Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1848-02-19
V A RE Y.
A Kennebec skipper on a Steamboat.


pretty rich Joke, that came off at the dinner
liable, on board the magnificent coast steam
err Admiral, during F's. tour TO the British
Provinces the last summer. Among the usu-
al heterogeneous mass of passengers who
came up from the Provinces, on the Adhii-
raj, was genuine "Down East" skipper;
likely he had never seen a real steamboat
before. of the speed, finish, and power OF
the Admiral, and it furnished the old chap
with wonder, awe, and delight, the whole
voyage. The skipper was dressed up IN
his fancy toggs," pepper and salt trowsers,
vest and coat, and the whole suit appeared
to be monstrous scant pattern, II they were
ever actually made FOR a man of his heft-
or, they had aweuly shrunk in The first wash /.
The buttons, set on at the root OF the coat
tail, behind, doubtless for the purpose OF
denoting the line of demarcation between
body and tail, were planted within brief
interval of the shoulder blades and collar
bone. The old chap had a multitude Of
questions TO ask everybody, especially the
officers of the boat. Sticking his head
down the hatchway, beneath which the fire.
men, all reeking with sweat, were tanning
in the coal under the boilers, he hailed.
g say you, down there' Amt it all
fired hot in front of that ar range"
sYou'd better come down and see," was
the response.
81 shan't See yeou dern'd fnst."
Then off he'd move to stir up somethin'
or somebody else.
"Got pooty snug beairth here reckonw
said he to Kemp, the head Engineer, as he
thrust his old hat, head and shoulders, into
the engine room. dispose yeou get pooty
good wages. Mighty loud smell Of grease
in here. Spite a good many clothes, Ireck-
on, umph,"
!" Good many" said Kemp; "won't do to
wear fine clothes here.o
Hot as sixty, teou, in here. say yeou,
amt yon Altered of being blowed up some
time or other"
"Ohl no, we get used to it," responded
Kemp.
"0h, sbohl get eoui tell me that nowl"
Fact sir! Bowed uplast trip going in
to Boston.
81 want to know Wall blast these
steam iiggers, don't like 'em, that's fact.
But say yeou, did anybody get smashed
up or scaldedi"
+" Several" said the Engineer; one man
sitting on that box just where you are, got
his thigh broke aud ---i
Before Kemp could finish the sentence,
fireman turned cock below, and phe-e-e-
ceyorp' spurted of the steam beneath the
engine room, and pair Of pepper and salt
breeches, and a pendant coat tail, vanished
out on deck.
The skipper let on he knew a heap, and
bored every body, aud not even excnpting
hlaff old Captain Rodgers, from his multi
tudnous questions and obseryatons.--
Down East" was cabin passenger, too,
he was.
That incompatible bell ringer Of the boat
rung down for dinner, superb ones they set,
TOO, aud was soon despatched by the yigor
Gus crowd, including the rum old skipper,
who would insist on wping his mouth and
fingers on the side Of the table cloth, eating
his peas with knife, then stab IL into the
hutter, gouge his fingers into the bread, all
such hiabolcal Innovations upon the cstab-
lished formula of the travelling eognoscenti.
Capt Rodgers presided at the head of the
table, among the fair sex, Charles Spear
Clerk ut the foot. Surrounded by The
b'hoys, old skipper planted himself about
the centre Dinner off, desert on, skipper
sat To get his half dollars worth, crowded
on to the fruit and pastry until il was prob
able case of apoplexy would inevitably oc-
cur on that boat before she reached Port
land. .7pples came on as q finale. skipper
hid several under his ribs. When he seem
cd full, clnching another great green one,
he squared round and sang out TO Capt.
Rodgers, who just then relaxing his old
weather beaten honest face into y eompla-
cent smile, while cajoling with the ladies'
say yeou, Captain therem
Speaking 20 me, STRIP slow and dryly
responded the Captain.
81 Sure he,n continued the imperturba-
HE skipper, "yeou hain't got a pen knife
or ncthin' in yeour trowsers, hey your
feerd % eat any more NV these apples with
the peal on--mtghi gire felier ne gripesr'
About aquau Cf buttons, hooks and eyes,
and boot heels, We're found under the table,
when the present company had retired -
Charles Spear, Esq, voted the skipper his
and Falconbridge's laeknives the same
evening; aud il was really whispered that
old Captain Rodgers was seen to smile -
Boston Mail