The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1912-03-15
The
StoWaW1aV
BY FREDL- YOUNG

one near me and, looking in the direc-
ton Of other eyes, saw lad being
brought forward between two sailors.
he was in rags, and what clothing
chung to him was begrimed. The on
Ger Of the deck was standing by me.
and the boy was brought to him.
Il suppose you haven't any money
to pay your fareT
mo. sir"
well, before you get ashore you'll
wish you hadn't shipped that way.
We work stowaways harder than any
one else aboard this ship. We do that
to keep others from doing the same
thing" Then to the men who had
him In charge, Take him down into
the engine room and set him to shov
cling COAL"
"You don't mean," protested, that
you're going to put that delicate boy
down in that frightful hole at such
hard work.
The man looked at me angrily. cts
against marine law for passengers to
interfere with the officers of a ship.
You'd better keep your suggestions to
yourself"
The boy was taken below, and I
saw no more of him that day. But
I knew what shoveling coal on an
ocean liner meant, and 1 didn't be-
lieve he could stand the work. I lay
awake in my berth thinking about
him and the terrible fate in store for
90 many human beings deprived Of
protection while others are pampered
with every luxury. There were boys
and girls on the ship occupying luxu-
rious staterooms under the care of
fond parents, so delicately nurtured
that it seemed az II a snow squall or
a hot sun would wither them. And
yet this poor boy, with the same kind
Of body, the same immortal soul,
must be put to work in an iron room
far under water, where the tempera
ture was over 100 degrees, and made
to lift heavy scoops and throw the
coal in them into the mouth Of fiery
furnace.
The next day Joined party Of pas
sengers who were to 60 through the
engine room, and, descending the sue
cession Of iron steps, we finally found
ourselves In the ships internal regions.
I went down to the furnace, and there
was the boy staggering with the rest
from the coal heaps to the mouth Of
the furnace. He was the only one thus
engaged who wore any clothing above
his waist. How he stood the heat
could not understand
The sight was too much for me.
went up to the purser's Office and took
a steerage passage for the stowaway,
ting me to bring him on deck. 1 got
him to a berth, and as soon as he en-
tered it he collapsed. Possibly it was
the reaction at knowing he need not
work any longer in Tartarus; possibly
he would not have stood the strain
much longer anyway. I got the ships
surgeon to bring him up, but he need
ed nothing save rest.
After he had come to himself again
talked with him about himself, who
he was and why he was trying to get
to America. He told me that he was
going over to join brother who would
meet him in New York. The brother
had promised to send him passage
money, but had been thrown out of
work during a strike, and the matter
of going over must have been deferred
had it not been for the boys determi-
nation to cross as a stowaway.
The youngster was very grateful to
me for what l did for him. AS we
neared the American coast l noticed
that something was troubling him. l
asked him what it was, but did not get
satisfaction. 1t was not fear of being
deported, for he expected his brother
to take care of that, though just how
it was to be done he didn't tell me-
He said finally that he needed some
better clothing before going ashore
His brother wouldn't know him in his
rags. At any rate, he didn't wish to
appear to him so shabbily dressed. I
offered to try to get him something
better but he declined to permit me to
do So Then he asked me if l would
ask stewardess to come down and
see him. 1 couldn't understand what
he wanted of a stewardess, but bore
his message.
The day we reached port before 60
ing ashore I went down to see my
protege and bid him goodby. Then I
met with the surprise of my life. Not
seeing him, l asked where he was.
My informant pointed to girl stink
ing away from me.
II mean the boy 1 have seen here
several times-the stowaway."
THAT'S the one," was the reply.
went up to the girl and recognized
her as the youngster I had helped.
What she had wanted the stewaTdess
for was to get her some girls cloth
ing. The stewardess had kept her
secret from me, but had appealed to
some Of the first class passengers,
who had contributed a very nice ward
robe Instead Of the ragged, begrim-
ed boy I saw a very pretty, tastefully
dressed girl