10 THE OMAHA DATLY BEJB SUNDA V. SEPTEMBER 9 , 1801
The Sunshine and Shadows of an Ocean Trip
with a Mixed Crowd Between
Decks.
llr I rnilprli-U It. Hurl oil ,
( Coiqrrtelttnl , I Ml. liy the Author. )
Wo had Just lost sight of America when I
made a dlicovery. It was tny friend Parker.
Ho discovered me al the game moment.
He- was leaning against a hatchway In a
kind of negligee attitude , regarding Ms fellow
passengers with an air of Indifferent amuse
ment , altogether a superior being , offensively
superior , I Ihnuglit.
1 , on ( lie contrary , was sitting on the
deck , my knee * U | > to my chin , a short pipe
In my mouth ( bought eipeclally ( or the voyage
ttw pipe , I mean ) , nnd was scraping ac
quaintance with a young I.ancashlreman who
was returning from Ills tint tour In in ) ' coun
try.
Parker seemed a bit embarrassed when I
rose nnd shook , hands with him.
"Hello , II. , " ho said with a feeble attempt
at cordiality. "Kolng across ? "
It was plain as day that he was not at all
glad to ace me , although thai would not excuse -
cuso the absurdity ot his question ; so I has
tened to confess the truth , told him yes , I
was going across , and by this very boat , too ,
the Cophalonla , Boston to Liverpool , August
4 , nnd was , moreover , booked for the steer
age.
"And so , old man , " 1 concluded , "you won't
see much ot me until we get to the other
BREAKFAST , AN OPERATION FULL OP DIFFICULTY.
side , for I shall keep my place , and not In-
trudq upon saloon passengers' privileges. "
"H'm , " said Parker thoughtfully , "so you're
'lrt'the'steerage. ' How does that happenT"
" \Vcil.'I answered , "this Is a flying busi
ness trip , and It 'saves 'money to go by the
steerage , you know. I suppose It surprises
'you ' to find me- here ? "
Packer reflected a minute1.
t" "It Isn't BO much that you are In the steer
li age , " he remarked , "as that you're saving
money ; that's the surprising thing but no
fe matter. I suppose I'm In for It , and may as
well own up. I'm In the steerage myself , "
*
We both felt better after that , but we
nevertheless wasted some minutes In specu
lation as to the probability that among the
saloon passengers were some who would rec
ognize us and pass remarks about us , a pe
culiarly fruitless discussion , for It was too
lalo to back out now. and moreover we had
an Immense advantage over the saloon In
point of nmtib'crs , for there were 881 of us on
board ( o only seventy-five cabin passengers.
vYe were emphatically of the popular party ,
and we determined to , make the best ot It.
And with that spirit , accompanied by goo < I
health , any man can have a good time In the
steerage , shutting his eyes to certain dis
comforts and his nostrils to certain others ,
talcing things as they come , never complaining
ingno matter how great the provocation
may be , and never allowing himself to regret
the soft cushions nnd the burnished silver
and the rich desserts of the first cabin.
.Atlantic passengers may be divided Into
three classes Immigrants , business men and
tourists.
The majority of th * first class cross In thu
steerage , although they are to be found also
In the Intermediate quarters and In the' , aa-
teen , but If In the latter they cease , t'ch-
nlcally , lo bo Immigrants ; that Is , they do
.not have to pass muster at GUIs Island , or
come In contact with the Immigration com
missioners of any port.
Those who cross for business reasons are
usually In the saloon , although there are
occasionally Instances ot traders taking up
with Intermediate or even steerage accommo
dations.
The tourist we Invariably associate with
all the luxury that the steamer affords.
Ho travels for health or pleasure , ha is a
man of means , of Iclsuro , and wo picture
htm with a cap on , half asleep over a no\el
In n reclining chair on the sacred upper
deck.
Thla Is correct enough as far as It goes ,
but the steerage has Its tourists , and I am
Inclined to think that they numbered as
many as the tourists ot the saloon.
In all seasons of every year there are
people In the steerage who cross and. recrosa
wholly for plrasuro or health.
They may not generally do not travel as
far as their wealthy fellow passengers ; their
destination Is usually some farming village
or manufacturing city In the old country , be
lt England. Ireland or Scotland , where th ?
father and mother arc still living , or where
the father and mother go to look upon the
graves of those they knew In childhood.
We were lined up before- the money ex
change window on the Cunard dock In East
Iloston. In front of mo was a young man
wto had ft left after paying for his round
trip."It's
"It's costing me $23 to go over and back , "
ho said , "ami It's worth It for the chance
of seeing the mother , "
"Aye , that It Is , " assented a sad woman
who stood by with a babe In her arms ,
"when you have a mother to go to. "
An old man. very decrepit ajid bent ,
turned painfully about and remarked slowly :
"It cost me | IO ( o go buck for good , and I
consider It worth It for the privilege of dying
on the old sod , "
This summer by far the largest part of
steerage travel lias bcn of the tourist order.
Moat of the passengers on the Cephalonla
hud return tickets. Many were making their
first visit ID Rurope , but the majority were
returning ( o their birthplaces.
A. few -wem on their way back alter a
more or less extended tour In America.
Among ( be latter was the Lancashire-man
with whom I was talking when discovered
liy Parker.
Ho was u mcdlum-blzed. red-faced man ,
who worea cardigan Jacket with capacious
pockets nnd the most tremendous boots I aver
daw. Howas very proud ol the latter arti
cles , and proclaimed confidently that "you
couldn't E l anythlnh like thrm In Hamerl-
ca. "
lie nts probably right.
Somebody asked lilm huvv long he had been
In America.
"Four weeks. " he replied.
"Is that ll ! " was the next qury , uttered
with considerable surprise , i
"Hain't It long enough for n 'olldayj"
returned the l.iiicaslilmnaii spiritedly ,
He had teen New York. Providence and
llostoii , . mid hail put in a ttvr days yvlth an
uncle In Dover , N. II. He told me that he
was a hack driver In Manchester , and that
he took a traveling holiday every summer.
