How Jimmy Captured a 2,000 Ton Tramp

Dunstan Times, Issue 2172, 10 March 1903, Page 6

How Jimmy Captured a 2,000 Ton Tramp

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are very nice, my boy,” I remarked the old merchant, as he handed the charter-party copies back to young Jimmy Evans. “I like to see them done so neatly and ruled so correctly. Little things like that add greatly to the reputation of our office. Keep on as you’re doing, and we'll see if we can't make a firstclass ship broker out of you.” The lad’s face flushed crimson with mixed pleasure and embarrassment, and, saying nothing, which was a very good answer under the circumstances, he hastened back to his tall desk. “Gee-whillikens!” ejaculated Ralph Connor, after Mr. Grenhard had left the office, “I’ve beta here over a year now, and the old man has never given me any such dose of tally in the whole time.” “Good reason why,” growled the elderly office manager, who could not help overhearing the conversation of the two lads. “You take a whole day to make one set of copies, what with tearing up expensive blanks and beginning again, and even then they’re 10 smudgy and blurred that it’s all one can do to read, let alone admire them. The trouble with you, Ralph Connor, is that you don’t understand the meaning of what you are writing. You go at it just as if you were a parrot. Young Evans has pretty nearly bothered the life out of me by asking questions, but I will say that he seems to profit by what he is told.” “I’m sure, I’m very much obliged, Mr. Waldron, for all your kindness to me,” said Jimmy. "I know that I owe a great—” “Oh, it’s all right,” interrupted the manager. “Come over here and check off these commission accounts with me.” At the close of this lengthy task, young Jimmy fidgeted about a moment or two, and then said: “Mr. Waldron, may I ask—” Ralph Connor, over at the next desk, commenced to snicker and work one arm like a pump handle. The office manager turned on his high stool to glare at the humorist, end then back to Jimmy, merely saying: “Well?” “Er—may I ask,” repeated the boy, nervously, “may I ask why Mr. Grenhard is so excited about not getting this 2,000-ton steamer charter?” “Can’t get the steamer,” replied the office manager, without turning around. “But there are lots of them in the harbor,” persisted the youth. “Why, I saw dozens, when I came over in the ferryboat from Jersey this morning.” “Yes, I dnre say; but they’re all either liners or ready chartered,” said Mr. Waldron, fussing with some documents as he spoke. “You see, the war in South Africa has made a great scarcity in tramp steamships at Now York, as well as other ports. The British government is using a great many in its transjsort service. I’ll venture to say there are a dozen firms ready to snap up just such a ship as we want the moment she arrives. I don’t suppose you really know what a tramp steamer is.” “No, sir,” said Jimmy, “I do not. I’ve always lived inland until we came here, and am not posted on any kind of shipping, very much: but now that I’m in the business. I’m going to learn all I can about them.” “That’s right,’’ returned the manager, admiringly. “Here’s a little pointer for you, now. A tramp steamship is one belonging to no regular line, but seeking cargoes from one port to another, wherever she can get them.” “And we have an order to charter a 2,000-ton tramp steamship, and have not been able to find one a* yet?” inquired the lad. “Just so,” assented Mr. Waldron; “but what makes the thing worse is, this order comes from our highest customer, and he declares that unless we can secure the charter for him by to-morrow morning, he will take hia business to another ship brokerage concern.” “Whew!” whistled Jimmy, dolefully. "80 I shouldn’t wonder if we lost our biggest account,” went on Mr. Waldron, sardonically. “But such a tramp steamer may come into the harbor by to-morrow morning,” spoke up Jimmy, eagerly. "Yes, but if it should, how can we be sure of getting her? The maritime exchange serves us all alike in the matter of reporting arrivals. Other brokers have the same show as we do,” observed the manager. And he concluded by nodding his hmad, significantly, over toward the pilcdnp work on the junior clerk’s desk. Late that afternoon, Jimmy left the office and hastened toward his suburban home. In going to the ferry, he had to pass along a portion of West street, and became very much excited on noticing a certain craft in the North river. The vessel was heading inshore, and, evidently, was about to come alongside of a dock. Any longshoreman, and half of the city landlubbers, could have told at a glance that she was a private yacht, but Jimmy never asked. He was possessed with the insane idea that she was a tramp steamer

just arriving. The question of her probable tonnage bothered him. “X’m sure 1 can t guess whether she

