The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-10-30
RACE PROBLEM EVERYWHERE
On the Ship, Going Over, There Was
Clash-Newberry Boy On a
Tramp in the Old World.
(By ". B. Seabrook.)

CnerDOurg, France.- line race
problem now NATIONAL" was a fav-
orite editorial subject for American
newspapers few months ago, fol-
lowing the riots at Springfield; the
same problem became international
in a modest but tempestuous manner,
in the third class, or steerage dining
room, on board the American line
steamer "Philadelphia," on Septem-
Der 1st, as the vessel was beginning
her voyage from New York to Cher
bourg.
Most Of the steerage passengers
we're Italian laborers, carrying with
them, in addition to their baggage
and dirt, terrible odor of garlic and
fried fish; there were 200 or more
greasy Assyrians, while the English,
" Irish, French, Germans and AmeriS
cans numbered a total Of only fif-
teen, and for these latter few the
! steward arranged a special table.
:. When the first meal was served,
fourteen seats were occupied, and one
: vacant.
!. - = It was to be filled by an English
man, said the steward.
While the waiter was ladling boil
j. ed cabbage and potatoes from cop
per kettle, the "Englishman' ap-
. peared. He was decidedly the best
dressed man in the steerage, and wore
conspicuously at his side a leather
case much as tourists use for carry
ing field glasses. He was excessive
i. " polite and appro: ched the. table
with the air Of a Chesterfield-but
he was coal black negro. Ut de-
veloped later that the case carried a
pint bottle Of gin.)
r, Before the newcomer was fairly
seated, a huge Trishman at the end
Of the table jumped up
"Oi can't sthand thot nayger!" he
shouted.
>''Ni moi non plus,'' piped little
French chambermaid.
:: From beneath a bushy, beer soaked
German moustache came torrent of
gutteral protest, and two California
Adventures who were bound for Gen.
tral Africa in search Of rubber and
= ivory, arose noisily from their seats.
: .F'You know we don't give a damn
ourselves said one Of them, "but
we've got friend here from Geor-
gia.''
''I call this a bloomin' houtrage," "
muttered the ''Englishman," but he
ii went to another table.
J.. Travellers in the first-class cabins
frequently write or remark upon the
facility with which people become ac-
., quainted on an ocean liner, and the
exceptional opportunities such a voy-
age affords for character study. In
the third class, human nature is laid
bare to the bone. Not all the disclos-
: ures are pleasant to contemplate, but
all are luminous and pulsating with
the realities of life.
At our table was an Englishwoman,
whose reddened, calloused hands in
dicated that her lot in America had
not been a bed Of roses, but her face
was radiant with happiness and her
little daughter of twelve years was
bubbling over with joy and suppress
ed excitement. The mother was COM
mpnicative, and on the second day
out I learned her little story. She had
crossed the ocean at the age of nine,
had married an American, and, in
spite Of Strengthened circumstances
had raised a family Of six children
The dream Of her life was to visit,
before she died, the little village in
Cornwell where she had spent her
childhood days.
For thirty long years she had work
ed in a. laundry, adding each week a
-, few pennies to the fund she was say"
ing to pay her passage. Meanwhile
it appeared, she had supported he1
husband and children.
"And is your husband an invalid, >
I asked.
"He's no more invalid than you
are,'' replied the woman proudly
"He's a politician in Zincinatti. -
At CtorDourg.
According to the guide books, there
is little at Cherbourc worthy of note