Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (July 7, 1899)
TTTE OMAHA DAILY UEE : JFRTDAY. JULY 7 , 1890. 0 ALPIIONSO M'CINTY , Uy FKANK T. liULLKN. ( Author of "The Cruise of the Cachalot. " ) ( Copyright , 1559 , by I'rank T. Bullen ) Who is thcro among llrltlsh seafarers that doc * not know the "Chain-locker" LhiU den Juet oppoelto the Mint , like an exaggerated bear pit ? The tiomoward-boiimlcr , his heart light oti thistle-down with the first taste of liberty nfter hfs voyage's long Im prisonment , taken no heed of Its squalor ; no , not even In the drear December elushl- new , following upon a Shad well snow storm. If he docs glance nroumi shuddrrlnKly at the haggard faces of ttio unshipped for a moment , the feel of the beloved half-sheet of 'blue ' foolscap ostentatiously displayed In hli club-fingered right hand brings the de parting look of satisfaction back nwlftly enough. It Is his "account of wages , " his passport within the swing doora of ttio office , which ho will presently exchange for the few pieces of gold for w'hlch ho has given euch a precious ellco of hla life. But the outward-bounder , his hands thrust deep Into empty pockets , the bitter taste of begrudged bread parching his mouth , nnd the scowling face of hla boarding master refusing to pass from hla mind's eye , he It IB who feels the utter desolation of the crowded "chain-locker" corrode hU very soul. After a. long day's tramp around tlie docks , sneaking on board vessels like a. thief , and anklng the mate for a "chance" with bated breath , as If begging for pence , unsuccessful and weary , iho returns to this walled-ln pit of gloom , nnd jealously eyes the company of mlscrablcs like himself , as It In each one ho saw a potential snatchcr from him of his last hope of a berth. Outward-bounders bavo little to say to each other In the "chain-locker. " They wait , not like honest laborers seeking legiti mate employment , but llko lialf-trlcd pris oners an ailing sentence. Tills character istic Is so universal that , although wo who bided the coming of the Oareth'a skipper had all got our discharges In , nnd so felt reasonably sure of her. wo iiad not ex changed half a dozen Vtords among the fourteen of us. But there- suddenly appeared In our midst a square bunt , ruggod-raco man of miuuio lielght , whoso gray eyes twinkled across tile ruined nose , and whose mouth had that droll droop of the loner Up that shows a readiness not only to laugh In and out of season , but almost pathetically Invites the " ° boh"o lder to laugh , too. Ho It was who broke the stony silence by Baying In tUo riohcet brogue : "Is it all av us bhojs that does bo goln * in the wan ehlp , I won- rthor ? " Even the most morose among us felt an inclination to smile , wo hardly know why , but Just then the swing door of the engaging room burst open and a. hoarse volco shouted. "Crow o' ttio Garcth hero. " The words , llko some irresistible cen tripetal force , sucked In from the : cmotcst corner of the largo area every man , and in a moment all of us , who had , as wo thought , secured our chances by lodging our dis charges beforehand , were seized with some thing of a panic lest wo should lose the ship after all. Heavens ! how we thrust and toro our way into the office , post the burly policeman who held every one of ua at the pinch of the door until ho was satisfied of our right to enter. Once within , wo felt safe , and stood nervously lingering our caps while the clerk gabbled over the usual formula , to which none of us gave the slightest need. "Signing on" began and proceeded apace , to the accompaniment of a running flro of questions as to ago , na tionality , last ship , etc. , to which answers , If not promptly forthcoming , were , I am afraid , supplied by the questioner. Thcro was a subdued chuckle , and the 'man who had spoken outsldo stood at the counter. "What nome ? " snapped the clerk. "Alphonso McGlnty. yer nnner , " was the answer. No exquisite witticism ever raised a moro holesomo burst of laughter. It positively lightened tLat dull hole like a ray of tea sunshine. ' "How old ? " said the clerk in a volco still tremulous. "Rod befriend me , I forgot. Say tlrty-flvo , sor. " "Your discharge says 23 , " returned the clerk. "Ah , yes , ycr nnner , < but it's said that for the last tlrty years. " "Isn't It tlmo it was altered , then ? " rc- torted the clerk , magisterial again , an ho c entered 65 on the articles. The old fellow's quaint speech , added to an Indefinable aureola of good humor about him , had com pletely changed the sullen aspect of our crowd , so that for the moment wo qulto forgot that but fourteen of us were engaged to take the 4,000-ton ship Gareth to New Zealand first and them to any other part t < -f of tno world , voyage not to exceed three < < ( yearo. 