True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1855-03-01
geleGt QJJale>
A Night on the Mississippi.
By ADRIENNE


1t was the 18th Of February, 1874, a
cold and cherries night as ever fell upon
this sorrow-clouded earth. On the West
stretched out the broad, intcrminablc for
Il tests of Arkansas; on the East, the fertile
State Of Mississippi; between, with tawny
name, and wild, terrific roar, the mighty
Lion River rushed in solemn grandeur to
the ocean.
Oppressed By the weight of accumulated
sorrows, I had left my home, to find, if it
were possible, amid the pleasing vicissi-
tudes Of travel, some Lethean draught,
some blcat nepcnthe for the anguish prey
ing SO relentlessly upon my spirits. With
ell the chambers Of my soul hung with the
sable paraphernalia Of grief, mixed with
the denizens Of other clines-" among
them, but not Of them, "a silent but OBJ
servant spectator Of their actions and emo
tipns.
4 large and merry crowd of passengers
Wore assembled in the spacious saloon of
one Of those first class steamers which ply
upon the waters Of the yellow Mississippi,
differing chandeliers swung their crystal
pendants, and waved their wings Of light
over O scene Of almost Persian splcndor
and magnifcenee. Danask diyans and
graceful ott0mans We're scattered around
II reh psofusion; an opule1ce 0ff array,
heightened in effect by multiplied rcfec-
ton from the costly mirrors lining the
whole length Of the saloon. A handsome
rose-Wood piano stood on one side, covered
with scattered music, and supporting for
saken guitar; for the services Of two cele-
brated harpists, fellow-trayellers, together
with those Of yagraut fiddler, having
been brought i'll rcquisition for the evening
it required not prophet to predict that
there was to be
No sleep till morn, when Youth and Beauty
meet,
To chase the glowing hours with flying feet
Lonely and apart, leaned against the
stern Of the boat, partially shaded by hang
ings OF crimson brochetelle, musing upon
the folly and vanity of short-sighted man.
Within gay saloon, the viops cherry
strain, the joyous dance-without, the
pitchy cloud, the roaring wind, the rest
less wave. As sought with straining
eye to penetrate the outer world of gloom,
the whole sky, like .an Immense wall Of
starless darkness, loomed up with seeming
threat Of instant destruction every tim
Der of our vessel creaked and shook be.
meath the pressure Of steam, with which
she met the foaming waves and the fitful
gust; while between the gaspings of that
strange mysterious genius of fire and water
I could distinctly hear the sullen roar ot
the turbid food beneath-that dark, broad
interminablc grave Of hapless humanity
which never cries, "It is enough"
How soon, thought l, these fair anC
graceful forms, pale and fragile as white
wHtcr lilies, may be borne along this wilc
and rapid current, in all the holplessnes'
Of death how soon the rush of giant waves
may quench the brilliancy of these dazzling
lights how soon the luxurious lavishmen
Of mirrors and rosewood may sink bencatl
the silence of the rivers slime, and of ou
stately steamer the mournful requiem be-
"sSa weeds is In her palace halls,
She rides the surge no more"
The twisted trunk of some old fores
tree, rooted amid the shifting sands below
may suddenly pierce that slender plank
which is our sole division from Eternity
The channel lost in thisimpcnetrablc dark
ness, we may dash in pieces on the melan
eholy shore, or, fate still more terrible, 6
rapidly down, out in the midst of thi
broad Sea-River, in wild collision with
fellow pilgrim, on its deathftIl food
1t was source of thankfulness with tn
late lamented Henry Clay, that his Gre;
tor had given him soul incapable o. .fea
from the wrath of any being but Himsel
and if the wrath Of Deity be evinced i
sroyning skies, the voice Of shouting winds
and the lashing together of angry wave
it seemed to me that, then and there, eve
that brave and lofty spirit might hav
stood mute and ycilca, while 'the A