Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1909-08-20
ADRlFT.
ey CHRISTIAN NIELSEN

wandered back to my boyhood and a
schoolmate of mine by the name OF
Rudolf. one of the most noble charae-
ters | ever met. Both of us chose the
sea as a way of earning a living, and
pften shipping together / had many
proofs OF his devoted friendship.
The last time we shipped together
was in 1879 with the bark G., Of our
home town. l remember Rudolf's
mother and his sweetheart standing
on the quay bidding goodbye. Turn
ing to me his mother said, You two
must stick together"
So we did, and his noble character
had good influence on me. By his
friendship I was often kept out of the
saloons and dance houses. took
sick and was sent to the hospital in
Hull. and / heard no more OF my
friend.
On visit to my home town some
Fears ago called on Rudolf's mother
IN her home. With her was his
sweetheart. working at dressmaking
10 support his mother.
Rudolf is dead" said his mother:
nothing but death could keep him
from coming home to us"
cannot account for II, but con-
lected with this memory OF the past
miserable looking wretch, who or
he night before had asked for tick
ct for a nights lodging at the Saliva
Ion Army's lodging house. l deter
mined to find this fellow, so the mex
lay | went to the lodging house ant
'ound him in the reading room
When he saw me he tried to leave
: the reading room, but | caught him
and asked him his name. After hesl-
;ating a moment he replied, Ernest
Johnson. Why do you ask?7 l was
surprised. / could give no reason for
asking the question so abruptly. !
held his hand for a few minutes look
ing for something that would connect
( him with my friend that would ac-
count for my rudeness. I remem-
oered that while in the port Of Dan
zig Rudolf had the letters R. ]. tat
tooed on his left arm. took his left
hand. pushed up the sleeve Of his
coat, and there was the "R. j." in red
and blue Ink Just above the wrist.
| pass over the first two hours af-
ter this detection. but when told
him of my sleepless night he broke
down and told me the following story:
l was discharged from my ship in
Liverpool, and with the intention OF
going home took the train for Lon
don. and went to the old boarding
house. There got in company with
number Of former shipmates and
we had a game of cards. For the
first time in my life l played for
money and lost three or four games.
| was about to take the cards for an
other game when a woman said, 4
would not play that game; you know
nothing about it.
Il threw down the cards and turned
to thank her for her advice She was
a good looking girl, neatly dressed
and in her behavior so unlike the girls
we used to meet in the boarding
. houses, that I got much interested in
] her, and when she asked me to 90
with her to dance | was quite will
ing. This was my first step to a
ruined life.
Il lost the boat the next morning.
but l had money saved, and thinking
that no one need know anything OF
what had happened wrote home that
] would arrive by the next steamer.
. A day or two before the steamer
sailed | was told by the doctor that
my blood had been poisoned. | can
not tell what had to endure the fol-
lowing weeks. took the boarding
house master into my confidence, and
at his advice | wrote home that had
got so good chance that would not
come home for a month. but I gave
no name of ship or address. MY sick
ness went on from bad to worse, the
month turned and my money was
gone.
Then a letter arrived from my
mother to the boarding house master
asking for Information of ship and
destination. The reply was that /
had given him no information what
ever. BY his aid l got ship for San
Francisco. You take this chance,
he said, and from that port you can
write home, having a good excuse for
Hot writing sooner.
1t was a nine months voyage,
with the worst officers and crew that
had ever been with. The habits |
got into then have never left me. !
could not stand it on that vessel, and
/ believe that the captain worked it so
that we should desert. So we did,
and under the name OF Ernest John
son shipped on an American ship. !
intended to return TO my home, but
somehow could not save enough
money SO could go home as a gen
tleman.
in Newcas Ne. England. that hap
pened which forever killed the inten-
tion to go home. l used to go to the
sailors reading room to read the
newspapers. and one day the mission
airy asked my naIae Ernest John
son. | said. is your name pot Ru-
dolf? No. sir; what msyes yol
shink sog' l asked. u