POLITE BARGEES.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1909, 18 November 1913, Page 10

POLITE BARGEES.

STRUGGLE AGAINST SWEARING. "PUTTING SOMETHING IN TIIEIR MOUTHS." Down by tho banks of the River bwalo t which runs by Sittingbourno to the lledivay, there is a little band of bargemen, who, thanks to the "Bargoineir.s Bishop," o'thettyjso the Rev. A, 1 arry-Eyans, ..Vicar of Sittinglioiirne, became intbued about July last with tiio desire to demonstrate to the world l'h» fact that, it was a gross libe l to talk or bargees as men Wlio habitually nseil 2 T ,^' <u ' st kind of unprintable language. They forpied the "Hargeinpn's' Brotherhood," and one of the conditions °, f membership was that oach man should try all ho knew not to use bad language, Tho membership grow rapidly, and branches wore formed to give garden parties and concerts. It must bo admitted tffat the meu had a, very hard time of it at first. Ono of tbeni told' Si ''Daily Mail" represent r\tjvei what happened under the ftew re,'iinio. Ho is tho mate of tho bstgo Belinda, a lid the conversation took placo on tho odoriferous banks of a inuddy Creek which nips down to tho Sawle. Tho Hints ivns unloading sneks of coal, auy. in spito of the fact that the shift's ■eat was continually Retting between his legs, ho accomplished his task without uttering a single bad word. ,

Speaking a New Language. ''Yes," he said, as ho lit his pijv» when tho last sack had been dumped on tho wharf, "it did coino very 'ard at first. It was like 'avirt* to speak a how language all of a sudden, ana there was Botno •shockin 1 mistakes inado. It was very fujttjy sometimes, though. My skipper, 'o 'as a terrible temper, and when 'o tried to say wot '<} thought o' tho cat when she upset 'is breakfast on 'is shore-going suit, wo thought .ho was .goin' to 'ave a' fits Nearly, burs' a bloodvessel, 'o did. "I 'ad a 'arcT tfmo of it meself, too, and morcvnonco I 'ad to givo the boy a good 'idin' to relieve niy feelin's. Sometimes down 'ero you'd see three or four men itampin' around and waving their fists iii the air. They simptv didn't daro to open their mouths for fear of saying Boraethin' they ought fiot. • They "avo to do all Manner of things to keep them solves "from lire/akin' out like they used to. Some of them tries to whistle, but most of them finds it r s_ a good thing to put something ill their mouths, not wlid things, yoii kiio'w, 'causa they might swallow them, "Yes, it's made a great difference down 'ere. You see, it isn't only that we mustn't -use bad language, but we've got to be very.'polite as well. ■Some of tho chaps, be'aves, like dooks, ■ You wouMu't Cap'ii Jacob if you could see 'im doubling 'issclf in two 'andin' round cakes at our garden partio.? at tho vicarage,, and tlie chips get. lift.in' their 'ats aiid howin' and scrapin' to each other's missis, so'a you'd think they wanted to borroiv a frying-pan or something.

The New Member. "New members.? Yes, they're always coming in, My yeting brother joined ' last week. That's Mmt over there. * . Looks as tliisugh -V& swallowed a wasj>, doesn't •he?" The mail indicated- was certainly giving all thq outward signs of being in in ton so agoiiy, Suddenly he spun round and ran hard in the direction of /a riversido public-house. "It's i getting too 'rnttelj. for 'i-m," explained liis brother. . "He's going to put Something in his mouth. It's the only Avar. Think I'll go and sec- how 'e's* getting along. Thank you, sir." Tlie.ro ai't over 200 bargemen living at Siitiiigbounie. Mr. Parry-Evans" has designed a badge for the members, consisting of; a "bronzo anchor with tlw motto "Hold Fast" on the shank. ITo lias also had made a burso.o (nennant) bearing the badge of the Brotherhood, with tho letters "H. 8." in blno oil a white ground. This is tho men's own idea; they propose to fly tho flag from the masthead on Sundays.