Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-01

he docks. sneakng on board vessels like
thief anu asking The mate for d chance
with baied b. N, as If begging for pence
unsuccessful and weary. he returns TO this
wsleG-In pit of giOom, and jealousy eyes
the Company Of mIserabies like himself, as
II in each one he saw potential snatcher
from him Of his last hope of d berth.
utwari-DpUndeT5 have little to say to
each other III the "ChaiH-iocker." They
wait. not like honest iaborers seeking legiti-
mate employment, but like nalf-tried priS-
oHers awaiting sentence. This character
tStIc - 50 universal that although We who
hided The coming Of the Gareths skipper
mad all got our discharges in, and so felt
reasonably sure OF her, we had not eX
charged half a dozen words among the
fourteen Of us
But there suddenly appeared in our midst
a Square-bui!t. rUgged-fdced of middle
height, whose gray eyes tw;nkled across
his ruined nose, and whose mouth had that
troll droop Of the lower lip that shows
readiness not only 10 laugh in and out of
season, buy almost pathetically invites the
Dehotder to laugh. TOO He it was who
broke the stony silence by saying in the
richest hrOgue: is il all av US bhoys that
does be Soin in the wan ship | wondher?'
Even the most mOrOse among US felt an
Inclination To smile. hardly knew why
but Just then the swing door Of the engage
'nS Office burst open and a hoarse voice
shouted. Crew o the Gareth herer'
The words. like some Irresistible centripe-
Tai force, sucked in from the reruO-esr cor
Her of the large area every man and in
moment all Of Us, VINO had as we thought
secured our chances by lodging our dis
tharSes beforehand, were seized with some
ming OF a panic lest We should lose the
ship after al Heavens, How We tbrrs+
ana tore our way into the office pasf the
ouriy policeman who held every one of ms
a. tIe F-hcH ol the door until he was sat
lsHe,i OF our right 10 enter. Once within
We ielt safe and stood nervously finsprinp
rHf caps while The clerk gabbled ovor tbe
,-sI. LSt iiLu4a. 20 which none OF us, gave
~. SlsSst need Signing on began and
prosecuted apdce, to the acconpanirneu+ of a
FuhhhS hre Of questions as to age nation
amy idS' snip. etc. to which answers if
40 promptly forthcoming, We're | am
.-4t"'u' supplied by the questioner There
was "a subdUed ChuckIe. and tba mo-, -
'tI SPOKEN outside stood ar the c-,unter
nat name? snapped the clerk.
-l-i'i's-' NJ 'Flnty. yer amer" was the
".is"tr' y" exquisite witticism ever rails
ca more wholesome burst of laughter !.
p'9'''srN frightened that duh hole like a
i.'s Of sea sunshine
Tow old?' said the clerk in a voice still
cd oefriend me. 1 forgot Say tirty
turned tho clerk
An, yes, Yer amer. but it's said that
i.'r the last tirty years"
ism II time it was altered. them, re-
"I'ta 'he clerk, magisteriaI again "a he
uttered tfty-dye on the articles ,-ba Ia
Ieiow quaint speech. added to an inde-
ih',hle aurcole OF good humor about him.
hau completely changed the suIlen asDect
OF our crowd. 50 that for the moment we
quite forgot that but fourteen of US were
Shs@Sed 10 take the i.OuV-tOn ship Careth
10 New Zealand first and then 10 any other
Vaf' "f the W. rid. voyage not TO exceed
three years.
So. with even the Dutchmen laughing
.tnd chuckiing in sympathy with the fun
'hey teLt. but didn't understand. we all dis
i'ersed with our advance notes to get such
discount as fate and the sharks would al
iow- In good time were all aboard. for
ships were scarce. and all of us anxious to
get away But when We saw the vast
Saunt hui! well down to PlimSOIFs mark
md the four towering steel giants of masts
with their immense spreading branches
md thought OF the handful We were to
manage them. we felt a colder chill than
wen the biting edge of the bitter east wind
mad given US.
We mustered in the dark iron barn of
the fo'c'sle, and began selecting hunks
temporarily until were picked for
watcheS0 whel our attention was arrested
by the Voice Of McGinty. saying:
'BhOysr'
All turned toward him where he stood.
with bottle of rum and a teacup. and no
one needed second call When the bottle
was empty. and our hearts had gone out to
The donor, he said. clearing his throat once
twice:
"Bhoys. forgive me, I'm imposition.
1 broke me right knee cap an five ribs
coming home from Frisco in the I.amech
fell from the foret' gallant yard-an' | bin
;hree months in Poplar hospital can't
20 aloft. but didn't think what a crime il
wus soin' TO be agin ye all until / see N S