New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-08-10
PULLING THE HRONG BELL.

fine western steamer Of the largest class was pIow
ing her ay down sfrtam with " full mead on he
time was early morning; the sun had not yer eooled
hs fiery beams in the murky waters OF the MisH siPp;
few Of the passengers asir, and the boat quiet
and still sayo the regular scream from her iron throat'
was making fine Roadway Suddenly The engineers
bel rang out furious and alarming summons, which
beng translated into the vemaoulsr, meant =" Slow
her = Tie man at the steam obeyed the mandate and
with bis hand upon the lever awaited anxiously tho
next coil.
"Some trouble eh, adj thought the engineer; but
hardly had the idea parsed through his mind whom tho
busy bell again pcaled forth
A." Back herr
steam vas lct on in an instant and sczing the over
The nan coumerced working the engine 10y hand but
tie wheel bad not yet competol the first retrogsde
revolution " hen louder naturalization tinkled out
sUcctseNeiy-
go ahcaC -
Slow herr
Beck herr
Go ahead
Us,ing oie,ed the command, and supposing all was
ri. at AZ last the Quilted his post for moment
and stepped out upon the guards 10 see what tho
trouble had been, when suddenly the evor-busy bel
again was beard.
Before he could put his bands upon the screw, the
bell again ordered: -,
Stop her - Immediately after, " Back bert" and
" GOehcGQ! -.
Instead Of going ahead the engineer scratched his
own and thtn applying h8 mouth 10 The speaking
tube addlessed the pilot thus-but stop let us turn
Tor moment to the pilot and see what was going ON
In biz dOmniOns
This gentleman had been bu. few minutes at bus
pcs, old was rot fairly awake when the bell oom-
meuce0 It's mysterious operations; but sleepy AS no
was the queer antics OF the boat ano the strange Ian
ouagc of he seGn-pipo, excited his attention and ha
he'd auivCd at tie conclusion that something was
wrong, % the mOInen. that identical idea had
forced itself upon the engineer; apply wing his mouth
a. lie end of the tube the following renak ks went up
and down simui'auC Ously:
d" hat in thunder are you about mp there =
~ hat IN thunder are yOn about down there r
Having like TWO vessels about co commencing an on
ongement fired their shots across their bows, tho
ty ain went inn, diately into action az fslows;
Pilot-Nho told you TO "stop her. and back
her 20
Epgueor-You did. whot did you ring the bed for
Piloi-You must be a nice fellow to trust, Mr..
"KeiHcs," to get drunk before sunrise Call your
male and turn in
Engineer Drunk drunk yourself | haven't had
q drop; and you're Just lying drunk that's wba It Is
Pilot-Lo0k here, old tiles" hold on Il bit and
III be down on on Ike a thOusand Of BRICK.
EneirCcr-DOn't trouble yOursef to come down.
I'll BE- up 10 you in two shakes and then We IL SEQ
who's drunk and who is not.
Now tlis backing and filling had excited the atten-
ton of oc AID crew, anu a. the plot and sineer
having obtained relief met halfway down on the
" boilerdeck captain and clerk, mate and steward,
baikeeper and chamocmsid, all FASTENED to the post
of observation and ere the two 'ombafantS could Join
ssue they were seized and held, and an lnVesISauon
of u 10 affair was entered into.
While all this in progress neither boat nor bell
had been touched, but The same singular succession
Of ord1rs was going or, and tn two assistants, above
an below, were medciing lt,e niialf OF tner own
wten that Of the principals had been settled.
The mystery Eos apparently pest solution, but the
captain bethOugh him Of possible cause and step
ping 10 a state-room in the social hall, kicked tho
door opeD and there stood a anky young IcnneSseean
who he'd embarked at Memphis the previous al Zht,
very actively Jerking at cord that run through his
room in the further corner.
Selling him BY the collar, the captain demanded,
What are you about :"
about % answered the 1ennosseeen, why don't
you zee IN ringing for my boots