Arizona weekly journal-miner., 1901-12-25
How Jimmy Captured a 2,00O Ton Tramp Q
By PERcIK W. MART
HTHEsE are very nice, my boy"
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remarked the old merchant. as he handed the charter-party copies back to young Jimmy Evans. "I like to see them done so neatly and ruled so correctly. Little things like that add greatly to the reputation of our office. Keep on as you're doing, and we'll see if we can't make 0 first class ship broker out of you"
 The lads face flushed crimson with mixed pleasure and embarrass- ment, and. saying nothing, which was a very good answer under the cir cumstances, he hastened back to his tall desk.
 "Gee-whillikens!" calculated Ralph Connor, after MT. Grenhard had left the office, five been here over a year now, and the old man has never given me any such dose of tafy in the whole time."
 Good reason why" growled the elderly office manager, who could not help overhearing the conversation oi the two lads. You take a whole day to make one set of copies, what with tearing up expensive blanks and be- ginning again, and even then they're so smudgy and blurred that it's all one can do to read, let alone admire them. The trouble with you, Ralph Connor, is that you don't understand the meaning of what you are writing You go at 1t just as if you were a parrot. Young Evans has pretty nearly bothered the life out of me by asking questions, but I will say that he seems to profit by what he ii told" t.s
 I'm sure, I'm very much obliged Mir. Waldron, for all your kindness to me-" said Jimmy. "I know that owe 6 great"
 ''Oh, it's all right" interrupted the manager. Come over here and check of these commission accounts with me-"
 At the close of this lengthy task, young Jimmy fdgeted about mo. ment or two, and then said:
 "Mr. waldron, may I ask"
 Ralph Connor. over at the next desk, commenced to snicker and work one arm like a pump handle The office manager turned on his high stool to glare at the humorist and then back to Jimmy, merely say ing: "Well?"
 "Er-may I ask" repeated the boy nervously, "may ask why MT. Gren- hard is so excited about not getting this 2.0OO-ton steamer charter2"
 Cant get the steamer" replied the office manager, without turning around.
 But there are lots of them in the harbor." persisted the youth. Why saw dozens, when I came over in the ferryboat from Jersey this morn ing"
 "Yes, I dare say; but they're all either liners or ready chartered, ' said Mir. Waldron. fussing with some documents as he spoke. You see, the war in South Africa has made a great scarcity in tramp steamships at New York. as well as other ports The British government is using . great many in its transport service. I'll venture to say there are a dozen firms ready to snap up just such a ship as we want the moment she ar rives. I don't suppose you really know what a tramp steamer is"
 'No. sir" said Jimmy, "I do not. I've always lived inland until we came here. and am not posted on any kind of shipping. very much; but now that I'm in the business, I'm going to learn all I can about them"
 That's right" returned the man. ager. admiringly. Here's a little pointer for you. now A tramp steamship is one belonging to no regular line. but seeking cargoes from one port to another. wherever she can get them"
 a 2,0o0-ton tramp steamship, and have not been able to find one ss yet?" inquired the lad.
 Just so," assented MT. Waldron; but what makes the thing worse is, this order comes from our biggest customer, and he declares that unless we can secure the charter for him by tomorrow morning. he will take his business to another ship broker age concern"
 ''Whew!" wifistlsd Jimmy. dole fully.
 "So I shouldn't wonder if we lost our biggest account" went on Ar. waldron, sardonically.
 But such tramp steamer may come into the harbor by tomorrow morning" spoke up Jimmy. eagerly.
 "Yes, but if it should. how can we be sure of getting her? The mari time exchange serves us all alike in the matter of reporting srrivals Other brokers have the same show as we do." observed the manager. And he concluded by nodding his head. significantly, over toward the piled. up work on the junior clerks desk.
 Late that afternoon, Jimmy left the office and hastened toward his suburban home. In going to the ferry, he had to pass along portion of West street, and became very much excited on noticing certain craft in the North river The vessel was heading inshore, and, evidently, was about to come alongside of a dock. Any longshoreman, and half of the city landlubbers, could have told at a glance that she was a pri- vate yacht, but Jimmy never asked He was possessed with the insane idea that she was a tramp steamer just arriving. The question of her probable tonnage bothered him.
 I'm sure cant guess whether she