Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-29
BON VOYAGE
Continued from page 4

leave taking is the antithesis of the par
venu $50 different from the first European
start of the Suddenly Rich! These swoop
down on the pier with an army OF para
sites, storm the gangplank, and rush aboard,
an avalanche of noise and fashion, leaving
behind a trail of perfume that makes the
tawny quartermaster sniff.
Human nature is the same on all steam
ship PIERS There is the man who gets aboard
with half second margin; the woman who
has to climb ladder from tug when the
steamship is in midstream; the voyager who
arrives an hour after the ship has gone; the
party that must be conveyed down the bay
by steamboat with friends and a band on
board; the couple that is on hand three
hours ahead of time; the man who knows all
about navigation; the girl who is afraid the
steamship will either sink or blow up before
the voyage ends; and the fellow who feels
a sense of nausea the moment his foot hits
the deck.
The Baltic was ready to steam out for
Liverpool one morning last summer when an
official of the line CHANGED to walk along an
adjacent pier and saw an elderly couple IN
old fashioned attire sitting on bench, and
both were putting at short clay pipes under
sign that read, Smoking is positively for
hidden on this pier!"
what are you doing here, my good man''
asked the Official
aSure I'm waitin' for the ship to start for
Jamestown. Me and me wumman here are
gettin' bit unaisy."
aSome steerage passengers!' muttered the
official to himself.
"Sure are yez liver goin to start?" asked
the old woman quietly. u haven't seen
soul 90 aboard that ship, an it's two hours
now we've waited"
She had pointed to the Oceanic and the
steamship man shook his head. THE
Oceanic won't sail for four days." he said
consolingly. aI'm afraid you're here too
soon"
1.-THE divvil take your nonsense broke in
the old man. sSure tbs the Baltic we got
tickets for. She goes to-day, and we'll not
wait no foor days.
you're too late for the Baltic replied
the steamship man. 4She's sailing now from
the other pier Take your tickets to the
steerage department and have them changed
for"
aSteerage! Steerage" growled the old
man, his clay pipe trembling in his hand.
SDivvil bit am l above goin' Storage; but
cast yer eye on thin tickets!'
One glance at the old couples transporta-
ton caused the steamship official to color.
The old man had one of the most expensive
suites on the steamer. The Oceanic was
booked full, and the suite could not be dupli-
Gated on her. To let the Baltic go over with
these rooms unoccupied meant a loss to the
company and there was good chance that
the old man, if left behind, would book on
another line
sFollow me- said the official excitedly, as
he ran toward the other pier
There had been slight delay at the gang
plank and the old Irish couple from Pitts
burgh got aboard. 1t was learned afterward
that they could have bought the Baltic
outright.
nNE of the annoying tasks in the routine
- of getting a steamship away on time is
the routing ashore of persons who are not
passengers Nothing is more easy of access
than ship about to sail. 1t is the freest of
free shows. Everybody who chooses walks
aboard. No questions are asked, its being
assumed that the stroller is either voyager
or friend of some prospective passenger
It was this free and easy system that enabled
Gallagher to get aboard the Kaiser Wilhelm
der Crosse and shoot Mayor Gaynor as he
was about to depart for Bremen. Steamship
officials declare there is no remedy for it; but
admit it is inviting for the crank the pick
pocket, the genteel panhandler, and the
process server. The opponents Of these