Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-09-23
DAILY SHORT STORY
Costly Attendance.
IOriginal.1

HdrDOf, Wuen II uitttl CdluS up thS SOAA-
panion way. looked wildly about him
and gasped in establishment. {.
'Well. my man. 1 sang out, whats
the matter?"
81 don't know" he said. Glow did
I get aboard this ship?"
You probably skulked aboard, but
you won't skulk now you've got aboard.
You'll work your passage"
You see, we had so much of this sort
of deadbeat that we'd got tired of it,
and l didn't propose TO be humbugged.
The man was well dressed-in fact, too
well dressed to make sailor of or for
him to stand heaving coal into the fur
naces. looked him over and made up
my mind to make cabin boy of him.
Now, see here" l said; ait is too late
to put you ashore. You know that or
you wouldn't have shown yourself till
later I've got to take you to Liver
pool. You go to the head steward and
tell him to get what he can out of you"
While 1 was speaking the man seem
ed to be trying to recall something.
Then he thrust his hands into his trou-
sers pocket, then into all the rest of
his pockets, evidently looking for mon
ey. Then he turned to me and said:
Put me ashore"
put you ashore? 1 would without
your asking if 1 could. I've got the
mails on board, and 1 daren't lose an
hour"
1 was watching him like a cat and
felt sure he was playing the emotions
that would be expected of him under
the circumstances.
what am to do, captainT
do what told you to do-go to the
head steward for work"
He disappeared from above the COM
panionway, and 1 heard nothing more
of him till / went to my cabin, where
l found a protest drawn up in legal
form against my taking him to Liver
pool and demanding to be put ashore.
At first 1 was staggered, but I'd seen
many a sharper dodge than that. and l
assumed that the man had brought the
paper aboard with him. paid no at
tention to it and in a few days forgot
all about the fellow, till one day he
appeared in the saloon, where l was
at dinner, and handed me a plate of
soup.
used to waiting on tableT" asked.
= "Oh. yes"
"Where have you done any waiting?"
"SummerS-hotelS.'
Like it?''
Its the easiest job you could have
given me, but it IL be rather expensive
for you before my bill is paid"
What do you mean
81 mean that every time 1 hand you
a plate of soup it IL cost your company
$1,000"
l smiled good humoredly. being quite
amused at the mans "gaH." 1t was
evident he was trying to bluff me into
giving him first class passage out
and home again. Still the next morn
ing 1 awoke before daylight and got
to thinking about the fellow till l be-
gan to be worried. Caution said treat
him as if you believed him. You'll lose
nothing. Whereas if you don't and he's
all right he may make trouble for you.
But the matter had gone too far for
me to retreat. and 1 took no action.
On the return trip, the second morn
ing out, who should l see on deck,
dressed in a jaunty English suit, puff
ing a good cigar, but my shanghaied
man.
"GOOd morning, captain" he said.
what IL be the run tOdayF'
1 looked at him pretty steadily for a
moment, then turned on my heel and
went to the purser, who told me the
man was down on the list as Nelson
Brentwood of New York. 1 began to
fear l was in for trouble.
Just before we reached New York,
going into my cabin one morning, /
saw on my bunk a paper. 1 opened 1t
and read:
THE - STEAMSHIP co.
To Nelson Brentwood, Dr.
Handing the captain five plates of
soup OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. $5,OOO
Other services as cabin boy.......... 5000
Loss of time. .......................... 10000
Total $50 900
1 began to quake. I'd carried off
some one, or, rather, some one had
got himself carried off to get up a law
suit to bleed the company. However.
there would be no use now paying any
attention to the matter. 1 ignored it,
though confess it bothered me.
Soon after we were locked l was
called on by the agent for a statement
covering the case of Mr.. Brentwood. l
gave it and heard no more of the mat
ter till the day before l sailed. Then
l received an envelope addressed to
Nelson Brentwood and letter from
the agent asking me to sign the COM
munication In the envelope and for
ward it with other Enclosures. The in
closures were an unreceipted bill of
Nelson Brentwood for handing him
five plates. of soup at 81 900 n plate
and check for $1,000. The cOmmupi-
cation was humble apology for tax
ing him to Europe against his will. !
signed the letter and dropped the pack
age in the mail.
When 1 returned on the next trip /
got the explanation. Brentwood was
a graduate Of - college and during
vacations hod Uaitad IN fahla at SIIu1-