He had been all over Ireland. Scotland ,
Ills own country and some portions of the
netrby continent. Ireland was the most
beautiful country he had seen , "to his way
o' thlnkln' . "
Next summer he Intends to visit Italy. ,
and he will maks hla Journey , save for cross
ing the channel , by bicycle. Could you
find a more thorough-going tourist In the
saloon ?
"The wasta on these steamers is horful , "
ha remarked ; "when I were crossln' on the
New York I seen a feller wl' a pot full o'
cock-legged chickens , and * e were ROla' to
pitch the 'ole Abloom In' lot overboard , "c were" .
Hit struck me tl heart , hit did , an * I gels
In front at 'Ini an' I says :
"Td like t' see thee in a bloomln *
desert 50.000 miles from anyw'cre , 1 would ,
an * tneo hungry an' ' thirsty , ' I says , 'an * If
I saw thee there I'dno feed thce , but I'd
Just make out t' plague thee , ' I says.
"An * I told 'Im ' my mind , an' ' didn't give
over till 'o handed me six or seven chicken
legs , an' I 'nnded them around to the poor
people on deck. 0 , I were proper mad , I
wore. "
Presently this philanthropic tourist drew a
huge seed cake from one pocket ol his Jacket
nnd a book from the other and began to
work at both. He offered me n piece o
the cake and later loaned me the book.
I had read It amj told him
Jerome 1C. Jerome's "Three Men In a
13oat. "
"I don't think there's notlilnk In It , " ho
.remarked candidly ; "I've read that far and
haven't found miythlnk Interesting. "
"That far" was more than three-quarters
way through the book. Perhaps that
wasn't tn exhibition of a British trait. He
had paid something for the book , it was a
pirated edition , by the way , perhaps lie
knew the author Was one of his own cduri-
trymen , and he hail patiently plodded
across -page after1 page of. what was to him
dry stuff in the hope of getting his money's
worth.
That was my first thought , but I was In
clined to change my mind after I had told
him that an American would probably have
thrown the book away If the first part ot
It was dull.
"That's ' not right , " ho declared In that quiet ,
earnest tone of the Britisher who knows It
all ; " 'ow could they tell that t' rest of f
book was bad ? I believe , we ought t' give
t' author a chance. "
Surely Mr. Jerome and the whole 'brother
hood of writers will call down blessings
upon this Independent , honest Lancashire-
man.
The Cephalonla left Boston at 11:30 : a , m , ,
and about two hours later this steerage pas
sengers were served with dinner.
The regular dinner hour Is earlier , a little
before noon , hut on this day there was de
lay , natural and Incident to the confusion
of getting away.
The laws of England provide for the sep
aration of steerage passenger * Into three
classes : Single men , single women and
married couples. Each of these classes has
a section of the ship to Itself. On deck
they may commingle freely , below stairs
they ore kept apart.
The historian and his friend , Parker , were
of course , assigned to the klngle men's
quarters , which on this trip were far for
ward under the forecastle. It was down
two flights of stairs , gloomy In the daytime ,
but fairly lighted .by electricity n the
evening.
Imagine a long , narrow room , broken by
grated partitions , steep stairways , covered
hatchways nnd supports for the upper deck ,
Along the center narrow tables , and benches
of plain wood , that may be folded up against
the roof when not In use.
Opening out on both sides of the main
room are several smaller rooms , with two
tiers of bunks in each.
The bunk Is about as broad as an ordinary
cot bed. and they are separated from one
another by a board set on edge about eight
Inches high. The size of the sleeping rooms
varies , growing smaller as the ship grows
narrower , toward the prow ,
In the one occupied by the historian , which
was the farthest forward , and therefore the
smallest , there were four bunks In each sec
tion of n tier , two sections to a tier ; nleeplng
accommodations , 'therefor , for sixteen men
In the room.
Until within a few months It was custom
ary to make the steerage passenger provide
his own outfit ; that Is his bed , blanket and all
table utensils. All these are now provided
by the Cunard company , and every passen-
cer found his outfit In his bunk when ho
went on hoard.
There were a straw mattress , a blanket , a
deep delftware plate , a tin cup holding-
generous pint , a sllverplated tablespoon and
an Iron knlle and fork.
What more , surely , In the way of house
hold goods , should anybody require for a
ten-days' habitation.
"When we went down Into the darkness
that Saturday afternoon , hungry enough , as
Parker said , "to eat dog , " but fearful of
being overcome by the tlose atmosphere ,
ami honestly dreading the experience , we
heard one of ( he stewards call out :
"Kind your table fittings In your bunks ,
gentlemen , and hang on to them. Don't
lose them. "
Parker looked at me with a sacl smile ,
"I'm glad they let us keep our own plate
and knife. " he said with a grotesque at-
Umpt to bo cheerful.
There were several men In the crowded
room who had evidently never traveled via
steerage , for they wtre looking at the scene
in pathetic dlamay.
The experienced tourists Immediately
brought out their " "
"fittings" from their re
spective bunks , and as many as could dose
so sat &t the tables , The rest put their
plates oa shelves attached to the wall * and
stood up ,
1'Jrker and I were among the latter num
ber. The inexperienced few Blood by motion-
Im. They didn't stein to bu ambitious to
eat.
Presently along came the atewardswith
huge palls full of soup. There was no
formality about these steward * ; they were
in their shirt alcevci. and that fact consti
tuted the uniform ; but they displayed an
abundance of good nature , and an anxious
desire that ev r > body should be bounti
fully supplied.
They Uileled the toup Into the tlu , cops ,
and hovered about until every mart had had
all the soup ho wantid. '
It wai good soup. There w a no mistaking |
that It would hare luted good If we had !
been ilttlnc at a. while-covered table In a
Ilrst-ratp hotel. It lasted good In the
gloomy , hot steerage. I
Next came boiled beet ami potatoes.