60 , with even the Dutchmen laughing nnd chuckling in sympathy with the fun they felt , but didn't understand , wo all dispersed with our advance notes to get such discount HI , fate and the . .harks would allow. In good tlmo we were all aboard , for ships worn bcarco , and all of us anxious to get away. But when wo saw the vast , gaunt hull well down to Primsolls mark , and the four towering steel giants of masts with the ! . * immense spreading branches , and thought of the handful wo were to manage them , wo felt a colder chill than oven the biting edge of the bitter cast wind had given us. We mubtorea in the dark , Iron barn of the folk'slo , and began selecting bunks temporarily until wo were picked for wfttchus , when our attention was arrested by the volco of McGlnty , saying : "Bhoysl" All turned toward him , where ho stood , with a bottle cf rum and a teacup , and no one needed a second call. When the bottle was empty and our hearts had gone out to the donor , be said , clearing his throat once or twice. "Bhoys , fcrglve me , I'm a Imposhtor. I broke mo right knee cap an' live ribs com ing homo from 'Frisco in the Lamech fell from the foret'gallant yard an * I bin three months in Poplar hospital. I can't go aloft , but I didn't think what a crime It wuz gain' to be agin yo all until I see this awful over-sparrod brute here. Don't bo harrd on me , bhojs , ye wouldn't ha\o mo ttarno ashore , wud jez now , or fret mo poor on Id hcarrt out in the wurrkhouso after forty-five jears on the open sea. " He stopped and looked around distressfully nnd in that moment all our hearts warmed to him. Wo were a mixed crowd , of course , but nearly half of us were British , nnd thcro would bavo been a stormy scene if any of the aliens had ventured to raise a protest against M'Glnty's incapacity. Wo didn't express our sympathy , but wo felt It , and ho with native quickness know that wo did. And never from that day forward did the bra\o old chap hour a word of com plaint from any of us about having to do his work. Just then the voice of the bos'un sounded outside , "Turn to , " nnd as wo departed to commence work , although not a word was said , there was a fierce determination among us to protect McGlnty against any harshness from the officers on account of his disablement. There wns too much of a bustle getting out of dock for any notice to bo taken of his stiff leg , which he had so cleverly concealed while shipping , but the mate happening to call him up to the forecastle - castle head for something , his lameness was glaringly apparent nt once to the bos'un , who stood behind him. For just a mlnuto it looked llko trouble , as the bos'un began to bluster about his being a [ cripple , but wo all gathered round nnd the matter nas effectually settled at onco. Wo never regretted our consideration , for while It was true that ho couldn't get aloft and those mighty sails would have been a handful for double our number in a breeze of wind , there never was a moro willing , tireless worker on dectf , and below he was a perfect godsend. His sunny temper , bubbling fun and Inexhaustible stock of ' yarns made our gray lives happier than they j had ever been at sea before. If wo would , have allowed it ho would have been a slave I to all of us , for wo carried no boys and all the odd domestic Joba of the folk'slo had to | i bo done toy ourselves. As It was , ho was ! always doing something for somebody , nnd as ho was a thorough sailor in his general hamllncss and ability , his services were highly appreciated. He made the Gareth a comfortable ship , In splto of her manifold drawbacks. In duo tlmo wo reached the "roaring forties" and began to run the Easting down. The long , tempestuous stretch of the southern ocean lay before us , nnd