New-York tribune., 1907-06-17
BILL" TO THE RESCUE.
QUfGLEY PULLS HARD.
The "DoIphin" Hears Hoe He Got
the Double Red Cross.


NarToWs Yesterday. He had to tie up at Stapleton
ard home the ferry boat. 'RiIl' has taken
big chances. rowed against the strongest tides and
with the exception of the time lie was frozen in of
Liberty some six winters ago has always brought
tic boat back TO the basin
The thought OF having to leave the Whitehall at
Stapleton worried him more than the consciousness
that he had lost the great opportunity of life
flme-an option on $4,000 oyster bed that within
two years would be worth least 100000
Money is a big item these days, but there are
things in this life that more worthy Of
consideration. This is at least in the makeup
Of Honest Bill He has his Nevada Utah.
small bit of Copper and a falr sized wad of Gold
field enterprise that friend slipped TO him a year
ago. 10 say nothing OF sixteen Bedford avenue
apartments a hair interest in towing company
and the entree to inside information the
the ponies" likely 10 all tracks of the
country. He even thought of bidding for the con-
tract Of feeding the immigrants at Ellis Island
but out Of pure friendship for n competitor TO
whom Bill" had taken a fancy he refrained from
bidding So the boatman is worrying great
deal over money matters.
To be the absolute master of his trade has been
and is Honest BilPs' ambition To be baffled by
such a trivial thing as strong ebb tide is mex
cusable TO boatman; therefore, it is not remark
able that Bill" was more grteved because he had
TO leave the Whitehall at Stapleton than by the
possible loss of oyster bed that would double in
value five times in two years
"BilI" came into the Ship News Office before noon
yesterday. No one was there TO cheer him up
cept the faithful Battery Dolphin" Since the
five old salts ostracized him from the inner circle
'Bill has dropped in TO look over the yellow list
before the daily o'clock conference begins The
Battery Dolphin was on the job early, as he had
arrival of certain steamers expected from the West
coast. He had conveyed the necessary informa-
in G. mood sufficiently jubllant TO convince the
father of ten children that reduction in salary
Hello jimmy said bill" in melancholy
tene Anybody lookin for me today I,,,...s +a
trouble, Bill? You look worried"
"Oh I've had awful morning of IT," said Bill.
Does me head show any more white hairs? I've
been up agfn enough trouble To-Day TO turn me
head whittier n cotton bale.
Liver out of gear, Bill? p
Nope Left boat down at Stapleton- Tide
too strong Must be gettin old when can't pull
agin that ebb. Oh, ii amt that alone It's every
thing comm at once To begin with, the butler
didn't cali me until this morning and the cook
let a hy get into corncrisp. The bacon was
done too much and by mistake I got duck egg
for q ride last night, punctured two tires on the
60 horsepower car, and had TO take the electric
runabout over 10 the basin this mornin' nesem
had a date with the oyster fisherman for $50
and as I was about 10 hitch on 10 a Mutual tug
10 go down TO Robbins Reef squarehead' from
the Tmrnins came around with note from the
engineer sayin' that Bronco gon' to shift the
Indrapura from the East River pier to Bush's
stores in South Brooklyn. OF course I wouldn't
throw Bronco down. although We don't speak as
pass by, and got busy on the shiftin OF the
Indrapura. Two hours later Bronco towed me
down into a nasty current near ST. George, and
drifted almost TO the West Bank light. Then II
was too late TO meet the oyster man, and lost
the $4,000 option on the oyster bed.
Gee! You've got EN- all In a bunch haven't ye,
BILL eh?' suggested the Dolphin"
oh them financial deals don't bother It's
the idea Of leavin the Whitehall at Stapleton It's
everything at once"
''Bil' sank into chair, and the Dolphin" Of
cred him q morning paper.
Makes yer head whirl to read 'em. and even the
funny pictures are gettin' woozy. Jimmy. did you
see the old Goose stop me at the door when
''surer' said the Dolphin" THE guy with the
long wlaiskers; seed him If ye shook them
whiskers mouse would sure have Jumped out
What did he want, Bill? ?"
oh he was the climax and the battle axe thrown
in He was the last straw IN the lemonade He
wanted ne TO show him where was the fish thea
7 doped II he was lookin' for the Aquarium.
and I sent him. whiskers and all on his merry
way, rejoicIn'. Oh, what day I've been through"
The Battery Dolphin, being Of a sympathetic
nature. began at once shoulder part OF the woes
OF the boatman and drew from his pocket delib-
erately, q package Of fne-cut chewing TOBACCO.
He dug the thumb and forefnger Of his left hand
deep into the package and tucked away In re-
mote recess in his Jaw as sort Of nerve bTacer.
goodly wad Of the inspiring weed. Then. in a half
weeping tone, with a articulation that suggested
he had taken IN a mouthful of exceedingly hot
cereal the Battery Dolphin' suggested that II
was too bad" and that he felt mighty blamed
sorry"
Pill for the better part Of two hours the two
poured out their souls TO each other Seldom has
there been such a session of sympathetic exchange
Bill never lets his feelings show outwardly. but
within he was bubbling with emotion. When the
session ended the Battery Dolphin" wiped away
several tears from his large gray, crimson framed
eyes.
Say. Bill tell me somethin'. will ye? On the
level, now, why do they call you by the name OF
Honest BiIP?'
Bill drew, his chair closer TO the Dolphin and
looked furtively around the Ship News office No
about and he whispered the secret to the
receptive Dolphin"
IT'S long story, Jimmy but I'll tell it to you
in few words I'm pretty much Of Chinaman IN
my business dealins. I play close a bargain and
get all there is in il Honest BIZ; but It's
settled, matter what happens play fair No
hedging ever In mine. I didn't gunnin' for that
title Of Honest Bill not any more than the Kaiser
Bill there in Germany hunted for the name
Of Emperor. Do you catch my meaning? 1t al
ways comes from the old stock. and it's up TO the
new blood to hold it That's the secret OF gettlng
ahead. Do the square thing all the time, without
thinkin' that by doin' it the mob is gon' 10 give
you a title like Honest Bill -
The .Dolphin's" jaw which had hung low
throughout Honest BilIs' Philippe, closed with
e snap and he carried the essay further
That's right, Bill l read a poem last night
that sprung the same idea I don't know the name
Of it. but il went somethin' like this: Underneath
z chestnut tree honest blacksmith stands He
looks the whole earth right in the eye and he
don't owe nobody nothin. You get me meanin'.
don't you BIZ? Eh?"
Well not exactly returned BILL" but think
you have the idea ] tried to explain 10 you. Never
overcharge like the dentists and doctors" contin-
"Bill' ''Doctorin' is the worst bunco business
goin'- In any other line Of con game you've. got
10 make good once IN a while, but IN the medicine
business they make failures continually and al
ways get away with it. They get you Ron and
comm. and there's no escape Doctors job is
the only one in the world where they get the
when they don't produce the goods
The Battery Dolphin said he knew who
had appendix complaint and the doctor wanted
10 co-operats on him ana cut the growth out. The
JOB would have cost $780, he said but n wise drug
clerk who knew his business recommended plas-
ter made OF common two-cent fypaper and it
cured the guy in three nights"
''Blll" got up walked over TO the windogy and
!oohea IN me direction Of the subway. Without
turning his head. he asked the Dolphin" il any
or the reporters due az the office On the
assurance from the Dolphin that the whole