Again the supply was bountiful ; again the
quality was good.
Parker nnd the historian ntc their potatoes
without salt , hut that wag because they
thought It was the rule to do BO. There was
plenty of salt on the tables , but they didn't
happen to see any. The/ learned better
after the dinner was over.
"Scrnpo your leavings Into these tins ,
gentlemen , " called the steward who had
cuargeof the arrangements ; "there will be
water here in a minute to wash your things.
Put them back In your bunks when you are
done with them. "
Parker's smile was absolutely ghastly at
this. I pitied him sincerely , tie had always -
ways had a good home , poor chap , with a
doting mother and a cohort of pretty sis-
terj and cousins to wall on him and "do"
the dishes. IIo was still heroic , however. In
his endeavors to take the thing cheerfully.
"I'm glad they let us wash the dishes , "
he said faintly ; " It wouldn't be nice , you
know , to eat supper off this plate nnd out
cf this cup , and from this spoon , and on this
knife nnd fork If they were not washed. "
Well , we scraped nwaj- our leavings and
plunged our utensils Into the tub of watef
that the steward had set down for the pur
pose ,
" 1 feel betcr , anyway , " said Parker ns
wo climbed upstairs again ; "the food was
good , and the dishwashing- healthy , exer
cise. "
"I feel better , anyway , " said Parker as
passengers who ate that dinner. Ona of
the men who stood near me looking on did
try a potato. The others went on deck un *
fed , and If later they had anything by pri
vate arrangement with , a steward I do not
know It.
I think not , for after a day or two I ob
served them taking their fare and washing
their dishes with the rest of us.
Tea , the last meal ot the day In the
steerage , Is served at 5 o'clock. ' When wo
went down for It wo found nine plates
of butter on the tables nnd shelves.
Following the cxamplo of experienced
tourists wo went to our bunks and brought
out our tin cups , the- knife and the spoon. .
"No need of the- plate , " said one of the
passengers , "you'd only have to wash it
again. "
The stewards brought gigantic kettles of
tea and filled the tin cups. Then they
carried about baskets filled with bread In
the form of "cob" loaves.
I can speak with enthusiasm concerning
the three articles that comprised that meal ,
The bread was surprisingly good , and it
was even mere surprising to find that thq
butter was palatable.
The tea was good , of course. It would
be a strange kitchen that turned out
delicious bread and poor tea.
I don't suppose I can give better proof of
the quality of the food than to confess that
I ate two whole loaves of bread freely
buttered , nnd drank two pints of tea.
This was the evening routine throughout
the voyage , BO far as I was concerned.
Parker ran n good second , but his appetite
always was rather delicate.
Some of the passengers complained. No
largo company of men would be complete
without Its quota of growlers.
This man thought the tea too sweet ; an
other declared that there wasn't sugar
enough ; and of course we heard from the
man to whom the tea was no belter than
slops.
It would seem impossible to find fault
with the bread , but It was done. The crust
, was burned , It was too stale , etc.
Think of It ; on that trip the ship's bakers
were turning out 3,500 cob loaves every day !
They had to bake ahead. It would have
been utterly Impracticable to serve fresh
bread , but the kickers complained neverthe
less.
less.They
They manifested their discontent by breakIng -
Ing the loaves open , eating the soft inside
and throwing away the entire crust , thus
wasting at least two-thirds , and , to my
taste , the best part of each loaf.
After two flays ot this the chief steward
gave orders that no more bread should be
Issued In whole loaves to the steerage. It
was cut Into .slices thereafter.
The under stewards were remarkably
patient In face of the unreasonable com
plaints and comments of the passengers.
"Do you know what that butter's fit for ? "
asked a growler arrogantly of Fred , the
hardest working steward In the crew ; "I'd
Just llko it to grease the wheels ot my
wagon with. "
"All right , " returned Fred , without lookIng -
Ing up from , the kettle he was scrubbing ,
"I'll see that you have a keg of Itwhen you
get back to Boston. "
It was the only kind of answer that
would fit the Occasion. Th butter was not
as good as that served In the saloon , but it
was genuine and wholesome , and did not
deserve the comparison to wheel grease.
Steerage breakfast at 7-30 consisted of
Irish stew , bread , butter and coffee , with oat
meal "porridge" and molasses on alternate
days Instead ot the stew.
While freely admitting the excellent qual
ity nf the food , and while good-humorcdly
Ignoring the unavojdable faults of the serv
ice and the Irksomeness of dish washing"i
will as frankly confess that I would have
liked other kinds of breakfast and dinner be
fore the voyage was over.
It was rather tiresome when the amusing
novelty wore oft. Parker votes , with me In
this matter , but what then ! Here we were ,
two men In perfect health , neither of us in
the last given to seasickness , who had paid
$27 each for the round trip , America to Kng-
land and back.
It would have discredited good sense to
permit ourselves to feel that we were endur
ing any privations.
Cven the Briton's desserts were not alto
gether lacking. There was duff occasionally ,
nnd again rice pudding or preserved apples ,
and now that I have eaten It , I think no
traveler's experience Is complete without a
knowledge of duff.
It Is a species of plum pudding that Is remarkable -
markablo for being not only palatable but
digestible. It wna the one article of food
that the steerage passengers could not get
enough of. They liked it.
So did Parker and I.
"I say , F. n. , " said Parlcer one day shortly
after dinner.
"Well , Henry , " said I.
"I've a scheme , " said he.
"I'm with you , " said I.
He thereupon conducted me along the main
deck until we came to the doors of the
kitchens. I bHIcve that sailor men call them
galleys , but whatever the name , they were
rooms lined with great ranges at which
white-capped men were cooking delicacies
for the saloon passengers.
Doors and windows were open , nnd out
cams the appetizing aroma of roast fowl , hot
rolls , berry pies and heaps of other good
things.
