The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-07-02
ALPH0MS0 MGINTY.
IL FRANN I. RrLLEN.

o .u
''i'- ''" Just oi-o7''e 'iIe NM
/ e@aG-eiated ar PITT Inc hoihe"aiH-
bounGer. his heart light as lhistle-down
/ wifi, tho fire. tss+o of liberty after his
/ .-,-.u ~
( voyage Iois HipilsoNii- t. 'aNe' Nv
/ Hted OF IT'S squal0ri no, not even III tHS
/ drcar December slushiness. following upon
/ a ShadweI snowstorrn. If ne does glance
1 around shud Ieringly at the haggard faces
/ OF the unshipped for q moment the feel
Of the beloved half-sheet OF foolscap os-
! tentatiously displayed in his ciuO-Angered
/ right hand brings the departing look of
( satisfaction back swiftly enough. 1t is
! his account of wages his passport
! within the swing doors of the Office
/ which he viii presently exchange for the
| few pieces Of gold for which he has given
/ such a precious slice Of his life
But the outward boundcr, his hands
! thrust deep into his empty pockets, the
! bitter taste Of begrudeed bread Darchlng
his mouth. ana The scowling face of his
/ boarding master refusing to pass from his
/ minds eye he il is who feels the utter
/ dasolatiOu of the crowded "chain-lOcker"
| corr0de HIS very soul. After a long days
/ tramp around the docks, sneaking on
/ board vessels like a thief. and asking the
mate for the "chance" with bated breath,
/ a $ il begging for penace. unsuccessful ana
| weary, he returns to this waled-in pit of
/ gloom and iealosuiy eyes the company of
/ he saw potential snatcher from him of
/ his last hope Of berth.
1 Outward bouuders have little to say to
each other In the "chain-locker." They
! wait. not like honest laborers seeking le-
! ultimate employment, but Ike half-tried
prisoners awaiting sentence. This char
| actcristic Is SO universal that, although
we who bjed 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 a dozen words among the
/ fourteen Of us.
But there suddenly appeared in our midst
/ o square-buiIt, rugged-faced man of mid
! do hight. whose gray eyes twnkled across
/ his ruined nose, ANA whose mouth had that
/ drOn droOp of the lower lip that shows a
readiness not only to laugh in and out of
season but almost pathctically invites
| the beholder to laugh, too. He it was who
! broke the stony silence by saying in the
J richest brogue: rs it ell aV US bhoys
/ that does be goin' in the wan ship, ] won
/ dher" Even the most morose among Us
] felt an inclination TO smile, we hardly
/ knew why, but just then the swing door
of tho engaging office burst open and
hoarse voice shouted, Grew o the Gareth
! here"
The words like some irresolute CEN
tripetal force. sucked in from The re-
hottest corner of the large area every
man, and I'm a moment ali of us, who
/ by lodging our discharges beforehand,
were seized with something of a panic
/ best we should lose the ship after all
/ l7cavens! how We thrust and tore or
way into the office, past the bury police
/ man who he'd every one of us at the
! pinch of the door uutl he was satisfied
! of our right to enter once within, we
! fe't safe, and stood nervOusy lingering
| our caps while the clerk gabbied over the
usual formula, to which none of US gave
! the slightest heed. signing on" began,
! and proceeded apace TO the accompani-
ment of running fire of questions as 70
| age, nationality, last ship, etc to which
! answers, If not promptly forthcoming,
| were, / am afraid, supplied by the ques-
| toner. There was subdued chuckie and
! the man who had spoken outside stood al
/ the counter
"What name?' snapped the clerk
"Alphonso MGnly, Yer amer was
| the ansWcC No exquisite witucism ever
/ raised "a more wholesome burst of laugh