Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-03-02
H SToMHMHY

vTsHIS 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 stevedores 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 chanced to be near. One of them dropped unnoticed through 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 narrow space which had evil dentIy 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 off starvation for a week orr ten days After the young stevedore had crawled into it he drew a case in front of the opening to prevent discovery by a possible prowler or inspector of the freight.
 Then he made himself as comforta- ble as he could in the narrow space, and chuckled at the prospect of reach ing South America without cost. He thought exu1tantly 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 little shrewdness and bold face would answer just as we'll.
 He had three dollars in his pocket, the sum paid him on deck 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 q 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 street cor ner, or with them in some mischief.
 He tried to keep up his interest in the sounds on deck, and to 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 ently. Yet he was not leaving much, after all, he told himself grimly; he had not he'd a home for three years: he had no position, no home, no pros- poets; even the boon companions would scarcely inquire after or regret v 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 had left because it 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, "an' doesn't realize. He's a good boy, an will 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 he was going to take care of her when h;e was man. Even after he left he had once written home that he was 'goin' to git some money laid by pret- ty soon." All through these three years she had written regularly and lovingly, and though he had answered only briefly and at long intervals, her faith in him had not for an instant way cred. Even now he had letter in his pocket, received three days before, and not yet opened
 Down here in the. denth of the hold.