It was no gusty whiff such as may be
blown up at you through a , grating In a
sidewalk near a big hotel , but a steady
wave of culinary Incense almost nutritious
In its density. Parker inhaled a long breath
through his nostrils.
"Isn't It fine ? " said he.
"H'm , h'm , " I replied , following his exam
ple , but not yet gathering- the lull force of
his snheine.
"Take another sniff of It , " exclaimed ;
"It doesn't cost anything , "
I sniffed as he bade rac , and then the
scheme dawned upon me In all Its utilitarian
beauty.
There I stood and smelled choice. Impossi
ble viands without a particle of aching de
sire to sit at a table and get at1 'em.
"You see , " explained Parker , "your stomach
ach Is satisfied In a gross sense. You want
nothing more to eat. but In the steerage
they failed to cater to th ? artistic aide ot
your gastronomlcal nature.
"Now that's an Important element In the
makeup of a well-bred man. I believe that
the constant taking of coarse food would
tend to debase a man , unless In someway
his finer senses were gratified at the same
time.
"But , theories aside , we know this : that
If we had come along here before going to
the steerage dinner , we should not have enJoyed -
Joyed our boiled beef and potatoes , even had
we been able to eat them. Now , having
eaten them , we can sniff the delicacies of our
friends , the upper ten , not only without dis
comfort nnd envy , but with positive enjoy
ment.
"Why , man nllve , It's Just as If we had
eaten , or were eating a six-course dinner ! "
Parker was right. II was a charming and
Important discovery that he mad ? . Three
times a day thereafter we went to the cook's
galleys and miffed , and felt the better for It.
I cheerfully recommend lull practice to
thos steerage piSrengers who have seen bettor -
tor days.
It wa the Uiirct or fourth night out whoa
somebody In our ropin had a furious attack
of nightmare. Parker was tn Ihe upper tier
across the alitajoin me , and the agonized
groans came frlini his direction.
t sat up InOiMSm , but I Uy down ngaln
when I heard Vurker muttering. "Whewl
What n. racket ! " '
' "Better walatghan up. " I suggested , "and
get him out oMiig agony. "
I Parker Is a warmhearted fellow. It hurts
' him to see onr fellow creature suffer , or ,
as In this InsUrtce , to hear him. So he
reached over & &t # iVa his neighbor a violent
dig In the rlhs.ioml Bald :
I "III , lhereiu.jthat ; : | | aspirated tone that
you put on when you want your associates
to understand that you are taking all the
J , paint possible- wako them without disturb-
In them. '
I "What In thunder do you want ? " growled
i the neighbor , while the nightmare kept up
its rampage , /
"Oh ! I beg pardon , " whispered Parker , nnd
erted In the main toward/ / people who hail
been strangers until the nailing ol the boat.
It wai one ot then * little women who
came pottering up to one of the stairways
that led to the single men's quarters on
Sunday morning , August 5 She had n
howl of hot coffee tn her hand. At the en-
I trance she hesitated.
| " 0 , dear , " she exclaimed aloud , "I suppose
I haven't any right to RO dowh there at
i this time of day. Say , " nml she turned
1 to Parker , "you're not sick You ( ako
[ this down to my father , please. His name's
Mngulnness. Find him and tell him he
miiitdrink It. Make him lake at least
half ot It. "
Parker graciously took the bowl ot coffee
nnd gingerly mads hli way down the steep
stairs. I tagged along behind. At th6
bottom he shouted :
"M.igulnness ! O , Magulnnes&l" No one
owned the ii.iine , and he went from room
to room , vainly Keekinglo administer re
lief to the father of a little woman with
four children In the after steerage.
At last he gave it up and returned lethe
the deck. The little woman had disap
peared. After several minutes , during
STEEUAGE TYPKS.
I could hear hi * voice treinble- with chagrin ,
"somebody's got bad dreams , , and I thought
it was you. Qlve the next man a shake ,
won't you. He's [ Irobably the one. "
Wide awake and Irritated by that fact and
the blood-curdling groans of the sufferer ,
the neighbor half rose and hustled the next
man jiut of hlSjMumb.er .
"Wake up and shui lip , confound you ! " ho
cried. In anything but low tones.
The nightmare..at that moment became n
quivering shriek , while the last man io be
aroused on suspicion of being the sufferer
protested In language profane and emphatic ,
and Parker exclaimed , "Oh , dear ! he's In the
lower tier ! ' 3
Then we all sSflfVjp and shouted , "Hiriil ! "
and some were rnaklng ready to crawl down
and pokt ! everybody" In the tier below when
the nlghtmars xplred with a choking gurgle ,
and we heard the 'Sufferer turn over with n
sigh and dropfntp $ peaceful sleep , the only
man among us'who'had ' not been In the least
disturbed by the p'rocsedlngs.
Parker's neighbors growled about the
pains some ppople wore at to.mind other
people's business , and I lay back and laughed
till my sides dcVetf
ParkJr said''liext"morning that that' was
the worst of l tb hear mo chuckling while
he was blushing : In' the night with mortifica
tion , and none witti eyes to see hlnf d3 It.
During the fog ' 'of Tuesday , August 7 ,
there was a IWle 'ebisode that was thrilling-
In Its suggcsUvenbss ot the perils of the sea ,
'find of the rare skill ond' , ' attention to duty
by which they 'are ' 'avolded. '
"We were on Old Grand banks'lierc , as
everybody knowlj ; ' ifiany htm"dreds'"of flsh'tng-
craft are at'work ' nt.'all seasons of the year.
They are scattered over an Immense ter
ritory ; there la room enough for all the
fleets In the world to cruise about at the
same time In perfect safety when the
weather Is clear , but when that Impalpable , i
white , opaque veil rests upon the water. I
when the vision Is arrested 101) .VAC1.3 ' frpm i
the ship's rail and your steamer cove'rs hun
dreds of miles without coming to a Ijrcak
In the mist , then the possibility of collision
becomes too clear to need demonstration.
