Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1842-10-27
" 7 S OIAhh 4 n 20
BEN WER'S STORY:
OK HOW TO RELISH Il JULEP.
b Y c. I. noFFsiAN


care you sure that's The Flame over by the
slIuie !''
"Cer'Ing, nanny! could tell her pipes
across the Mazoura"
Sand you will overhaul her :"
y" ONT we though! tell ye, Stranger, so
sure as my names Ben Blower, that that last
tar BARI have In the furnace has put list II
smart chance of go ahead into us to cut off
The Flame from yonderpint, or send our boat
to kingdom come"
1.-The devil J" exclaimed a bystander, who,
intensely interested in the race, was leaning
the while against the partitions of the boiler
room, "t've chosen nice place to see the fun
near this internal powder barrel!''
| Not so bad as if you were in it 20 coolly
observed Ben, as the other walked rapidly a.
way.
Gas if we were in it! in what in the BOZ
Ter
"Certng! Don't folks sometimes go into
bilers, nanny :"
81 should think therc'dbe other parts of the
boat more comfortable"
! THAT'S right; poking fun at me at once't F.:
but wait iii wenget through with this brush
with the old Flame and I'll tell We regular
fXln scrape that man may get into. Its true.
too, every word Of it-as sure as NV names
Ben Blower!
"Y on have seen the Flame then afore
Stranger Six years ago, when new upon
the river, she was real out and outer, tell
we. was then hand aboard of her. Yes
belonged to her at the time of her great race
with the "Go-liar. You've heern, mayhap, OF
Il the blow mp by which we los: it? They
made great fuss aboutit; but it was nothing
but a mere fiz of hot water after all Only
the sprlngIng OF a few rivets, which loosened
bIler plate or two, and letting out thin spirit
ing upon some niggers that hadn't sense e.
nough to get out the way. Well, the go
liar" took off our passengers, and we ran iric
Smasher's Landing to repair damages, and bury
the poor fools that were killed. Here we laid
for matter of thirty hours or so, and 90
things to rights ON board for bran new start
There was some carpenters work yet to be-
done, but the captain said that might be fixet
ohJist as well when we were under way-wt
had worked hard-the weather was sour, and
we needn't 90 any thing more jist now-wt
might take that afternoon TO ourselves, but m,
nextmorning he'd get up steam bright and ear
ly, and we'd all come out new There wa.
no temperance society at Smasher's Landing
and went ashore upon lark with some of tn,
hands"
iomit the worthy Benjamin's adventure
upon land, and despairing of fully conveying
his language in its original Doric force, vii
not hesitate TO give the rest of his singular mar
ratve In my own words, save where, in few
instances, can recall his precise phraseolog,
which the reader will easily recognize.
THE night was raw and sleety when re
gained the deck OF our boat. The officers, in
stead Of leaving watch above, had closed vi
every thing, aud shut themselves in the cabin
The fire room only was open. The board
dashed from the outside by the explosion ha
not yet been replaced. The floor of tie room
was wet and there was scarcely corner whc
afforded shelter from the driving storm.
was about leaving the room, resigned TO slee
in the open air, and now bent only upon get
ting under the lee of some bukhcad thatwoul
protect me against the wind. In passing OF
kept my arms stretched toward 10 feel m
way in the dark, but nv feet came in contat
with heavy iron lid, stumbled, and Us