The record-union., 1898-02-23
North Pole if they had the chance"

North Pole II they naQ the cnance.
The boy glanced furtively at the ILL.,
looking fellows, and seemed surprised
to learn that there were seafaring folk
with never a sign Of the sea about them.
Il though perhaps you might have
place for "a cabin boy"
whats a cabin boy?" very gruffly
Aren't any cabin boys nowadays"
OH" exclaimed the boy as though
the simple bit of information had sud-
denly and thoroughly revised his con-
ception of the needs CT the mercantile
marine service. Il didn't know. Thank
you, SIR And with that he turned
and hurriedly made his way from the
office
He's only one of very many" said
the shipping master, taking up the
thread of his story again. Hardly a
day passes, even in the winter season,
but one or more like him sneaks into
the office with the same request. In
the summer the boys who want to go
to sea become nuisance. / have turn
ed away three day for as many days
running. Most of them are from the
country districts near New York, and
nearly all the rest from more remote
parts. They came to the city for
day of two and seize the opportunity
to execute a long-formed purpose
either to go to sea, should the lie,
upon inquiry, prove to be as attractive
as they have painted it. or, at least to
learn the way. Occasionally city-bred
boy strays init may be an impudent
urchin from the East Side-but that ls
a rare occurrence. They are Of all ages
Il: A n6 fall
low Of thirteen came to me one day
last summer and l had hard work to
persuade him that he was happier with
his mother than he would be with
pack of scoundrels aboard ship. The
average age, however, is about sixteen
or little under; and most of the lads
are children of poor parents, whose
story books have led them into the hon
est belief that a seafaring life is one Of
unbounded possibilities. Once in a
while an intelligent boy, we'll dressed
and with all the evidences of good
breeding and careful educations, wants
to ship as cabin boy" and is quite
ready to take the first berth to offer,
trusting to good fortune for his COM
fort.
Il have noticed with some surprise
that the boys who want to go to sea,
particularly the ones who have the up
state look, are. as a rule, delicate,
large-eyed, high-browed lads-Just such
as spend their spare hours poring
over books of adventure instead of
sporting with their fellows. They talk
knowingly of shipping as this or that,
signing articles getting BERTH and
sometimes toss a 'belay' or an 'avast'
or a fo'c'stle' at me. They get them
all from books, and doubtless think TO
deceive me with them.
"Of course, the boys are turned
away, whether they apply at the ship
ping offices or aboard ship, as many of
them do. The days when the runaway
boy found a welcome with a ships cap
tain We're over years ago. They find
their way home again with a bit of ad-
vice ringing in their ears, so gruffiy or
sc kindly spoken that they cannot for
get it. [ ran away to sea myself and /
always have a kindly feeling for the
youngsters who try to. If the rickety
stair and the sight of the rough men
who hang about here doesn't discour-
age them-it usually does l tell them
truthfully what the life Of the jolly tar
is, and they go away, believing and
content. My boy / say to conclude,
If l had son of your age I would
rather know he was safe in States pris-
on than aboard ship Generally that
settles it. A pert boy who had the
sea mania a couple of years ago, how
ever, had ready answer. I knew you
would say that he said. didn't sup
pose you'd get me a berth without OBJ
jecting first. Now l want to go TO
sea-and I'm going. If you can't give
me chance, I'll go somewhere else
He wandered through the offices and
about the docks for hours that after
noon; but I saw him turn the corner of
Fulton street about supper time look
ing tired, and, no doubt, hungry, and
suppose he gave it up. 1t isn't often
you find them SO persistent. New
York Evening Post.