Directly In your course , n Tialf mile away ,
there may be a Gloucester schooner , or a
Nova Scotia fisherman at anchor. The
chances are. so great Is the area of the
banks , that the course Is clear ; but the ever
present possibility of danger keeps the cap
tain on the bridge for us long as the fog
la&ts , be it seventy-two hours In Succession. ;
That possibility developed into the actual
on Tuesday.
It was all over In a minute. This Is how
It appeared.from the point of view ot the
steerase.
The masts and 'spars of a vessel came suddenly
denly- Into view Just off the port bow ; we
crowded to ( he rail and saw bi > low us a
brig at anchor , several men running wildly
about her ddcks , other men in two small
boats a rod or two from her sides.
Qnu could easily have t cm eel a biscuit
from the deck of the Cephalonla to that of
the brig , and It looked every second as if
the brig's Jlbboom would scrape the frown
ing hull of the steamer.
There was no contact , however , and In
anoUur minute brls and small boats had
sunk awny | n the mist astern.
It was a Trench vessel , and as we passed
her the fishermen shook their fists at the
steamer , gesticulated fiercely and cursed
to the full extent of their native vocabulary.
Tiinv were frantic with excitement , and
no wonder , but It was not easy to under
stand why they should have been at such
trouble to curse n steamer that had not run
them clown ,
This event was the general topic of con
versation during the rest of the day. U
was spoken -of In the steerage without the
lust trace ot excitement ,
It was Interesting ; the Frenchman had
had a narrow shave ; It was lauchablo to
see him Jumping about and raving , but he
probably had good reason for being fright
ened. That was all.
Not one -word , not one hint that any credit
was due to Captain Soccombe , and his offi
cers for averting a disastrous calamity. I
listened In vain for any commendation of the
faithful , arduous watch kept up on the
bridge.
Well , perhaps my fellow passengers were
right. The CcphalQnla , to begin with , had
not been 'In darfger. The frail. Ill-kept
Frenchman vyoffur'have ' been but a card
house had we trtroc her. The crew- might
have been'sayejl."pertfckps not : but why specu
late ! That same Iflflomltablo , Indefatigable
faithfulness th'ak"rnakes the Atlantic -voyage
BO safe that p-\sMnettrs bank upon it with
Indifference ns W fog * and gales , had carried
us past Instead'bf Into the brig ! and I pre
sume that thtr'eiMjje-de was properly dis
missed in tho''jfhfp'8 ' log with a two-line
statement. f" j"B "
And yet It wWlHrereslIng to me to learn
from one of thV bWcers who stood on the
bridge at the ti'Me 'that the Frenchman lay
directly In our 'fiftirsfc ' When first her pres
ence was suggested1 by faint , dark spots in
the mist , she wa' 3'four or five boat lengths
a"1' " rfMuL ,
I have referrta1 ttf'the crowd of steerage
passengers on stlre"Cephalonla as fascinat
ing , The 'faBQItiallmi grew as the days
passed , and ; II would take a volume to set
forth fully tha OrONd's various phases and
the human touches , qf Individuals that stood
out against tliu inaas like ' a contadlna's ' red
dress on a hlllslder" * ,
That contemptlblp specimen who is so
often In. evidence on trains and excursion
boats , the human hog , was not among us.
On the contrary , there was a refreshing
number of those energetic people who go
bustling about doing for others.
They were .especially up and alive during
the sick , season. Men who themselves had
occasionally to make a break for the rail
were bringing lemonade and tea to dis
tressed women and pat'ently helping feeble
old men to a comfortable place in the lee
ol a hatch , and Imperious little women
trotted up and down stair * in all de
partments ot ( he steerage bearing gruel ,
shawls and all the comfortH of a cheerful
disposition to those who wished the sea
would swallow' them lip and have done with
It.
And this manner of plillanthopy wan ex-
, which I could see that Parker was getting
j exasperated nnd embarrassed , he found her
soothing a sick stranger's baby.
"Did ho drink It ? " she asked , with a
bright smile.
"I am to I didn't find "
sorry say him , re
plied P.rrkor ,
"O , dear , " cried the little woman , "do
Bt > right back nnd try again. Hemust be
there. Make him drink It. "
There was no disobeying that command.
The little woman was setting such a good
example that anybody would have been
shamed out ot refusing , and Parker turned
despairingly ngaln toward the forecastle.
I Suddenly she rait alter him.
"Never mind , " she said , "hero he Is. "
I It proved that Mr. Magulnncsa had been
sunning himself for an hour not twen'y feet
from where his daughter stood. So that
little episode was In a sense a fiasco , but the
Intentions and the energy were of the right
kind.
The world will wag to the end of time
In the little woman's way.
says Geoge Osgood's song , and If It wagged
In the way of that little woman In the steerage -
ago wo would all be the better for it.
"Does the boat stop at night or does It
go along slow ! " asked a passenger , asvo
leaned over the rail watching Boston light
disappear In the west.
IIo told me he was 29 years old and was
making his first trip to the land his father
1 had told him about.
I "I don't expect we'll get too much food , "
| lie said , "but I'm prepared lor that. I've
got two big loaves of wheat bread , two
"Cakes and three dozen cookies In my bag. "
| Many and many another steerage passen
ger had made similar preparation. One
hey , a Swede , had a hamper that might have
lasted him the entire trip.
I am not so auro this Is not a good plan ,
During the first day or two those who are
Inclined to seasickness may find it more
comfortable to lunch on deck from boiled
eggs and cold tea than to try to eat In the
close rooms below.
"Are there paddlewheels or screws down
there ? " asked an old man as we stood far
forward on the forecastle top.
I tried to explain that the single screw by
which the ship was driven was at the after
cut ! .
"Then , " he said , "what makes the water
curl up and foam so at each side ? "
Another passenger asked me , "Who dis
covered this line ? " I found that he meant
the Cunard line , and that to him implied a
specific pathway across the ocean.
He told me that It puzzled him to know
hov tha captain kept the boat In the line ,
the water looked to him Just the same day
after day.
