New-York tribune., 1918-06-02

- IL dered just how much of the
story of Charley Carvlle is of
autobiographlcal origin. Indeed, quite a
few of the books reviewers have publicly
given vent to this question. So it is in
teresting to discover this nugget Of in
formation which so closely parallels an
incident in aliens" The following ex-
cerpt is from a brief biographical arti-
Gle upon the novelist by an intimate
friend of his, Arthur J. Elder. 1t was
with Mr.. Elder, in Nutley, N j., that
McFee lived while writing "Aliens."
an the autumn of 1905 McFee was fired
from the Office in Finsbury Pavement. He
had mixed up some mechanical drawings
Not n very serious error, as his employer
offered him excellent testimonial; but at
this time his uncle offered him job on one
of his ships bound for Trieste. So, after
twenty-four years. he went back to the sea
as engineer on the steamship Rotherheld."
This incident, as Carville narrates it
in "Aliens," is as follows:
'SYou understand that the next day
in bad condition for work. And it so
happened that l had job that needed all
the concentration / could give it. don't
remember a single detail Of it. had been
neglecting my work then like all young
chaps in love, but this occasion I mado a
costly mistake. | marked the driving pulley
on linoshaft a foot too small. The ag-
gravating part l sent it to the head Of
flee in Yorkshire without revising it, and
they got on to my boss He took the bit
in his teeth and went for me. He gave me
g week to find another job. l was down
and out
81 was paralyzed for while I didn't
know where to turn. The bottom had
dropped out of my world for good and all.
Another job! Why, knew men in that en-
poy who had held their jobs for forty
years
"Stll, the thought of clearing out held
me. saw that if my brother going to
live at home I'd have to go-' And Saturday
round and found me wondering what
10 do
AT times used to go over to my uncle's
at Surbton. 1t was my duty to pay respects
so to speak. His family had grudge
against my mother, because if my father
hadn't married her they would have inherit
ed his money, so that there was not much
love lost between them. But occasionally
my old uncle would ring me UP and ask me
to go down with him. He did this Saturday
] speak Of and there no one else in
my Office at the time told him my trouble.
And he laughed! Humph
THE inhuman old shellback laughed.
And yet. if you'll believe me, when I heard
the old chap rumbling at the other end of
the wire it cheered me up | began to think,
Why, he may have influence He may get
me a job You see the vicious state Of
mind of the professional class. When men,
+l,x, Ill,
get you job all right. How'd you like to
go TO sea?
81 nearly dropped the receiver when he
said that Go to sea! People in residential
suburbs didn't go to sea.
'Eh' said What dyou mean?'
''What said he bellows. Go to sea-
"pll come round and talk to you I said.
II went round and found him in the office.
He was fierce old chap, burned black with
sun, and with hair gray as the sea. He was
enjoying his life apparently, bossing things
in that Office. But he told me at once that
he could do no more than give a chance
10 start at the bottom. must work up and
pass the Board of Trade tests for each
grade. l give him credit for painting the
picture dark as he could.
1T was more like fear gripping at me.
was scared Of letting go of my professional,
easy-gong life. I'd never been on a ship
since I'd been born one. | knew nothing
about marine engineering. l hesitated be-
cause | was afraid.
"'When shall start? asked after
while.
1.-The Corvdons in the river now said
my uncle. They want fourth; can you
get down to-night?'
"'To-night!' | said I've not given no.
tce yet.
"'Phone from here he says
But I've nothing packed, ! whimpered.
And he laughed
Il know now Why he laughed. Partly be-
cause !andsman is always rather comic
figure to sailor, partly because he knew
now had been brought up. He had never
agreed with the theory of gentility which
had taken such hold of my mother
He laughed at me. He believed one trim
would be enough for me- He didn't believe
for minute that l would stick to it.
But | making up my mind Some
how or other, in spite of my twenty-five
years IN cotton wool, | had imagination
enough to see IN my uncle's weather. beaten
old face something that was not in the citv
faces | saw every day. He had come into
London out Of an alien. world. Then, ar
gued, there are other worlds beside this one
had not realized it before All the time
vas snug in my little job in Victoria Street
men We're out on the sea- out in the heat
and cold and wet, living in a totally differ
ent world 10 mine. You may think 1t fool
ish and common enough idea, but to me il
was dazzling, binding. 1t took hold of me-
could think of nothing else. l said, I'U
60 but can't go tonight I've got nothing
90 wear So my uncle told me to go to
Cardiff and meet the Corydon at Barry
Dock
Aliens is published BY Double.