Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1903-04-30
"A STOWHWHY


| THIS day had finished the loading
of the vessel for her trip across
the ocean, and now, as the sun was
sinking behind the shrouds Of the
Ship. to the west, the steyedores filed
in front of the officer who was check
ing off and paying for the hours they
had worked.
As they received their money the
stevedores passed across TO the wharf,
or stopped for a few minutes con-
versation with each other or with some
of the sailors who CHANGED 10 be near.
One of them dropped unnoticed
through a hatchway and slipped back
into the hold where the freight had
been slowed. Then he made his way
among the boxes and bales until he
came to a narrow space which had evil
IDENTIFY been left by design, for it was
long enough for a man TO stretch at
full length in it, and contained water
and crackers enough to keep of
starvation for week or ten days.
After the young stevedore had erawled
into il he drew case in front of the
opening TO prevent discovery by a
possible prowler or inspector of the
freight.
Then he made himself as comforta-
BILE as he could in the narrow space,
and chuckled at the prospect Of reach
ing South America without cost. He
thought exultantly of what he would
do when he got there, and of other
strange lands he would visit before re-
turning home. There was no sense
in people spending money to travel |
when a little shrewdness and bold |
face would answer just as well.
He had three dollars in his pocket, |
the sum paid him on deck a half hour |
before, but that was as much as he |
usually had ahead these days He had |
given up work, except in case Of ne
cessity; and even the three dollars
would not have been earned had not
this trip TO South America been
planned as part of the gain.
For an hour he remained awake, lis /
tening to the sounds on deck and ex-
ulting in his own shrewdness; then,
weary with the days labor, his head
leaned forward and he sank into a
sound sleep.
Late the next evening the vessel was
to begin her voyage, and during the
early part Of the day his attention was
occupied by the sounds of passengers
coming on board, and of baggage and
the last consignments of freight being
slowed away. But at length listening
became monotonous, and even his own
thoughts, exultant though they were,
grew wearisome. He was not accus-
toned to being alone, or to self-com-
muning. During the past few years,
when not asleep, he had generally been
with boon companions on a street cor
ner, or with them in some mischief.
He tried to keep up his interest in
the sounds on deck, and 10 think Of
the fun ahead of him instead of the
past. But he could not; it all kept /
surging over him, again and again, and
when he would thrust it away it re-
turned only more strongly and persist
emily. Yet he was not leaving much. |
after all. he told himself grimly; he |
had not had home for three years: |
he had no position, no home, no pros.
poets; even the boon companions /
would scarcely inquire after or regret
him. In all the world there was only /
Just one who believed in and trusted |
him; and he had not seen her for three |
years. There had been months when /
he had not even thought of her or Of |
the rocky little farm which he hadleft |
because il was too slow.
She had never doubted him for mo-
ment, or ceased to think Of the time |
when he was to provide lovingly for |
her old age. When some Of his worst |
escapades had been reported she had |
smiled wistfully, but hopefully. sam |
my's young" she had said. IAN doesn't |
realize. He's good boy. an viii do |
better when he's older. Him and mes |
goin' to live together ag'in some time;
he'll be layin' by for it pretty soon"
Something swelled in the young
mans throat as he remembered how
many times he had heard her say that. |
and how many times he had declared. !
in moments Of boyish repentance, that