The Seattle Republican. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1???-1915, 1900-10-05


hustle. John Watson, the mate, was
just about to give the signal that the
stage-plank be drawn up, when a
man stepped before him and asked,
"Could you use another deckhand,
sir?" He did not reply at once, as
was his wont, but stood silently sur
veying his man. Glow far are you
going?" he finally asked, when the
surveying process had exceeded all
bounds Of endurance. 'ETO st.
Louis" was the answer. ''You don't
look much like d rouster," said the
mate, a. d for John Watson this
was an ausual admission, for, to
him, "a nigger's a niger always"
His remark had been prompted,
however, by tw oreasons: first, his
nature was such that he wanted to
see all wages well earned, if not over
earned, and the stranger did not
seem adequately strong; and, sec
ondly, there was something in the
personnel of the man who stood be-
fore him which elevated him far
above that group of half-clad,
crouching specimens Of humanity
who stood near by, waiting to jump
at his next command.
Il can do the work, SIR the
stranger calmly replied. The mate
did not like the applicants appear
ance, but he needed more help, so
he whipped out notebook and pen
ell: whats your name?" he asked
abruptly. "William Nelson" said
the stranger. "All aboardw cried
the mate, as he hurriedly scrawled
something in his notebook and
passed down the stage-plank, Nelson
following closely in his wake The
bell rang out quick and sharp, the
gang-plank swung upward, the greal
wheel splashed and spluttered, and
the steamer was soon in mid-river
dense columns of smoke mark
ing her course as far as the eye could
follow
1t is a custom among the deck
hands, when the boat is not too
heavily freighted, to while away the
time between landings in various
ways, such as singing, dancing, play
ing games Of cards and holding mock
church meetings. This is often done
for the edifcation of some upper
deck passenger to whom the South
ern rouster is a revelation, and who
scatters dimes among them in return
for their entertainment, which, to
say the least, is crude, weird and at
times extremely boisterous. How
ever, as these rough, uncultured
voices join in singing some simple
ballad, ever and anon there falls
upon the listeners ear harmony
Of sound, a sweet, Ginning ca
dence that whispers, ere it fades
into silence, of a natural musical
ability, the possibilities of powers
given, yet doomed to die unknown
Nelson saw all and heard all as his
fellow deckhands thus spent their
leisure moments, but he kindly YET
firmly refused their repeated efforts
to draw him in likewise. His re
fusal brought forth their censure,
and their leader, a great, burly man
with about 40 years behind him, who
wore the nickname Of Handy Andy,
vowed to revenge himself on the
''stuck-up stranger" Because he
would not stoop to their level they,
as the truly ignorant always do,
hated him for having one Of his own
on which to stand, and from that
time on the trip was made even more
unbearable for Nelson than the cir
cumstances themselves would nat
urally warrant. 1t was no difficult
task for men who knew how to take
advantage Of the size and shape of
the freight to be handled to throw
the heavier weight on Nelson, and
that was done on every occasion.
Nelson stood it well, and regardless
of the fact that his head and back
soon began to ache dreadfully, kept
up with the others. Observing this,
Handy Andy said, owe must burn
him, boys" and at the next landing
the rousters, who always walked rap
idly, broke into a slow run and
freighted in a trot. 1t was high
noon, and the hot July sun proved
almost more than Nelson could
stand. There were times when in
descending the stage-plank he
stumbled, for all was dark before
him for a moment, but a sneer from
some Of the men or a mocking laugh
from Handy Andy, who seemed to
exceed all Of the others in the
amount Of enjoyment gotten out Of
his discomfort, caused him to quick
ly fall into line again, and little Won
der, if when hurriedly raising his
arm to wipe the perspiration from
his burning brow, great tears wrung
from his inmOst heart, unknown to
any, were wiped away also. Nelson
never knew where he got the
strength to pass through that day
and night. The next day the perse-
cution ceased, as it apparently dis
concerted him not in the least, and
in its stead Handy Andy -inaugu-
rated plan whereby they complete
ly ignored his presence Thus the
days and nights passed till on the
morrow they were to have reached
Missouri's bustling city, st. Louis
Sunset on the river is a beautiful
sight: the last long, red rays Of light
sinking lower and lower till linger-
ingly they leave the boat and lay
upon the bosom of the river, later,<
and to all appearances the waters