the prospect was by no means cheering. The Garcth , In spite of her huge bulk , * toad given us a taste of her quality when running before a heavy breeze of wind shortly after getting clear of the chan nel , nnd wo knew ttiat eho was ono of the wettest of her class , a vessel that welcomed every howling sea as an old friend , and freely invited it to range the wiiole ex panse of her dock from poop to forecastle. And , in accordance with precedent , wo know tnac BIIO wouia oo urivcn 10 uio iasi extrem ity of canvas endurance , not only in the hope of making a quick passage , but bo- cnuso shortening sail nfter really hard run ning was sucli an awful strain upon the handful of men composing the crew. 60 that when once the light sails were secure , an attempt would always bo made to "hang j on" to the still enormous spread of sail remaining j ' maining , until the gale blow itself out , or wo had run out of its vast nrca. But for some days the brave west wind lingered in Us lair , and wo slowly crept to the s'uth- ard and cast'ard with trumpery little spurts of northerly nnd nor'westerly bteezo. We had reached 17 degrees S and about 10 de grees E when , ono afternoon , it fell calm. Quo of the most magnificent sunsets Imaginable spread Its glories over the west ern sky. Great splashes of gorgeous color- lug stained the pale blue of the heavens and illuminated the fantastic crag * and ranges of cloud that lay motionless around the horizon llko fragments of a disintegrated world. A long , listless swell came solemnly from the west at regular Intervals , giving Iho waiting ship a stately , rhythmical mo tion In the glassy waters , and making the Immense squares of canvas that hung straight ns boards from the yards slam against Iho steel masts with a sullen boom. Except for that occasionally recurring sound , a solemn stillness reigned supreme , whllo the wldo mirror of the ocean reflected faitlifully all the Darning tints of the sky. Quietly all of us gathered , on the folk'slo head for the second dog watch smoke , but for Bomo tlmo nil seemed strangely disin clined for the desultory chat that usually takes place at that pleasant hour. Pipes weru puffed In silence for half on hour , until suddenly McGinty broke the spell ( his volco sounding strangely clear and vibrant ) by saying : "I had a quaro dhrame lasht night. " No ono stirred or sooke , and after a few meditative pulls at his pipe Iio went on : "I dhreamt that I was a tiny goreoon again nt homo In owld Baltimore. I'd been wandherln' and Bthrayln' . God alone knows where , for a dbreadful long while. It seemed , until nt lasht , whin I wuz ready t * dlo from sheer wearlnesa an' fright , I hearrd mo dear mother's olco cryln' : 'Whoro's Fonnio avie iver got to this long WATCH FOR E OMAHA ILLUSTRATE NEXT SUNDAY. It will interest you. It will entertain youIt will instruct you. It will please youIt will have no rivals worthy the name. Frank 0 , Carpenter's The Most Popular Working Story of the Origin Porto Rican Letters. Girls in Omaha. . of the Telephone. First of a series of illus trated articles descriptive of WINNERS OF THE BEE'S ' VACATION CONTEST. How one of the most startling inventions of the life and industry in our new West Indian island. These Portraits of the competitors who polled age was produced and made serviceable for commercial letters are written in the inimitable the highest number of votes. , almost revolutionizing imitable style of the most purposes ing industry. Interesting incidents widely known and experienced newspaper correspondent in Graphic story of the most hotly waged cidents in the career of the the world. Photographs taken and exciting popularity contest ever inventor , Prof. Bell , with portrait ken by Mr. Carpenter especially conducted anywhere , with a readable trait of himself and photographs of his first models. cially for these articles. review of the campaign. graphs Be sure to read The Bee next Sunday every Sunday. All for the Usual Price. \&t j 'jg'&i&4& I while ? ' Ol 'twas as If an angel from hlveu ] spoke to me , an' I cried wld all mo hearrt an1 ma tongue : 'Here , mother ; hero I ami * An * she gathered mo up in her arrums that wuz so soft an' cozy , till I felt as if I was & little tired chick neshtlln' into its mother's feathers in the