Evening star., 1898-11-12

the floor in front of the customer. and on
this rest the customer places his foot. Just
back of this rest is a seat on which the
clerk sits and fits the customer.
He leaned over and whispered in my ear
THAT may do very well for America. But
here our employers do not like to see US
sitting down when We work. Who said
that a Scotchman has no humor?
CoaIinE at Port said.
Few ports in the world are so interesting
as Port Said, which is situated at the Medt-
terranea1 sea entrance to the Suez canal.
There all the great mail steamers that run
from Europe to India, Australia and the
orient stop for coal. Thousands of tons of
coal are trar sferred to steamers at Port
Said every week. and as there is no ma
chinery whatsoever for the work. 1t is
done by hand-by the great mass of idle
Egyptians and Turks who gather in its
streets. They perform the work by hand
with SO much ease and rapidity that Port
Said holds the record of being able to coal
a steamer in less time than any other city
in the world. To see those dark-sklnned
labCrerS running up a plank from coal
laden barge TO the deck of n mail steamer
with a baSketfui of coal and down another
plank with basket empty, with nothing
en- earth to increase their speed and ardor
but two men who continually beat them on
the back and head with knotted ropes. is
of the sights of the world. They have
been known to put l 800 tons of coal in the
hold of steamer in three hours and forty
mirutes-an undertaking which seems to be
marvellous. But 1t Is not love 1Or Work
that makes the Port Said coal HEAVIER labor
50 hard He hates work with an unholy
hatred that is too strong for words. he
loves dirt. He revels in the dust of the
coal, he longs for it in his hair, his eyes,
his clothing. and the harder he works, the
more diligently ne Goals the passing ship.
the blacker and dirtier he gets, and he can
go home after a days work and sleep the
peace that only the tropics give. When the
next steamer comes around he IS on hand
bright and early, and he is specially glad
when the day is hot and the perspiration
flows. for then the coal dust sticks and is
like the oil of roses.
Native BegEars.
When the steamer reaches Port Said the
passengers go ashore, and walk about un-
til the cealing is over. This is done at the
request of the captain, to prevent sufroca-
ton from coal dust While the steamer is
being coaled all the passengers effects are
covered with tarpaulins. and all doors and
windows are closed and sealed but even
then the dust gets in. However, as the
passengers land a Port Said and walk Up
the main street they are greeted by hor1es
OF raVenous. hungry, unclean boys ond men.
IneSe begging natives say in broken Eng
glish 50 as to get sympathy: "Oh. l am
Thomas Brown. Scotchman, of AberGean;"
Il am good Thomas Brown; l came from
Aberdeen" This Thomas Brown. whoever
he is or was, is unknown to the police of
FORT SAID, but, at any rate, he has let's to
answer for in that burg by SaharaS sands
They call every man who goes ashore My
good Mr.. Gladstone" and say to every wo-
man, You are beautiful, Mrs. MAVERICK"
And all for pennies. And if YOU are un-
usually good and kind to them they will!
want to repay you. and they take you
10 one of their concert hall performances,
compared to which the Paresis Club of the
Bowery is a Band of Hope.
But the oldest experience | ever had in
my travels was in Sydney. Australia. |
was standing on q street corner watching
an old-fdshioneG, rafting cable car come
along the track. A man who was showing
ME the sights of the town nudged me, and
said in words of assurance that brooked no
doubt: You've got nothing in New York
as fine as that