The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-12-13

and look OF patient suffering.
when we commenced work in the
morning. I had an idea that Dad
would work perhaps one shift. earn
his two or three dollars. and quit for
tho day.
But here he was. ana s,iii truni
ding his truck at that internal rate
OF speed. aibci, a bit red In IN. face
Poor old chap. though, I. con
demncd in his old age TO earn his
bread by hard physical work. striv.
ing yainiy 10 do the laborioua lifting
and hauling that requires strength
and skill and tho eternal energy Of
youth.
plticd that old man. I did. and
when / quit work at midnight. con
tent with my ti2 earned that day
and not wishing 10 be meat for the
ambulance. Dad was stun u-undling
freight into the Admiral Evans. and
going strong.
fIn- Men Physically
which reminds mo that the pro.
fcanional ionxnhorcnan IL about the
finest physical specimen Of man
who earns hia daily bread BY hard.
iaborious toll
The men in my shift were a husky
lot The two old irinhmen who
loaded tho sling were hoary with
age. hut they worked thru tho long.
grinding hours. steady az auioma
tons. with the minimum OF move
meni. silent. kindly and efficient
Most ~ the oidtimcrs walk with
a limp or a iurch or a hitch. Years
Of working with heavy. dangerous
carTooN have iefs their mark. The
battles OF industry leave their
MANNED as well a. the battles Of
war.
At 6 O'Clock We knocked off for
supper. ! was too tired 10 eat The
thought OF the effort Of opening
aud closing my jaws was nausca,lng.
I was 20 tired that Il was labor TO
wink.
She Cut Him Dead
so sat on a fence rain near the
fire station nt the foot Of Madison
ST.. the green waters EwiriinE around
the plies below mo and the evening
commuters running for their boats
In front Of my tired eyes.
IA sat there. IN greasy overaiis
and nondcscripi cap. a friend passed.
eiri ! had known for years.
She locked al me. smiled
She turned away with an express.
sion % dirdain.
The incident puzzled. hafflcd me.
had made mud pies with that girl
and here she was cutting me dead.
Then I remembered the blank look
with which she had greeted my Halu-
tation. She hadn't seen me. Her
eyes had only seen n waterfront
ioafer with an unhappy expression
sitting on a fence rail.
oh. the dignity OF toll
when three more acquaintances.
hurryinr for tho steamer cambridge
cut me dead, began to realize that
person. in the eyes OF the fair sex.
az least. owns an Importance and
existence in exact proportion to the
cut OF his clothes.
At what point % sartorial dingi.
ness n man would completely disap.
I, pear from tuf tkNt VI ithhAAHt
friends ~ unknown.
But I wAls close 20 transparency.
The evening shift held promise Of
being rrnrc pleasant. IL was cooler
for one"thIng and tho brisk night
wind from the Sound was like
oxygen.
Gave Up Profession
But. alas. forgot that night
hours are longer than day hours and
that thoughts of n soft pillow and
feather bed are maddcning TO
man who has already struggled thru
~ long hours Of honest but hellish
toll
How I got thru the hours until
midnight IN mystery. After years
OF exercise no moro vigorous than
yanking nj comptometer and peck.
Ing nj a typewriter. ! was willing to
admit that longshoring Is a lucra.
tive, but not an cnticing profession
for an ambitious young man.
At midnight gave up tho profes.
sion OF longshoring forever.
Ten minutes later ! was deep in
feathcry bed. with n deep pillow un
der my head. and n strong smell of
horse llnlmcnt prevailing the room
And / didn't care IL never
awokel