The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-07-02

change for the few pieces of gold fol
which ne has given such a precious
slice of his life.
But the outward-bounder, his hands
thrust deep into empty pockets, the
bitter taste of begrudged bread paTch-
Ding his mouth, and the scowling face OF
his boarding master refusing to pass
from his minds eye; he it is who feels
the utter desolation of the crowded
'chain-lOckeT" corrode his very soul
After a long days tramp around the
docks, sneaking on board vessels like
thief, and asking the mate for a
chance" with bated breath, as if beg
ging for pence, unsuccessful and weary.
he returns to this walled-in pit of
gloom. and jealousy eyes the company
of miserableS like himself, as if in each
one he saw a potential snatcher from
him of his last hope of a. berth.
Outward Founders have little to say
TO each other in the -chain-locker. -
They wait, not like honest laborers
seeking legitimate employment, but like
half-tried prisoners awaiting sentence
This characteristic is so universal that,
although We who bided the coming of
the Gareth's skipper had all got our
discharges in, and SO felt reasonably
sure of her, we had not exchanged half
q dozen words among the fourteen of
US.
midst a square built, rugged-face man
of middle height. whose gray eyes
twinkled across his ruined nose, and
whose mouth had that droll droop Of
the lower lip that shows a readiness not
only TO laugh in and out of season, but
almost pathetically invites the beholder
to laugh, too He it was who broke the
stony silence by saying in the richest
brogue: rs it all av us bhoys that does
be goin' in the wan ship, 1 wondher?"
Even the most mOrose among US felt an
inclination to smile, we hardly knew
why, but just then the swing door of
the engaging Office burst open, and a
hoarse voice shouted: Grew o. the
Gareth here
The words, like some irresistible CEN
tripetal force, sucked in from the re-
hottest corner of the large area every
man, and in moment all of us, who
had, as we thought, secured our
chances by lodging our discharges be-
torehand, were seized with something
Of a panic lest we should lose the ship
after all. HeaYensi how we thrust ana
tore our way into the office, past the
burly policeman who held every one of
US at the pinch of the door until he was
satisfied of our right to enter. Once
within, we felt safe, and stood nervous
~ lingering our caps while the clerk
gabbled over the usual formula, TO
which none of us gave the slightest
heed Signing on began and proceed
ed apace. to the accompaniment of a
running fire of questions as to age, ma
honality, last ship, etc, to which an
Ewers. if not promptly forthcoming,
were, am afraid, supplied by the ques-
toner. There was a subdued chuckle, |
and the man who had spoken outside !
stood at the counter.
What name?" snapped the clerk.
"Alphonso McGinty. yer amer" was /
the answer. No exquisite witticism ever !
raised a more wholesome burst of /
laughter. 1t positively frightened that |
Gull hole like a ray of sunshine.
How old?" said the clerk, in a voice /
still tremulous.
God befriend me, forgot Say tirty-
1--we. sor."
Your discharge says twenty-five
returned the clerk.
''Ah yes, yer amer, but it's said that
Tor the last tirty years.
Isn't it time it was altered, them"
retorted the clerk, magisterial again, as
he entered 80 on the articles The old /
fellows quaint speech, added to an in
definable aureole of good fumor about
him, had completely changed the sui
len aspect Of our crowd, so that for the
moment we quite forgot that but four
teen of us were engaged to take the
l,000-ton ship Gareth to New Zealand
hrst and then to any other part of the
world, voyage not to exceed three years.
So, with even the Dutchmen laugh
ng and chuckling in sympathy with
the fun they felt, but didn't understand.
ne all dispersed with eur advance notes
10 get such discount as fate and the
sharks would allow. In good time we
were all aboard, for ships were scarce.
Ind all of us anxious to get away. But |
when we saw the vast, gamt hull well
Down to Plimsolls mark, and the four |
towering steel giants of masts. with,
heir immense spreading branches. and
thought of the handful we were to
manage them. we felt a colder chill than T
wen the bitter edge of the bitter east '
wind had given US.
We mustered in the dark, iron barn :
# the foIk'sle and began selecting +
'unks temporarily until we were picked :
or watches, when our attention was /
lrrested by the voice of McGinty, say '
ng: Y
"Bhoys,'' r
All turned toward him where he /
TODD, with bottle of rum and a tea c
up, and no one needed a second call $
When the bottle was empty and our h
carts had gone out to the donor, he h