Still another asked me If I knew Just how
far It was from the boat to the place where
the sky and water met , I answered that
I supposed It might be a few miles.
"Yes , " he assented , dubiously , " but it
would be still further away when you got
there.
" I understand that , but I've often won
dered If any man has ever yet found out
exactly how far It is to the real place where
the sky and water meet. "
About 300 passengers left the steamer at
Queenstovvn , a much smaller number than
many of us had expected , Tha ten'der took
them off at 1 a. m. , without special Inci
dent.
I observed that the girls who had been so
lively all along , and so desperately smitten ,
apparently , with loveslckness , were very sub
dued , "not lo say somber , as they walked
down the plank.
Their fellows were going on to Liverpool
and the parting caused Just a bit of heart
ache , but , bless your soul , that happens In
every voyage ; the saloon passengers are as
sentimentally affected as thoss in the second
cabin or the steerage , though they may not
show It quite so openly and honestly.
But they , all forget about It after a few
hours on land. The complaint Is no more
dangerous than the other ( ornvsf seasickness ,
and It's far more agreeable for sufferers and
pb ervers alike.
The historian returned to America by the
Umbrla , which left Liverpool , Saturday evenIng -
Ing , August 18.
In order to make the steerage experience
complete he allowed himself to be captured
by the runner of an emigrant's lodging
house.
It Is almost always necessary for steerage
passengers to arrive In Liverpool the night
before sailing , for the steamship companies
compel them to embark at an early hour. In
this Instance the Umbrla did not leave her an
chorage tn the Mersey until a p. m. , but
the steerage passengers had to go aboard
at 10 a , m.
By this early embarkation much ot the
confusion attendant upon the departure of a
steamer from America Is avoided. Mistakes
are corrected , lost baggae found , and every
body and everything are settled Into some
thing like order before the saloon passen
gers arrive , which Is about E p. m.
There were only 136 ol us on the home
ward trip. First-class tourists had begun to
.return , and they filled the Umbrla as she
had not been filled for years. They num
bered f > 32 , and In ( he second cabin there
were ninety-three.
It may not be generally known that the
steerage department Is flexible. Space that
might be given to II U readily turned Into
staterooms when the tide of high-priced travel
l hlslu
It 'means ' a lot of carpenter and Joiner
work , and the installation of expensive "lit *
tinea" In place of the bare floor a and sleepIng -
Ing racks ; but all that may be done while
the steamer la lying In port between arrival
and sailing , and when finished the extra
staterooms are every bit as good as those
that stand the year round.
So the steerage for this trip was com
pressed ; 136. wan all It would hold. Many
more wanted to go. but wer refused , and
they doubtless had to put In a week at the
lodging hoUBt-s.
The runner who picked me up as I wet
Idling the time uway In the steerage office
In Liverpool on Friday afternoon was one of
number of brother * who , In partnership
with hl father , conduct the oldest emigrant
lodginghoiite In. the city
They perform the same functions for the
modest traveler that are- done by the well
known ngonts for the naloon passenger.
They get the emigrant's ticket for him ,
thus securing him by their experience from
error * , put him up at night and feed him In
the morning , see him unit his family and Ills
baggage on board nnd properly bestowed , nnd
In every Imaginable way act as guardians to
him during the nervous hours Just previous
to departure.
The charges arc very low for this service ,
and the house where 1 lodged was scrupu
lously clean. Kvery lodRor was required to
be In before II o'clock , with the purposa
probably ot preventing the nll-nlght spree
that sometimes characterizes a traveler's ' last
night on land nnd this feature , by the way ,
Is not confined to the steerage.
Should any reader have occasion to. patron
ize an emigrant's lodging house In any port
it would bo well for him to make Inquiries
at the steerage office of a steamship com
pany , Hy 10 doing he will the more- likely
find a clean bed and honest treatment ,
Nearly nil the steerage passengers on Ihe
Umbrla were tourists on their way home.
Tlicro were n few English emigrants , nnd
n very few Irish girls , who got on at Queens-
town , who ha.l never scon America. The
rest had been visiting * nnd , as a whole , they
were a prosperous looking , contented lot.
They wtre pretty sick for two days , for
we started against n high head wind ( hat
sent the spray on deck and kept the mighty
vessel rolling , and made breakfast an opera
tion full of difficulty for such as cared to
attempt to eat.
I sincerely pity any one who Is seasick ,
but I am equally sincere In my doubt
whether the passenger Is more distressed for
being in the steerage.
It looks to me as If elegantly upholstered
lounges fltiil porcelain basins arc no mora
to the comfort ot the sufferer than a roll
of rope and a lee rail ; any place to lie down
and die In Is as good as the best berth on
board , and ns for food , why , thu steerage
porridges or Irish stew Is not a bit worro
than a Uelmontco menu It's all one to the
aflllcted.
The season of sickness once passed , anil It
lasted but two days , the tlmo went by
quickly enough. The steerage tourists com
pared notes and exchanged Impressions of *
the old countries that they had visited.
"It's well enough lo cross over now and
again for a visit , but America's the place to
live In , " said one. and in this verdict he
scorned to sum up the opinions of his fol
low travelers.
The one Incident in which steerage life on
the westward trip varies from the trip cart-
ward Is the vaccination of the passengers.
This is required by American law , although
the ship's surgeon lias no authority to com
pel the passengers to submit to the opera
tion.
tion.This
This function was performed on the Um
brla between 10 and 11 o'clock In the morn
ing ot Wednesday. All the steerage passen
gers v ere sent below , whenje they Issued
to the open decks again one at a time.
As they passed the surgeon they displayed
their arms. If vaccination marks were
fresh , or there was evidence that they had
had smallpox , they went on upstairs. It
not they were detained and vaccinated.
The operation was required In only half
a dozen cases , nnd none of them objected.
