Jerry's boat was a ten ton sloop, clean cut, graceful, and
a good sailor, but at all times thoroughly dirty like nearly
all of her class, for she was one of a great fleet of small
sailing vessels which, from early in the spring until nearly
the close of. summer, run back and forth between Baltimore
and southern ports, carrying cargos of early vegetables,
fruit and watermelons; and in the fall go into commission
as oystermen.
The "Rosie" was named after Jerry's little girl Rosie,
his only child, a merry little blue eyed, golden haired minx,
the pride and delight of the big Irishman and the only mem
ber of his family who never abused him or found fault with
him, for Jerry's wife had a strong arm, developed by much
hard work over the wash tub, and a sharp tongue, both of
which--and I suspect the kitchen poker too—she never failed
to use when Jerry came home "half seas over" after a riot
ous evening at Terence Callahan's saloon. The washing,
Mrs. MGowen took in to make up the discrepancies in
Jerry's income,—due to Sunday evenings spent at the afore
said Terence Callahan's—while her sharp tongue had
acquired an especially keen edge through long practice
over the back fence with the wife of one Tim Hennessy,
a boon companion of Jerry's; so that between the poker
and Mrs. MGowen's tongue, Jerry led a ventable Rip
Van Winkle's life when at home. Now the whole trouble,
which was a very serious trouble indeed, came about in this
manner.
Jerry, as well as some dozen. or more of his fellow boat
men, used the slip of the M. &M. company's big coasting
steamers, from which to unload his cargos. Late in the
afternoons on ' market days, when the last of the "lii.osie's"
cargo had been disposed of and her supplies for the outward
trip had been shipped, she would join the line of sister boats
and slowly "warp" her way out of the long slip to the open
harbor where she could "make sail." Generally there was one
of the M. & M. Company's big steamers lying at the clock,