The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1851-03-27


and one of the ladies was a playing pi-
ano elegantly, while others, having a
greater taste for voca! than instrumental
music, were humming over few of the
late fashionable productions Of Balfe,
Dempster, Glover, aud other eminent
composers.
The captain and Dodge stood for
some time in respectful silence, when
the lady at the piano very politely re-
quested him to assist her in. that glorious,
soul-cxhilarating, never-dying old Duet,
the Canadian boat song"
This was Dodge's cue; he very read
lily stepped forward and begged permis-
sion to lead OH.
"If you please, SIR" said the lady,
whose angeli-ierous voice, Dodge VOWS,
nearly took away his breath. Our hero
pitched into the sboatman" like load
Of coal, and says that, united with the
angelic voice of the Mississippi nightin-
gale he fairly made "Rome howl"
After the boatman, came few sclec-
tions from the operas lately published; /;
and the night now being far advanced, to
wind up, Dodge was Obliged to favor the
ladies with trip to Niagara Falls. ''
"Old fellow" said the captain, meet
ing Dodge in the social hall about mid
night, 'you get along swimmingly among
thd lades-why, you sing like bird. !"
80 yes, sing little" said Dodge.
"And, egad, you thumbed that lady's
gaitar into fits!'
"WeiI, ra-ather guess did torture
some," replied Dodge; "but tell me,
captain, who is that lady dressed in black,
that sings like nightingale, and plays
with the finish and perfection of pro-
! fessor?"
HaTbc captain (being noted wag, and
the terror of all iokers on the Mississip-
pi river, suddenly conceived the idea of
selling the Yankee with joke which
should come "hi gh" among the New
Englanders, in ages to come, as q model
sell"
"That lady, my dear fellow, is "a
-widow!"
"You don't say sol" said Dodge.
"Yes, but do, though, and more than
that, she's rich rich as mud, sir-rich
as mudt worth seventy-ivc thousand
dollars! young and beautiful into the
bargain. A good chance for a Yankee
boy, just commencing in life like you,
sir!"
"Shc's certainly very beautiful" said
| Dodge
Beautiful as an angel" said the cap
tain.
"a very fine musician. too" says
| Dodge
"Unequalled on the river" reIoined
the captain; "sir, she sings like SER
aphl"
"Hcw long has she been widow"
inquired Dodge.
"a little over year now, since her
captain was placed under the sod
"Ah' then her husband was captain,
was he!" said Dodge
Eyes he ,cds captain, but he got
blowcd up, poor fellow! This steam
boating is a risky business for man
who cares anything about life, sir! risky
business, but then if you get the widow,
and you can do 1t. sir like knife, if you
only cotton up strong enough, for she
likes you already; saw it in her eye
you can retire on some plantation. and
spend the rest of your days in indescri-
bable luxury"
"Weli, captain, hang me, it amt a
mind to spread myself for the young
widow, and try my hand at courting for
the first time in my life.
"Go it, my boy, III back you with all
my influence; if wasn't already mar
ried man. ID surely go in for that charm
ing woman; but you'll win-young-
good look:ng?"
"Dont, don't, if you please, cap
tain"
"Hang it, Dodge, don't be SO mod
est!"
''But Captain, gas, soap, putty
think Of my feelingsf"
"Then you sing and play like book; !;
the widow loves music, she loves music
to distraction; and now my boy, strike
while the iron is hot. Why sir if l
could sing and lead the guitar equal to
you, I'd
% Hold on, Captain hold on; under
stand all about that; but now tell me
all about the young and beautiful wild
ow, give me her name, age and resi-
dence."
Her namc," replied the captain,
Amarantha Bronson; age, twenty-four,
residence, New Orleans, and as we
shall probably be about ten days run
ming down, you'll have a fine chance to
exert yourself, 80 now take my advice
and make the best use OF, your time .
8" will, "says Dodge, and he didn t
do anything else; for always having an
eye open, his suspicious were aroused
by the Captains attempt at flattery, and
his seeming disinterested endeavor to
bring about hasty avowal of love for
the young and accomplished and really
beautiful lady. So setting his wires to
work, he lost but little time in discover
ing that the captain had been under the
delightful chains of Hymen, but about
two weeks, and the pseudo widow was
no more oriess than the identical, charm
ing, idoized wife of the captain
" Now then, says Dodge to himself