The Atlantic Terminus.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVI, Issue 43065, 5 March 1907, Page 2

The Atlantic Terminus.

y 0 w that the ■ White Star line and Hilliard line of steamers are contemplating sailing fr<fm Southampton to New Y, o rk instead of from Liverpool, reminiscences copheoted with the huge floating limdingstage at the latter pert are now prominent in the Home papers. Here is a sample '-^ “Komauoes?” said an old Official who has woikedlon the stage for raany years. “ We see so' many of them that we never notice them. This stage is not only the Atlantic terminus, but the Olapham Junction of aH the world’s shipping. With such a vast throng of people passing to and fro’ over it every day, queer things are bound to be happening all the time? Eloping couples get caught just as tlmy are about to step aboard for New Yotk— that’s a common thing! Absconding bank are * nailed ’ at the gangway, with a small bag ; full of the plunder tightly gripped in the right hand. I’ve seen so much of that kind of thing that now I always have my suspicions of a man who won’t part with his bag for any consideration. “There’s hardly a trip of one of the great liners in or out of the port without some strange story among the passengers. Do you remember the days when Pat Sheedy, the notorious card-sharper, was in his prime? Its not so long ago, though he seems to have quit the Western Ocean boats the last year, or two. He would often make a haul running well into the thousands on a single -oyage. And he spent the menoy,-too. I’ve seen him shove £IOO in notes into a loor woman’s hand because she was £ yipg over parting with her husband. ,« ' Go along with him, ir a’am,’ - hd said. ‘You needn’t’ wait for him to save u p the money and send it over. TT„rrv up ! the tender’s waiting.’ « But I’ve no clothes here! ’ “ ‘ Reckon there’s some shops in New “ C And he hustled the wouian aboard hefore she could realise what was happening. When she tried to thank him Pat started to/swear, although, he is usually one of the smoothest' tongued mep in tie world. J