The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-14

 CTS and swindling innkeepers beset the road in those good old times of 1739, and Roderick Random and his companion learned a great deal about human nature, paying handsomely for the knowledge with frights, bruises and ready money.
 In London Roderick perfected his knowledge of human nature by falling in ] with some amiable strangers who won all i his remaining money atacards. Strap ] heard the news with a hideous groan and then thrust his purse into his aristocratic friends hands. Take it, said he, ''and when it is gone I'll get you more. You are the gentleman and I am only the i cobbler's son.
 1 The faithful Strap then went forth and i got himself a position as barber's assist ant, while Roderick danced attendance on members of parliament, naval boards and [ functionaries for an appointment to a ship.
 Footmen, clerks, hangers-on and of fcials bled him till a. continuance of the operation became useless for lack of further supply. Then he was cast off, and was in very promising way to starve genteelly, when he was set upon by a press gang and dragged to a cruiser, after having been carefully and elaborately knocked on the head.
 His fellow victims in the grated hold 1 robbed him, and the midshipman in ! charge squirted mouthful of tobacco ] juice on him when he asked that his wounds be dressed.
 The pain of his hurts, th9 stench of i the place and the absence of food and { drink made him unconscious. He migh t have died there like a dog as many of Her Majesty's faithful subjects did in those days, had not a sailor succored him.
 This man told him that he was on board the ship Thunder, Captain Oakum. When Random, startled at the name, said that he was the nephew of Tom Bowling. the sailor swore that he would help him all he could. Lieu tenant Bowlingl" said he. There was a sailor for you and as brave a fellow as ever cracked bisketl And 1t wasn't his fault, bless him, that old oakun got better of his wound, which was more than the old villain deserves"
 surgeons mate came to examine his injuries, and Roderick Random was filled Swith joy to recognize in him ar acouaintance. Tn omson, who had passed the examination with him at Surgeon; Hall. He told Thomson about the mid shinman. who had added to his pre- vious heartlessness by striking his pris oner with a cane. The first lieutenan investigated and promptly put MT. Mid shipman Crampley into irons, pun ish ment that made him Random's de termined enemy.
 The Thunder was short Of surgeoni mates and Thomson succeeded in get ting the berth of the third mate fo Random. Thus he gained through [ press gang what he had not been abl to gain through the naval office.
 He was anything but delighted h owever. when he saw his quarters which were reached by descending sev eral ladders into hole as dark as dungeon, permeated with an overpow I ering smell of rancid butter and ol oh eese that poured from the steward cuddy near by.
 MT. Morgan, the first surgeons mate
 was adding to the fragrance by mixin
 q mess of peas salt butter and onion
 in a wooden tray. Having partaken c
 this delicacy,~ he was introduced to hi
 patients. He saw half hundred misei
 able wretches suspended in hammock hung so close together that only
 inches was allotted to each man. Ther was neither light nor air in the fo, place. Filth and vermin were every where. To reach any patient in the bac of the hold the surgeons assistants ha to crawl along the deck under the othe
 hammocks.
 Roderick Random was much less SUI