The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-09-28

went below TO PACK MS Dag ne was the
subject of much good .natured raillery.
"Better steer course by night,
mate" advised the Master at Arms
"It's mighty bad cruising nowadays
along York street." "Why don't you
charter q canalboat to take you 10 Hay
seed Harbor?" said another shipmate,
with mock concern. "Ill help to
smuggle you out of the ship after eight
bells if you pass the word" "I'll lay
you double eagle you are knocking at
the navy yard gate before this time
next week." was the ships cooks COM
ment, and at last Bills ire was aroused.
"You blamed muddle fingers don't
seem to understand the case, confound
YOU" he shouted. "This amt no sud-
den resolve. When l got home from
the China station last cruise l found
that my lttle girl had growed almost
into woman. She was staying with
her grandmother, and it struck me it
was near time helped her along in
the world. We talked it over, and l
promised to save every penny and we'd
start little farm. I've saved the
money, and Pm going to put that little
girl beyond want, s'help me if l don't.
Good-by, fellers."
The Nipsic was put under repairs
without going out of commission, and
preparations for shipping new crew
were in operation when one evening
after nine man limped up to the sen.
ed admittance. He was battered and
bruised, nondescript suit of ragged
oyeralls clothed him, and he spoke in
hesitating, rambling way, as if his mind
was affected. "Want to ship" he
whispered. "Got big discharge and
a ratin' of Chief Quartermaster. Got
little girl, too. Maybe III buy farm
fur her some day. We talked it over,
and-say, want to go aboard and sign
in. Had terrible time shore and
want to get back in service again.
Lemme in, will your"
"It's Bill Calkins," said the watch
man to the marine. "The sharks got
him after all. heard he 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
forward berthdeck. About eight bells
(midnight) the Sergeant Of the guard
and the mate, acting as the officer of
the deck, attempted 10 rouse him.
"Here's telegram, Calkins," exclaim-
ed the officer. ''It's from your home
and it says that your little girl is dead.
Brace up, man. You must 60 at once"
1--WE talked it over, Mile and me-"
mumbled the form on the mattress.
sit was farm we decided on. was
to be captain and Mile was to be first
huff. We was going to raise--to raise
garden truck and-and"-. He slept
again.
When the Vandalia was paid off after
cruise in the later eighties wiry lit
tie Irishman named Duffy, fireman
on board, left the ship with a cool $500
in his "monk bag" He was ashore for
| good time, and he went to the Bow
cry 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
touch of gray in the east when Duffy,
hilarious and lurching, appeared on the
dock again. He saluted the astonished
sentry with wave of his hand, stagger-
ed up the gapgway, and, as he stepped on
board, his foot slipped and he fell pros
trate on the edge of the quarterback.
There was loud jingling of coin, and
a vast number of dimes, nickels, quar-
tiers, and half dollars 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 FASTENED to his assistance.
'It's all money av that haste av thafe
Murphy, who kapes the ginmill forninst
the Bowery. Wboopl It's mesilf as