Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1851-07-11

Il
day to his friends, and showed out in the
muddy river.
After seeing that the additional freight
was well balanced, ropes and chains
properly slowed away, and everything,
in sailors phrase, "ail taut.' which oc-
cupied nearly an hour, the Captain en-
tered the ladies' saloon to scru.inise his
new passengers and pass an agreeable
! half hour with his sweet and affection
ate wife.
Not seeing his LADY, he repaired to
her state room, where he found the usu-
al variety of out and inside dresses, night
cap, slippers, stockings, etc., but no wife;
whereupon, feeling lille uneasy, (the
honeymoon not yet being passed.) a
general search was made from stern to
stern, in the old steamboat, but without
the least success.
For moment. the Captain stood like
statute. A thought struck him! Where
was Dodge!
Some one remarked that he had not
been seen since the boat left Natchez.
With the speed of madman, the
Captain rushed to the state-room of the
singer, when to his utter astonshment he
found that the baggage had all disappear.
ed, and on the bed lay a letter, directed
to Capt., Of the steamboat B. s.
The letter was quickly torn open, when
TO add still greater fury TO his frenzy, his
eyes fell on the following:
|
"DEAR SIR: Thinking that you might
possibly have the pleasure of relating to
your friends, how you caught Dodge
mapping by persuading HIM to make a
declaration Of love to your talented and
truly accomplished lady, you tried your
utmost, both by Misrepresentation and
personal influence, to get me in the mesh
es Of your skillfully woven net; and
thinking that when we are among the
Romans we are justified in doing as the
Romans do, have by the same method,
taken possession of your beautiful wife,
without her own or your consent.
"Your lady shall receive that atten-
ton and kindness, that none other better
than Bostonian knows how TO bestow;
and unless you conclude to bout ship
and acknowledge the corn, and immedi.
ately take possession of the prize, (which
between You and myself consider the
most manly and wisest course,) shall
if it meets her approval, take her under
my charge in the next steamer bound
for the Crescent City.
Yours for fun, let it come at whose
expense it may-in horn.
0. e. DODGE, Boston Vocalist.
'P. S.-Enclosed you will find the
amount of my fare, and inasmuch as
have taken possession Of your fair, it is
perfectly fair. that you should take pos.
session OF my fare.''
/ In voice Of thunder, the Captain gave
orders for the action of the engine to be
reversed, and taking possession of the
pilot house himself, he had for time,
an excellent opportunity Of cooling him.
self down into something like state o
reflection and reason.
/ Being naturally generous aud lively
turn of mind, was soon obliged to ac,
knowledge to himself, that the 'infernal
Yankee had outwitted him, and thai
after all, if his wife had received the al.
tention promised in the letter, it would
be better not to make fool of himself
i by great splurge and show, but hand
somely acknowledge that he had beer
whipped by his own weapons; return
the vocalist the amount of his fare, and
then present him with life-tcket fol
the steamer B. S., current at all seasons
of the year.
i About the time the Captain was rag.
ing the widest, Dodge was explaining
TO his fair companion the manner il
which her lawful lord had compromised
her honor and dignity by representing
her as widow and the proper person
to receive the addresses of young men
Little by little the vocalist revealed the
complicated plot from beginning to end
until the whole was brought plainly tc
light.
j The lady trembled, wept violently fol
a few minutes, and finally wound uE
with merry laugh, exclaiming-
%, wont he be angry for few minutes.
But he's noble SOU, and will, in half
an-hour afterward. be willing and hap
py to forgive and forget; but he shan
forget us long as have tongue to hec.
tor him But Mr.. Dodge, hadn't we bet.
ter have the driver hurry! For the Cap
tain will return Immediately on the re-
ceipt of your note, know he will; for
oh, sir, we are very fond of each other
indeed we are.'
\, 'Da's one comm now, Massa,' imme
diately replied the driver.
4 What's her name = inquired Dodge.
i Il reckon Massa's from the Norf!-
Don't know-niggar cant read, rejoined
the laughing prince of darkness.
Dodge and his coiApanion immediate.
ly took view of the distant steamer from
the window of the coach and soon sat
isfed themselves beyond doubt thai
she was no other than the very iden-
tical b. s.
Where does Massa want nigga drive
TO, now! inquired the wonder stricken
and respectful criyer. II
| TO Natchez under the Hill,' re-
plies Dodge, 'and govern yourself ac-