Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1905-06-16

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modern steamship engineer. There is
romance. too. in the stoke hold-the last
place in which the landsman would
look for IL. When a watch or hremen
and trimmers-or ''stokers," as the
world ashore calls them-have a lazy
time In port they spin enough yarns
Ia half an hour 10 supply a busy writer
OF fiction with plots for a lifetime. Here
are some typical stories:
Some years ago there was a little
steamship in the West Indian trade
! which carried six egr stokers. one
fine dag, when the sea was almost as
smooth as glass, this vessel turned tur-
tie and went TO the bottom, q few miles
off the coast of one of the Stands. n
had put to sea with a heavy list 10
starboard, caused by a big deckload or
coal and oranges.
The crew managed to cut a boat
adrift and drop her overheard with W
men when the ship was manifestly
sinking. She went on for a mile ahead
of the boat at full speed before she
sank, and every n OF the stokers kept
at his post, although they could hardly
retain their footing on the sloping iron
floor of the bunkers. The skipper had
to run down TO order them up, and sew.
eral OF them actually slipped into the
water over the bilge keel of the ship
as II was In the act of turning turtle.
0ne Uldn Was duStl III tht PAVRciNA
and killed, but the others were picked
up by the boat after waiting YEARLY
for half an hour with several big
sharks around them.
They returned TO the port which they
had only left a few hours before, and
the agent of the steamship expressed
great admiration OF their pluck n
GOODNESS.
see here, sir" said the skipper.
These men have lost all their kit. and
words won't do 'em much good.
Couldn't the Arm give 'em a new out
ft?"
"Tm afraid the firm wouldn't stand
for it, replied the agent. but VIII,
anyhow and he scrubbed an order to
a local clothier; Let these men nave
what they require and charge IT TO
me- He expected, OF course, that
they would each get an ordinary stok-
er's kit, and let him out or he business
for about $50.
But when those five brawny negroes
were given that precious piece or paper
they saw that the chance of their lives
had come. They had a grudge against
the firm. anyway, for they believed the
ship had been sent to sea TO sink and
earn insurance n So they deter
mined TO get wen.
Good Clothes First.
They marched into the store and an
nounced that the first things they re-
quired were five evening dress suits.
The proprietor looked astonished, but
the agents order was good enough, ana
he saw no objection to making money.
On the contrary, he fastened to show
them his finest linen shirts, his most
gorgeous silk neckties and shiniest
patent leather boots. They ordered
quantities of each article, several suits
of expensive clothing, elegant toilet
sets, silk pajaYnas, fine underwear,
numerous pairs OF gloves, and all the
a-ppurtenances Of a d Beau
Brummers wardrobe.
When they could think OF nothing
more in clothes. they bought the five
most expensive leather bags in the
store, packed their purchases in them.
and then, arrayed In plug hats and
frock coats, marched down to the
agents Office 70 thank him for his
blindness.
OF course, the agent was furious,
and he refused 70 pay the bill. which
amounted TO several hundred dollars.
The clothie. brought suit and compell-
ed him to do so. the Judge still further
narrowing his feelings by telling him
that If he had written what they
need" instead of what they require
he could not have been held liable.
Have Beens.
Many men who have seen better
days are TO be found in the republic
of the stokehold.
Il remember said a trimmer on q
big Atlantic liner. 'once sailing with q
crew or firemen and trimme-s which
included the e~x-captatn Of the British
army, a young London newspaper man
who was out for experience-and got
II; a lawyer who had been Gisbarred,
and several other men who were OBJ
viousiy OF good birth and education,
| but would tell nothing bou their an
tecendents. AS a rule, the engineers
don't like such a crew. They drink
worse than the ordinary hands, they
cannot work SO hard. and they wont
knuckle under to discipline.
Years ago, when / served on a liner
| plying to the far east, there was a
young Englishman with me as q trim
mer. We went several oyage to-
gether to the same port-the principal
town of an important British colony.
He was plainly a gentleman, but he
stuck to his work well and never went
on a spree. He liked to look around
foreign towns, but / noticed that when
eve we lay In that particular British
port he never went ashore He would
not even go on deck, unless ne was
obliged to do SO, preferring to stay in
his bunk all day.
This was such unusual conduct for
a trimmer that / asked him what his
motive was. He muttered that ne had
his reasons, SO / left him Alone, sup
posing that he had committed some
crime in that town and was afraid he
would be arrested TX he went ashore.
Next time we visited that port the
governor OF the colony n his wife
came aboard to bid goodby to their
daughter, who was sailing with Es TO
England to finish her education.
"The second engineer sent the young
E~ngllshman on 10 the wharf with a
message to the dock superintendent.
Going down the gangway he met the
governor and his party. Tina tdistin-
| guished old gentleman-a famous Brit
ish general-turned pale and stared at
| him as IL he were a ghost. chen he
gripped thai grimy trimmer by the
| hand and cried, BY CD, it's Harry
| The women hung around him and be-
gan to cry, and before / could grasp
what was happening they had hustled
him into a carriage and driven him Off
| TO Government house.
Governor Fixed Him.
.'The governor talked to our skippef,
and fixed things up so that the young
fellow didn't return to the stokehold.
| But on our next voyage he Travelled
| with us as a frst-class passenger.
After dinner one evening he met me
on the deck and told me hat he was
the governors only son.
He had been sent TO Sanhurst to
train for the British army, blu was ex-
PEELED for brow an obnoxious tutor