The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1908-11-18

says old San, three strong men agin
one poor ola woman; that's wot we
feel, Ginger
"'Well, I don't feel like it, SEES Gin
ger; you please yourself, and Ill
please myself
"'E went off in huff, an next
morning e was so disagreeable that
Sam an Peter went and signed on
board a steamer called the Penguin,
which was to sail the day arter. They
parted bad friends all round, and Gin
ger Dick gave Peter nasty black
eye, and Sam said that when Ginger
came to see things in proper way
agin he'd be sorry for wot ed said.
And e said that i'm and Peter never
wanted to look on is face agin.
Ginger Dick was a bit lonesome
arter they'd gone, but o thought it
better to let few days go ny afore e
went and adopted the red-aired land
lady. He waited week, and at last,
unable to wait any longer, e went out
and 'ad a shave and smartened hisself
up, and went off to the Blue Lion.
"Glass O. bitter, ma'am, please he
ses to the old lady as she came out o
the little parlor at the back o the bar.
The old lady drew the beer, and
beer-pull and the other on the co',n-
ter looking at Ginger Dick in is new
blue jersey and cloth cap.
"'Lovely weather, ma'am,' ses Gin
ger, putting his left arm on the coun-
ter and showing the salor-boy dancing
the hornpipe.
Its a ard life, the sea- SEES the
old lady.
"She kept wiping down the counter
in front of i'm over an over agin, an
e could see 'er staring at is wrists as
though she could 'ardly believe her
eyes. Then she went back into the
parlor, and Ginger card her whisper
ing. and by and by she came out agin
with the blue-eyed barmaid.
"'Have you been at sea long" SEES
the old lady.
lover 20 years, ma'am, SEES Ginger,
avoiding the barmaid's eye wot was
fixed on is wrists, and I've been ship
wrecked four times; the fust time
when l was a little nipper O. four
teen
Pore thing ses the landlady,
my boy went to sea at that age, and
I've never seen i'm since.
"I'm sorry to ear it, ma'am, ses
Ginger, very respectful-like. L suppose
I've lost my mother, so l can feel for
you
"'Suppose you've lost your mother!'
ses the barmad don't you know
whether you have?'
mo ses Ginger Dick, very sad.
When l was wrecked the fust time l
| was in open boat for three weeks,
| and, wot with the exposure and 'ardly
| any food, l got brain fever and lost my
memory
pore thing, ses the landlady agin.
81 might as we'll be a Orfin,' ses
Ginger, looking down; sometimes l
seem to see a kind, 'andsome face
bending over me, and fancy it's my
mothers, but l can't remember 'er
name, or my name, or anythink about
'er
| "'You remind me O. my boy very
much ses the landlady, shaking 'er
cad.
Ginger Dick would ha liked to ha'
seen 'er a bit more excited, but e
ordered another glass O. bitter from
the barmaid and tried to think 'ow
he was to bring about the ship on his
chest and the letters on is back. The
landlady served a couple O men, and
by and by she came back and began
talking agin.
81 like Sailors she SEES; one thing
is, my boy was a sailor; and another
thing is, they've got such feelin' carts
There was two of 'em in ere the other
day, who'd been in ere once or twice
and one of 'em was that kind 'earted
| thought he would ha' ad fit at
something l told him.
"'Ho,' ses Ginger, pricking up his
ears, 'wot for?'
81 was just talking to i'm about my
boy, same as l might be to you, ses
the old lady, and l was just telling
i'm about the poor child losing is
finger
Losing is wot? ses Ginger, turn
ing pale and staggering back.
Finger ses the landlady. e was
only ten years old at the time, and I'd
sent i'm out to-Wot's the matter!
Amt you well?'
Ginger didn't answer 'er a word
he couldn't. e went on going back
wards until e got to the door, and
then e suddenly fell through it into
the street, and tried to think.
Then q remembered Sam and
Peter, and when e thought of then
safe and sound aboard the Penguin he
nearly broke down altogether, as {
thought how lonesome he was.
"All e wanted was is arms round
both theiS necks same as they was the
night afore they 'ad i'm tattooed