snuggest of nests. I didn't go to ri0ep ; I just let meself sink down , down into rest , happy as any saint in glory. An' thin I woke up wld a big , tearin * ache all over me poor owld broken-up body. But bad as that wuz , 'twuz just nothin' at all to the gnawin' ache at meheart. . " Silence wrapped us round again , for who among us could find any words to apply to such a story as that ? And it affected us all the more because of its complete con trast to McGInty's usual bright , cheery nnj uncomplaining humor. Not another word was spoken by any ono until the. sharp strokes on the little bell aft cleft the still air , and , in immediate response , ono rose and smote the t > lg bell hanging at the break of the forecastle four double blows , usherIng - Ing In the first watch of the night. The watch on deck relieved wheel and lookout and we who were fortunate enough to have the "eight hours In" lost no time in seeking our respective 'bunks ' , sincein these stern latitudes wo might expect a sudden call at any moment. Wo had hardly been asleep flvo minutes , It seemed , when a hoarse cry came pealing in through the folk'elo door of " 'All hands on deck ! Shorten sail ! " And as wo all started wldo awake we heard the furious volco of the southern tempest tear ing up the face of tbo deep and felt the massive fabric beneath our feet leaping and straining under the tremendous strain of her great breadths of canvas that we had left hanging so idly at eight bells. Out into the black night wo hurried , meet ing the waiting mate at the foremast , and answering his first order of "man the foretops'ls downhaul" with tbo usual repeti tion of his words. Weird erics arose as wo hauled with all our strength on the down- hauls and spilling Tines , while overhead wo could hear , even above the roar of the storm , the deep boom of the topsails fiercely fighting against the restraining gear. Then , with a hissing , spiteful snarl , came snow and elect , lashing us llko shotted whips , and making the darkness moro profound be- AT THE SAME MOMENT M'UINTV'S ' A KM PLKW UP. HE CAUGHT AT THE i : MI'TY GLOOM ABOVE HIM AND FELL. c cause of the Impossibility of opening the eyes against the stinging fragments of ice. But , after much stumbling and struggling , we got the four hugo tops'ls down , and , without waiting for tha order , started aloft to furl , the pitiful incapacity of our numbers most glaringly apparent. The pressure of the wind was so great that It was no easy matter to get aloft , but clinging like cats , we presently found ourselves ( six of the port watoh ) on the foretopsail yard. The ] first thing evident was that the great sail was very slightly subdued by the gear ; it hovered about the jard like a white bal loon , making it both difficult and dangerous to got out along the spar. The storm scourged us pitilessly , the great round of the sail resisted all our attempts to "fist" it , and wo seemed as helpless as children. Some bold spirits clutched the lifts , and , swinging above the sail , tried to stamp a hollow into it with their feet , but against the Increasing fury of tne tempest we seemed to be utterly impotent. Wo were so widely separated , too , that each man ap peared to be essaying a giant's task single- handed , and that horrible sense of fast- oozing strength was paralyzing us. Feel ing left our hands ; we smote them savagely against that unbending sail without sensa tion , and still we seemed no nearer the conclusion of our task. Out suddenly the ship gave a great lurch to windward , and just for ono moment the hitherto unyielding curve of the sail quivered. In that in stant every fist had clutched a fold , and with a flash of energy wo strained every sinew to conquer our enemy. Tugging llko a madman to get the sail spilled , I glanced sideways , and saw , to my horror , by a Jagged flash of lightning , the rugged face of McGlnty. I had hardly recognized him when , < wlth a roar like tbo combined voices of o. troop of lions , the sail toro itself away from us , and with bleeding hands I clutched at the foot rope stirrup as I fell back. But at the same moment McGlnty's arms flew up , ho caught at the empty gloom above him and fell , gasping , "In menus tuus , Domlne. " Far beneath us the hungry sea seethed and Whirled , its white