The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1922-11-06
~ FINALLY
GIVEN PERMISSION

tA0 dAJ HFb tttd ulr ihhf tho
chinaman would have a talk with
mo. went. with my heart In my
mouth. into his Office which was
the Chinese store In the rear Of our
clubhouse. lie was. "a usual. srnIl.
INK. but he was not at all inclined
TO let tho 20.
read him tho Hateful letter. and
explained. that under the eircurn.
stances. u I were kept In Aiaaka.
would naturally make . very bum
cannsry man for him.
"AIi light" he finally aEreed. you
pay mo ali you owe Ia. and Meyer
Ind r let YOU SO"
IL. xot out his Ink brush and
started figuring. II was q tense
moment for me.
IL bad bccn just two months since
the day I signed tho contract aboard
the bark in san Fmncisco. I was
being paid a. the rate OF So a month.
He admitted he owed me teg.
owed Meyer sssB0 for my out.
NJ. Tn. Chinaman would collect
IS from mo TO pay over 20 the
Alaska government for school tar.
] had BEEN advanced $40 by the
Chlnaman. which l had spent. and
I had spent $40 In the Chinese
and Mexican stores.
That made total OF $3.50
owed tho chinaman and Meyer. Sub.
tracing tho s6s he owed me from
the $3.50 owed him. found that
n HsggA Afr4a =. 4
forthwith presented bill.
My bills with IN. Mexican ana
Chinese stores aboard ship we're en-.
ccptionniiy small. Besides my 40
advance had spent only $3.50. less
than many OF tho rest OF tho gang.
OWES $3.50
AFTER MONTHS
Yet after working two months I
stiil owed my employer si4so.
Well" ! said to myself. ITS a
good thing I'm quitting now II.
after working two months. fsllow
owes HIS boss ti4sO. how much viii
he owe him at the end OF five
montha7"
The Mexicans have an expression
they frequently apply 70 the Alaska
salmon packing jobs-"mucho ira.
bajo, POGO dlnero." This would
seem 10 be putting n mildly.
don't know a great deal about
itinerani workers and their Jobs.
but ! certainly doubt n there IL an
industry anywhere In this America
where II Is necessary for man
to work two and n half months be.
fore he actually starts TO earn
money for himself.
just about half OF my whole -aa.
sons earnings were gone and all |
had 10 show for II was tho cheap
outfit from Meyer. Tho overaiis
were n wreck. and the shoes I had
TO give away. The mattress and
bedding would never have carried
with me. even n had followed
the career OF n blanket stiff.
had no socks. nor mackinaw for
my money. Only the half cotton
wool underwear" the half cotton
shirts and the fiaring green and
yellow cap represented investment
thanked the Chinaman a bit
ironically. NV going meant velvet
for his big chief lie had cleared
$40 from the dead Mexican and no
would clear si02 from me.
But felt n profound relief. I
had accomplished the unhenrd of
and 7 was free. 7 had actually quit
an Alaska Chinese gang Job on the
eve Of the fish run. If my co.work.
ers had any money. | could have
cleaned up n lot IN bets that I would
never have done II.
with the receipted bills In my
pocket. I was free 20 leave Alaska.
but had yet to do Liza across
the ice"
The mail boat would land within
few nights. 10 miles down the
river. How was 10 get there. and
where was 7 10 stay until she ar
r.vcdY with 10 miles OF water or
almost impossible marsh land be
tween me and my deliverance.
felt something like mariner
stranded on an Island
As ! was sitting that evening on
a compile ponderlng, there walked
M like god out OF the machine"
my old friend and benefactor. Sailor