The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1848-06-24
Iaeiaen.. Of n Day. K,eur.len.

Incidents Of Days Excursion.
One day last summer | took my place in
a Gravesend steamer, and found considera-
bic amusement in watching the various
characters. Two persons in particular at
tracted my notice; one was a middle aged
gentleman, stout, rather surly, tacitun, who
paid no attention to any living being on
board, except a huge Newfoundland dog,
that was painting or lolling out his tongue,
or roamed among the passengers, showing
them out Of his way, frightening children
by suddenly covering their faces with one
lick Of his great tongue, and convincing
nervous ladies that be was going mad by
the vigor with which he struck out his legs
while rolling on his back upon the deck.
His master eyed these pranks with a sly
smile, and seemed quietly to enjoy the ter
ror occasiOned by the antics of his burly
friend.
The other person whom especially no
uced, was very pretty and well-dreSsed la
dy. Young lady she would no doubt have
been called but that she had with her little
glrl, about seven years old, who called her
''mamma." She was evidently possessed
OF nerves. Indeed, she seemed to be pos
seSSed by them, and their name was legion.
Endless were the petty annoyances to which
they subjected her; infinite the dilemmas
in which they involved her. But her keen
est sufierings in this small way were caused
by the unwieldy gambols of Lion, the New
foundland dog and her incessant and puer-
lie EXPLANATIONS Of terror, indignation, and
spite, against the good-natured brute, kept
up the sly malicious smile upon the lips Of
his apparently unnOticing master. The lit
tie girl, on the contrary, had to the increas-
ed alarm Of the weak mother, made friends
with the monster; and for long time ANU
sed herself with throwing bits of biscuit for
him TO catch, which feat, Notwithstanding
the incoHectness Of her aim, he managed TO
accomplish, by making boisterous plunge
to one side or the other; and when at last
she tmidly offered him piece out of her
hand, and he acknowledged the compli-
ment by licking her face and rubbing his
side against her I'LL he almost pushed her
down, the little creature fairly screamed
with delight. Her mother screamed too,
but in one Of the small hystericai screams
IN which she was fond Of indulging, and
was followed by an outburst Of anger at Ii
on's audacity.
Good gracious she exclaimed, if that
horrid creature should be mad he'll have
killed my child! And how dirty he is, too
Look at your pelisse, Adeline; see what
state it is in How dare you play with that
dirty animal?'
This transition from hydrophobia to a
sOiled dress was too much for Lions mas
ter, and he burst into long loud laugh.
Il wish, sir, said the lady, snappishly,
that you would call away that nasty dog,
instead Of setting him on to annoy every
body who is not accustomed to have such
dirty animals sbout them.'
The gentleman said nothing, but bowed
and walked forward; and | soon after saw
him enjoying a cigar, while Lion played
the agreeable in his own rough fashion TO
people who knew how to read the express
sion Of his honest and intelligent physiog-
nomy.
Little Adeline, deprived Of the attraction
which had fixed her attention to the inside |
OF the boat, began TO see amusement in |
watching the fOaming water as il rushed
from the paddle-wheels, and danced in long
lines behind them. She knelt on a shawl
which fellow passenger had kindly lent
as cushion for her little knees, and leaned |
quietly over the side watching the roaring
water so her mother was for time reliev- |
ed from the thousand mosquito-winged vex- |
atoms which had hitherto beset her.
We were within a few miles of Graves
end. The tide was Just at the full, and the
broad expanse Of the river lay around us in
all its majesty; and to those who have new
er beheld the Hudson or the Mississippi.
old Father Thames is majestic; ay, and i'll
we place in the balance the historic, politi. |
cal, and commercial importance OF the |
transactions Of which his broad breast is and |
has been the highway, our 'qime honored"
nver will not lose in dignity even when
compared with those giant floods of the
west.
Such thoughts as these, however, did not
trouble Adeline's pretty little head, which
began, could see, to grow giddy with the
continual whirl beneath her. A large sea-
weed that was dashed from the paddle
wheel caught her attention. Ii sank. then
rose, turned round in a short eddy, and then
darted out in the long wake that was left
behind the steamer. She leaned forward to
watch It's progress farther, farther still her
little neck was stretched; she lost her bal
ance, and tOPPled over into the roaring food.
La moment all was confusion on board.
Men were shouting for ropes and boats, to
stop the steamer cries Of "a child over.
board who can swim? and thousand
other cries and quesdonings but above all,
ose the poor mothers heart-reDding shrieks,
90 painfully in earnest now; and she alone. ]