Blare showlnir chastlv against the thick darkness above. For two or three seconds I hung as if Irresolute whether to follow my poor old shipmate or not , then the foeavy flapping of the sail aroused me , and springing up ngaln I re newed my efforts. The ship had evidently got a "wipe up1' ' Into the wind , for the sail was now powerless against us , and In less than flvo minutes it was fnst , and we were descending with all * speed to renew our desperate light with the rulzzen and Jigger topsails. The decks were.like tbo sea overside , for wave after wave toppled inboard , and it was at the most imminent risk to life and limb that we scrambled aft , quite a sense of relief coming as wo swung oursedves upward out of that turbu lent flood into the rigging again. But I was almost past feeling now , A dull , aching sense of loss clung around my heart , and the patient , kindly face of my shipmate seemed branded upon my eyes , as ho lifted it to the stormy skies in hla last supplicatory moan. I went about my work doggedly , mechanically , indifferent to cold , fatigue or pain , until , when at last ehe was snugged down , and , under tbo fore loner topsails and reefed forceall , was flying through the darkness llko some- hunted thing , I staggered wearily into the cheer less folk'sle , dropped upon a chest and stared moodily at vacancy. Somebody said "Where's " , McGlnty ? That roused mo. It seemed to put new life and hope into mo , for I replied quite brightly , "He's gone to the rest be wan talking about in the dog watch. He'll never eat work- bouse bread , thank God , " Eager questioning followed , mingled with utter amazement at his getting aloft at all. But when all had said their say one feeling had been plainly manifested a feeling of deep thankfulness that such a grand old sailor as our shipmate McGlnty was where lie fata would be , taking his Ions and well- earned rest NO BALD HEADS IN ALASKA. j Cold Climate Canied a Great Growth of Hair. The experience of Roderick'Dhu Smith , who recently returned to San iFranclsco from the Klondike region with a big budget of experience , qulto a little sum of money and a head of hair which almost qualifies him to take an engagement as a Circas sian girl in a circus , Is of especial interest to a large ; contingent of his fellow men and women. For bo it known , relates the San Francisco Call , that Roderick , before mak- r Ing his perilous way to the Arctic regions , I thouch otherwise cleaslne to look upon and still on the sunny side of 40 , was the owner of a head which made theater ushers , whenever - over fbi.ro was a ballet on the program , escort cert him down to the front row without even glancing at his scat check. While this might have been considered an advantage by some people it was not pleasing to Mr. Smith , who is an essen tially modest man and averse to being made unduly prominent on any occasion. It is said , too , that bis baldness was the real cause of his starting out in search of gold , since be had spent all his patrimony In the purchase of hair restorers nnd It was neces sary for him to do something , no matter how desperate , to retrieve his fallen' for tunes. Bo that as it may , ho went to Alaska and after a two years' residence there has re turned a modern Samson , as far as cheva- lure is concerned , and he declares that the transformation is entirely duo to the rigors of the climate In that quarter of the globe. "The Intense cold Itllls all germs and microbes , " ho asserts , "and stimulates the scalp and nature docs the rest , " and be proudly exhibits his llon-llko mane as proof of what nature .can do when she takes a fancy , unassisted by washes or oils or un guents of any kind. P. J. McLeod , who has spent twelve years In Alaska and the northwest , although h has not the pleasure of knowing Mr. SmIU personally , and did not therefore are the sprouting and the bourgeoning of his espe cial crop of modified epidermic cells , still corroooraies nis story ns to tno virtues oj that frigid clime as a hjjlr producer. "My hair always was thick , " he says , "so I cannot apeak from personal experience , but -the way dogs put on hair up there is a caution. They get as shaggy as Shetland ponies , and now I think of it , I never saw a baldhraded fellow anywhere around