The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1899-08-24
jim THE DUDE.
Written for The Prison Mirror.

Written for The Prison Mirror.
''Say, chief, give us fellows our time.
We quit. There is not a man living
that can keep up steam on this boat
Her like is not on the lakes. Why, l
have fired on what are called the stiff
est steaming boats on the lakes, and
they were snaps to this one-dead
puddens."
These words were addressed to the
chief engineer of the large steamer
Collget as she was lying at the Cleve-
land Cliffs Iron Company's docks in
the city of Cleveland. The spokesman
was big, stout stoker, begrimed with
coal dust and sweat, while close beside
him was his mate; both of whom we're
determined to Jump her just as soon
as she had struck the dock. The engi-
neer sighed; he knew it was no good
trying to keep them, so he made out
their time bills, and had to let them go.
The boat really was, and is, the hardest
boat to make steam on that sails the
lakes. Every port she would 60 into,
her firemen would surely quit. She
was a boat carrying 5000 tons in the
iron ore and the grain trade, and had
two scatch boilers, with doors under
them, and triple expansion engines.
The captain and engineer were talking
in the afternoon about the impossible
ity of keeping 6remen, when they
were approached by a neat, dapper
young fellow about 20 years of age. He
was dressed to perfection, and sported
watch and chain, and a ring on his
finger.
'Hello!" says the captain, "here's one
of those blooming agents that want to
sell suit of clothes or something; but
by gosh isn't he dude?"
The young fellow came up to them,
and asked for the chief engineer. The
chief said that he was the man.
II hear you want fireman on this
boat, and as the boat was on has laid
up, would like to ship"
The captain fairly gasped at bit of
a boy weighing 12O pounds asking for
a job on the stiffest boat on the lakes.
The engineer sized him up, and asked
him if he had ever fired before.
eyes," the young fellow answered.
Il fired all last season on the Chemung,
and have been on the Oswego and
the Fairbanks"
The chief opened his eyes at that;
but he thought the young fellow was
lying.
"Well," he says, "bring your dunnage
(meaning clothes) aboard, and will
carry you to Detroit anyway; they
always quit there, and the shipping
agents always keep stock of firemen
on hand for this boat, so 1 can easily
get new men there if you want to quit
then. But 1 tell you before you start,
this is the hardest boat on the lakes"
The young fellow smiled. and asked
when she was going out. He was told,
the next afternoon.
"All right, will be down tomorrow
for dinner;" and with that he went off.
"Cool! isn't he ?" said the captain.
The chief laughed and said: :"Well, he
wont be, when he gets in six-hour
watch outside on Lake Erie"
The new fireman came aboard at
noon, all dressed up, and with bag
gage wagon containing trunk.
you must be going to stay the sea-
son." said the captain to him.
"You bet; if you pay enough. What
do you pay a month anyway"
"Forty-five, if you leave before the
season; and fifty, if you lay the boat up"
The boat went out. Jimmie's part
ner taking her outside in his watch.
When Jimmie came on deck at six in
the evening to relieve his mate he was
still dressed neatly; but this time it
was clean suit of overalls. He went
to the engineer and asked what pres.
sure of steam he wanted. The chief
answered.