is of_two or ten-thousand tons,” he muttered, desperately. But, putting this detail aside for a moment, the lad dodged his way across the street, in and out among the recklessly driven teams, entered the freight shed, very much out of breath, and waited for the craft to make her landing. Thi# was accomplished in short order, and scarcely had the gang plank touched the wharf before Jimmy was running up it, very nearly bowling over a portly individual who wa« about to commence the descent. “Well, young man,” began the latter, a trifle brusquely, a« he daggered back from the shock of the encounter, “what are you trying to do? Knock ma—” “Please, air—er—captain excuse my haate, but you are a tramp?— er—that is, your vessel, I mean —is she a tramp steamship?” interrupted the excited youth. “Hey?” snorted tha other, wonderingly. “Because, if she is, I can offer you a fine charter,” went on the guileless Jimmy, “that 1« —er—if your boat does not run much over 2,000 tons.” “What, is the name of your firm?” queried the other, commencing to be interested by the lad’s combination of ignorance and earnesteneas. “Grenhard <& Co., one of the oldest and the best in our line,” declared Jimmy, proudly. “And what share may you have in the firm?” questioned the elderly man. -“Me? Oh, I’m only a junior clerk, the lowest in the office. I suppose I really ought to be called the errand boy, but Mr. Waldron —” “If the office boy of the concern runs around hunting up steamships for charter, I wonder what duties tin head of the firm reserves for himself?” commented the portly individual, much amused. “But you have not answered my question yet,” put in Jimmy, fearing that he was not making a good impression. “I don’t mind telling you that it is a very important matter for u«. Unless'we make this charter by to-morrow morning, we shall lose our biggest customer.” “Dear me, dear me,” cried the other; “that’s too bad!—after all your exertions, too.” “Then you’re not a 2,000-ton tramp steamer?” queried the. boy, with a falling inflection in his voice. “No, only a $200,000 steam yacht,” replied the portly individual, gravely; “but I like your spirit, and I'll tell you what we might do. We might help you to find what you’re looking for.” "Capt. Patterson,” called the other, beckoning a grizzled old sailor to his side; “this young man Is in search of an incoming tramp steamer of about 2,000 tons, that may be open for charter. See if you can help him out. I won’t need tha yacht again till late to-morrow,” And away he went to a waiting cab, with an attendant valet and two Bailors loaded down with small luggage. After having followed the suggestion of the thoughtful yacht owner, Jimmy returned aboard, the gang plank was taken in, hawsers cast off, and the little steamship departed upon her odd mission, steaming directly down the great New York bay, and into the open sea. On the following morning the senior partner of Grenhard & Go. showed some anxiety in hia face as he entered the office. "Where’s Evans?” he demanded, looking over at the unoccupied desk. “Not here yet, sir,” chirped Ralph Connor. “Sick, I gue*s,” growled the office manager. “Well, well, I hope not,” returned the kindly old man. “Mr. Lawson has not been here yet, Waldron, has he?” “No, but he telephoned that he would be, in a few minutes. Here ho is, now.” “Good morning, Mr. Grenhard,” cried a thin, under-sized personage, with bright red hair, entering at the moment. “I hope you’ve got that charter all fixed for me.” “My dear Mr. Lawson,” commenced the old broker, in an evidently apologetic manner, “I trust you—” “1 am a man of my word,” interrupted the newcomer. “If you haven’t that steamer for me I’ll transfer my custom elsewhere. Grimshaw has cut in ahead of me twice now, and if you can’t supply the vessel—” While Mr. Lawson was delivering this tirade Jimmy Evans had come in, looking very win.- about the face, but with excitement glistening in his ejes. Hastily scribbling a few words upon a scrap of paper ho stepped forward and presented it to his employer. He returned to his desk immediately after doing bo. Jlr. Grenhard glanced carelessly at the little memorandum, started, read it again, and then stared over at the now busily-engaged junior, in openmouthed amazement. “—l’ll simply have to do as I said,” continued the would-be charterer, “and make a new connection.” “I would remind you that I also nm a man of my word,” replied the head ot the firm, throwing back his head, “and 1 never promise unless I can fulfill the obligation. I must confess that I really did not think that I could fill your lost order, but, by a lucky chance, here is just what you wanted—the Cecilia, 3,100 tons, is in my hands for charter at a lump sum within your limit. This vessel is just entering the harbor, light, and will be ready to load at once.” Indications point to the lowest of the junior clerks of Grenhard & Co. as one of the coming successful merchant# of the great city.—Success,

THIS IS A FREAK FLOWER.

It Bloom* Only Oecasionally, But Immediately After Havius Beea Placed la Water. One of the most singular freaka im the floral kingdom has recently been brought to this country. It is called an "occasional flower," for the reason that it has no fixed time to bloom. No mention is made in botanical science of the existence of this marvelous flower, says the Washington Times. It is a mystery at present that is well worth clearing up. When in a closed condition the occasional flower is in color and in form something like a mature and dried poppyhead cut with its stem to it. Submerged in a bowl of water for a few minutes and then taken out and placed by its stem in an empty bottle, the outer petals begin, after several minutes, to open out. This process is slow but distinctly noticeable. The petals continue to rise and to expand until they gradually recede. When this action is complete it resembles in appearance the starry sunflower, but a-s regards the shape only. The occasional flower remains thus open for about two hours, during which time, the state of humidity lessening by degrees, the fibers begin to shrink and the petals close up gradually in the same way as they opened, until the flower resumes its former position; but by the same wimple process it can be made to unfold and.to close up again and again ad lib. It is also asserted that, properly nursed with regard to temperature and air and carefully handled, the occasional flower never decays nor degenerates in its effect of radiance and splendor.