there. To tell the truth , they nil look , after they have got to work , as though n , razor and a pair of scissors were far moro needed than a hair restorer , and I think a missionary barber could do good work among them. " O. II , Henderson , who has a claim on Dominion creek , and has been up In that vicinity for two years , heartily echoes Mr. McLeod's sentiments. There is something about the intense cold , ho asseverates , that makes the hair on man and beast flourish mightily. Dandruff and falling hair are unknown In that part of the country , but he thinks that the fact that people are too busy to "bother with their hair has some thing to do with its unusual growth. "Tbo man who IB vain enough to put his time In on trying to increase the thickness ot on nair , " is mis gentleman's decision , "will generally manage to worry off what little belongs to him naturally. He will ecrub It end put fertilizer on it , and lay awake nights thinking about it until his head is as hot as a furnace and burns the roots of It to ashes , and end by getting up the shiniest kind of a baldhead , but up there it is too cold to fool that way , and the hair gets a chance for Its life. " J , S. Woodstock , an Alaskan of flvo years' atandlng , puts in bis testimony in re gard to the efficacy of good freezing weather as a hair rejuvenator or resurrector , and Another gentleman recently returned from the Arctic gold fields , who , not having "mado his pile" as yet , is averse to having his name In the papers , says be is seriously considering the practicability of establish ing a hair sanitarium in some reasonably ac cessible spot , where he will , for a satisfac tory consideration , entertain bald-headed guests and tell them pleasing little tales about Afaska. Natural Bridge of The most valuable natural bridge in the world Is to be found in Arizona , lying across a deep chasm forty feet in width. It is a petrified tree about four feet in diameter and about 100 feet In length. It Is pure agate all through nnd therefore is much more val uable as regards material than any bridge of marble or granite would be. But the most expensive material of which a bridge has ever been built la probably telegraph wire. Ono was built over the Jhelum river nt Ko- hala , in the Punjab , in the place of a bridge I which was swept away b the floods in 1893 , A similar bridge was constructed during the first Soudan campaign over the Kokora rlvor for military purposes. VAlu Hirer Ov.-rllovin. CHIOAGO , July C. A special from Inde pendence , Kan. , eiys : Heavy rains havcj fallen here for the last two days and nr general over { southeastern Kansas and In dian Territory. Elk City , twelve mlloi west of hero , Is under water , and about twenty families have had to leave tholl homes on account of high water. Elk rivei is out of its banks and overflowed Into thi wheat fields. WAI.KINO OnwN OP FUSTIAN FROM HARPER'S HAZAR A model garment that follows the dcsdgn of a handsome gown recently built by Paqutn and published in Harper's Bazar , haa a long tunic , finished at the lower edge by square scallops that lap over flat flounces slmlllarly finished and applied to the lower skirt. The skirts are sheath-like and close in a closely hooked seam in the center of the back. The Eton jacket meets the skirt about the waist line and closes over a suggested vest attached to left hide of the front af tbo jacket. The latter Is fitted to the form by single darts on each elde , The original model was of gray fustian , a heavy cotton cloth. The Greek scallops were outlined with blue taffeta and edged with dark blue ribbon velvet. The ornaments upon the waist iwero of blue taffeta edged with narrow blue satin ribbon shirred. The turn-over collar and piping about the waist Hue were of dark blue velvet and the cuffs of the eheath sleeves were trimmed like the fronts of the jacket. The Introduced vest was a band of ochre yellow cloth embroidered with gold thread and blue chenille figures , The costume would bo effective If rendered In any medium weight cloth and trimmed with military braid , with Persian embroidery vest. To make this costume of cloth fortyflvo Inches wldo over a eham skirt of silk eeven and one-faalf yards will bo required. Of taffeta silk for the fclmiu skirt cine yards will be required.