme in, will you?"
Its Bill Calkins,'' said the watch
man to the marine. 1.-THE sharks got
him after all. / heardAhe was paid off
with a wad as big as your right leg.
No use in talking, there are strings on
the rum over in the Bowery, and you
can't nohoW resist en-"
Bill was escorted to the receiving ship
and permitted TO sleep upon an old
hammock mattress spread on the for
ward berthdeek. About eight bells, mid
night, the sergeant of the guard and
the mate acting as the officer of the
deck attempted to rouse him. Here's
a telegram, Calkins," exclaimed the Of
ficer. Its from your home, and it says
that your little girl is dead. Brace up,
man. You must go at once"
I'VE talked it over, Millie and me"
mumbled the form on the mattress
1T was a farm we decided on. was to
be captain, and Mile was to be first
huff And we was going to raise-to
raise garden truck and-and-." He
slept again
When the Vandalia was paid off after
a cruise in the latter sos, wiry little
Irishman named Duffy, fireman on
board, left the ship with a cool $500 in
his monk bag" He was ashore for a
good time. and he went to the Bowery
to find it. That night he was found in
a hallway, stripped of every cent,
drugged and beaten. A policeman paid
his car fare to the yard, and he shipped
at once. A week later, after he had
rested up and recovered some of his
usual good spirits, Duffy asked for lib
erty, but it was denied him because he
was IN debt for his new outfit.
Shortly after midnight he slipped
over the side to the dock by way of a
mooring hawser and made his escape
from the yard through the swamp"
as the land north of the marine bar
racks was called. There was just a
touch of gray in the east when Duffy,
hilarious and lurching, appeared on the
dock again. He Saluted the aStoniShed
sentry with a wave of his hand, stag
gered up the gangway and. as he
stepped on board his foot slipped and
he fell PROSTATE on the edge Of the
quarter deck. There was a loud jing
ling of coin and a vast number of
dimes, nickels quarters and half dol
lars fell from Duffy's pockets and
rolled haphazard over the deck.
Gather thin oop. me b'yes," he
shouted proudly to the anchor watch,
which had hastened to his assistance.
It's all money av that haste av a
thafe, Murphy, who kapes the gin mill
forninst the Bowery. Whoopl it's me-
silf as is square; wild him" He sub
sided into peaceful sleep in the brig"
and the mystery remained unSolved
until the morning papers appeared
with a scarehead article announcing
that the saloon of one Michael Murphy
on the Bowery had been entered dur
ing the night. that the cash drawer had
been robbed of its eontents, that Muir
ply himself had beepzset upon by the
burglars and beaseu- insensible and
that a sailors knife lanyard had been
found on the premises A few detec-
tives prowled around the yard for sew
eral days. but Duffy was kept under
cover by his admiring shipmates, and
the affair was finally forgotten.
If there is any excuse for registering,
the naval sailor has it. He is con-
demned to pass the, greater part of his
time on board a vessel much too small
and cramped for the crew occupying it..
He can seldom secure two consecutive
days ashore, and if he should overstay
his leave by so much as an hour, he is
punished by restriction. His life is
monotonous enough in very truth, and
when his country is at war, Jack is
him between the bulwarks for months
and months. Small wonder that his
moral balance tips over the scale.
One night, recently, man living on
one of the side streets of New York,
was awakened by a prodigious ringing
of his front door bell. CHANGING from a
window, he saw the shadowy outlines
of a man on the stoop working vigor-
ously at the knob. Hey, there, whats
the matter?" called out the citizen. The
figure swayed unsteadily, then a husky
voice muttered: Get up, you OF lub-
Der! I've been (hicD six months on
board Ship
What in the name CT all that's Won
derful do / carer
Thought I'd tell (hicD We. Humphi
We amt got much interest in a Santi-
ago hero"
The sailor lurched up the next stoop
and rang that bell. AS the first citizen
returned to bed he heard the Jackie's
voice proclaiming, 'Whoop, been
aboard ship for SIX (hic) months.
Rouse up there, ye stay-at-homes."
Jack is a queer fish.