It was noticeable that the older women in
the company had been vaccinated like the
men. on the arm , and the younger women
on the leg ,
Cunard officers tell with huge relish of
one passenger who was very nervous con
cerning vaccination. He was sure It wonld
be painful and Injurious , but In view of the
fact that If ho did not submit to the doctor
he would bs delayed In landing at Now York ,
lie consented to tnftlcrgo the operation on
board.
He bared his arm nnd took his place In
line , but he trembled so violently that It
was Impcsslble for the surgeon to avoid
scratching him a little deeper than ordinary.
The man's arm bled a bit and he was ter
ribly alarmed. He was sure he was going
to die.
"I shall bleed to death ! " he cried , while
the tears coursed down his cheeks and his
voice choked with sobs , "and If I do I'll ' sue
( he Cunard company for damages ! "
I find In reviewing these pages , written i
partly at sea. partly In England , partly In |
America , that I have given a somewhat light
coloring to steerage life.
This was Inevitable. Pe-ple In the mass
are seldom sorrowful. Gathered together In
large numbers by the accident of travel ,
they will certainly create Incidents of the
lighter order , and It Is Incident that the
writer seeks to employ his pen with.
For a dismal narration It would be neces
sary to dwell upon the long stretches of
htura when the ship flounders with monoton
ous Instability along the dreary , watery
plane , unbroken save by the same , same
and ever the same recurring caps of foam ;
when a day seems to drag Its length between
the striking of the half-hourly bells on the
bridge forward ; when the night becomes an
Infinite hell of labor with the fretful creakIng -
Ing and the grcanlng ot the wo dwork and
the restless throbbing of the engines.
Such periods there are In abundance , and
the force with which they oppress the spirit
of the steerage passenger varies according to
his temperament and his resources for self-
entertainment.
I need not say that no hour was dull to
me , for every moment cf the entire voyage
was full of occupation , and in that respect , I
was exceptionally situated. I had come to
observe and the field was wonderfully rich.
For more than a week each way my sub
jects were before me , with me , I was of
them , and they could not give me the slip ,
and with that manner of occupation , which
Is open to all men , the privations of steer
age travel are , after nil , , properly summed up
by the barber In his sympathy for the lads
of desserts ,
Hut I would not recommend anybody to
travel in the steerage who cannot speed tlmo
with human study.
REDING OUT A GALE.
Jones Itotalls What Ho Culls nn i.xi : > * rl-
riire.
Jackson Peters leaned back In his chair
nnd slowly blew a cloud of smoke toward the
colling , says Harpr's Weekly. "Jones , " ho
said , "I want to ask your opinion in regard
to the probability of a story which was told
me the other day. "
"Well , Jackson ? " was the guarded reply
of the cautious Jones.
"It. struck me , " continued Peters , "that
a man who had told as many that Is to
say , a man who has told as much of what
I may call awe-Inspiring truth as you have
ought to be a good Judge of the probability
of a story. It was a cyclone story which I
was going to ask > ou about , "
"Most cyclone stories an ) palpable lies ,
Jackson. "
"No doubt. The point Is this : He said
he had srcti j.r\\s driven through Inch
boards hy the force of the wind. "
"U never happened , Jackson. That Is a
stock lie told cf every cyclone that blows.
Your friend Imposed upon your youth , my
boy , He would never have dared to tell such
a manifest and sclf-lieraldcd IIo to Koblnson
or Smith. I must admit , though , that the
force of the wind In a genuine cyclone Is con
siderable. When I lived In Kansas In the 70s
I had a quantity of poultry , but It waa blown
away In the first cyclone of the season , except
a-black Spanish rooster. Ho clung to a grass
root with his bill and allowed Ills tall to
crack and whip In the wnd | like a. yacht pen
nant , He roclo out the gale , though most of
his feathers were blown off. Subsequently I
found some of them embedded over half un
Inch In my grindstone , "
"Yes , " returned Peters , "I presume my
friend was tryingto Impose on my adoles
cence. "
"I think BO , Jackson. I had considerable
experience with cyclones that summer In
Kansas , but I learned to handle myself so
that I did not mind them much. I soon saw
the fallacy of depending on cyclone cellars
nnd that ort of thlnir. The fundamental ilir-
flcully of 1I uch things Is that you trr to
hold yourself firmly In one place. U la as 1C
a fthlp In H Bale should tie up to n post , sun.
posing mldocean had prsts for the tlmo being.
Instead of driving before the tsmpcst The
nrst cyclone- that summer , of course , I went
down cellar , llko other folks. My house WAR
scron blon away. The next thing I knew the
cellar \\cnt , too , rolling over and over Ilka
a silk hat. I was soon pllleU out With In-
flnlto labor I crawled back In the t'eth ot
the wind , Intending to lake refuge In the
hole the > cellar came out of. To my conster
nation I found that had blown awny also , I
then followed the example of the rooster.
clung to n root and nltowod my legs to flutter
and snap In the gale like n weather signal
'
DANIEL WEBSTETt WROTE IT.
Pull Text of IWin AVrlltrn by the limit
Orator.
Kilo Clerk Walter French of the house ot
representatives , a llostnnlan , who haa ono
of the most extensive and Interesting cil-
lections of newspaper clippings of ny prlvntn
collector In Washington , refcrrliiK to the
poem of Daniel Webster which has lately
been published as n miscellaneous clipping
credited to a Chicago paper , says the four
stanzas published do not comprise the poem
In Its comnleto form , *
To a Washington Post reporter ho gave
the poem In full , as fellows.
My son , thoii wnat my lu > i rt' delight.
Thy morn of life Was gay and cheery :
Thy morn hns rushed to mntden nlKht.
Thy father's house is sml nnd dreary.
I held thep on my knee , my son ;
1 kissed tliee laughing , klnse < l then
weeping ;
lint , nli. thy little day In done ,
Tliou'rt with thy niigol sister
The BUiff on which my years should lentl
Is broken ere tlioso yrniH vein < * o'er mo
My funeral rites thou sliouldst Imve Hern ,
Hut thou art In the tomb before me
Thou reni-'st to me nn fnnernl stone ,
No patent's grave with teiir bolioldest ;
Thou nrt my nnce.stor , my mm ,
And Htnnd'st in heaven's account tha
oldest.
On earth my lot wns soonest oust ,
Thy ficnrratlnn lifter tiilnc !
Thou linst thy predecessor pant ,
Karl I IT eternity IH thine.
I should have set beforethine eye
Tlio road to heiivon nnd timvcd It clear ;
Hut thou , nntiuiKht , Kprlng'Ht to the Hldt'H
And leav'st thy teacher lingering here.
Sweet seraph , I would learn ot thce
And hasten to pnrtako thy bliss ;
And , O , to thy World welcome me
As first I welcomed Ihou to thin.
Dear angel , thou firt nnf In heaven ,
No pruyern for thee need more be made ;
O , lot thy prayers for the e he given'
Who oft have blessed thy Infunt head ,
My father , I belu-lit thee horn :
1 led thy tottcrliiK steps with care ;
Drfnre me risen to lienven'H bright morn ,
My son , my father , guide me there.
*
POKER RULES DIDN'T WORK.
, \ ( iiimc InVlilch Tin- - i of a Klml Tuolc
Only Ono L-iilr.
On upper Broadway there Is a shoo stor. ,
In the window of which there are some sa-j-
ple shoes , relates the New York World. On
the top of OM pair Is a large card , on which
three new $1 bills are displayed. Hclow
the bill la printed : "Three ot n kind take
a pair. "
Yesterday a tough looking westerner , aftnr
gazing for a long time on the bills , the cam
and the shoes stepped Into the store and wax
met by a smiling clerk.
"Say , mister , Is this u straight game y >
glvln' us ? "
"You refer to - "
"I'm roferrln' to them shoss In the win
der. You sell them "cordln * to the rules ot
poker , do you ? "
"Oh , yes yes , sir. Quite so , sir. hal Im !
Itathcr clever thing , Isn't It ? Ha ! ha ! "
"B - clever. Show me a pair of number
nines , that style. "
The gentleman produced several pairs o"
nines and the western man tried them on.
Ho selected two pairs and said ho would take
both.
"Now , sco hero , " he said , -"I want no
shenanigan. You're sellln * 'conlln' to Hoylc ,
eh ? "
"Yesslr , we guarantee that. Couldn't tak
advantage of an old hand like you. Yci
evidently know the game. "
"I do. sonny , nnd I want nothln' but what's
'cordln' to the rules. t want a straight
game with no looloos. Savey ? "
"Ycislr certainly , sir. "
"Well , then , wrap up them two pair of
shoes , and there's your J3. "
"Hut every one pair goes for $3. I.ooT < at
the card. Three of a kind , you know , take
a pair. "
"I know they do , but we're playtn' by the
rules , an' 'cordln' to all the rules ot poker I
over see , three of a kind , also , Just nat-
churely and etarnely , scoop two pair. "
The clerk ceased to smile for a moment
but suddenly recovered himself.
"Yesslr , but three of a kind wouldn't scoop
two pair when both pair arc nines , Mould
they ? "
"Well. I'll be - . Gosh take it If you
ain't right ! I thought I was workln' a
smart game on you , hut I'm a Jay. I should
have took a pair of eights and n pair of
nines , and then I would have had you , darn
you. Well , so long ; you city fellers are
smarter than you look , an' kin always squirm
out o1 a deal somehow. "
PERILS OF A RED NECKTIE.
A Crots nnd I tout I MS llaliy JUiikrB a firnb
for It.
The perils of a man with a red necktie nre
many and unexpected , says the New York
Herald. Quite Innocent of these , n gentleman
boarded the down town " "
man "L" train at
Eighty-first street one day last week , took , a
cross seat and began running over the stock
reports In his favorite newspaper. He wore
the loveliest red tie you ever saw and had It
f piked down with a diamond pin. lletwecn
him and the window sat n young mother
with a very young- baby , and Just opposite
was her feminine friend , the pair monop
olizing the windows , ns women will some
times do. The baby grew weary of trying
to follow flying objects outside , and grew
restless and cross at the same time. Finally
It saw the red necktie and made a grab for
It. You know how very young babies can
jump , Well , this ono not only grabbed for
the red necktie , but It got It the first pop.
The gentleman with the attractive neck
wear was somewhat startled al this on *
slaught , but when he realized what It was
and heard the young mother's abject apolo
gies be smiled a sickly smile and resumed
his reading.
Hut the attempt to draw tha child's at
tention to other things was a dismal failure.
He saw only that red tie , and , like a young
bull In a cornfield , he wanted to go for It.
In the meantime the other passengerx wore
Indulging In tittering comments , and the
man with the red tin soon got a face up to
match.
At last the baby broke Into a shrill scream
and clutched wildly al thu red necktie. The
mother tried her best to nootlie her Infant ,
but without success. At Twenty-third street
she turned abruptly to the gentleman with
the red necktie and said , with considerable
acerbity :
"I do wish you'd get off , sir ! You'll have
to get off or give him that thing. I can t dc
anything with him. "
The gentleman with the red necktie wai
too astounded at this logic to cay a word -
he Just hopped right up and ran.
Cook's Imperial , World's fair "hlghetl
award , excellent champagne ; good effcrves
cence , agreeable bouquet , delicious flavor. "
A project to erect a Rtalue In memory ol
tli * late Patrick Sar3fleld ( ill more , I lie. band
master. In New York , liau been set on foot
by hli friends in that city.
TRYA
*
EXACT SIZE PERFECTS )
THE MERCANTILE IS THE FAVORITE TEH CEHI CIGAR ,
gale by all t'lrat Class Denlors. Manufactured by tno
F. H , KICIJ MERCANTILE CUJAtt CO. ,
factory No. B01 , Si LouLi , Mo.
