Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1855-05-05
MistflIantous.
The Fat Cockney.

was bound from New York to Boston :;
and it was of Friday afternoon, in the month
of March, that | took the steamer at Provi-
dence The day had been chilly and buster
ing, with the wind due east-cutting, so as to
pierce, like needles, to the very yitals-while
the "mackerel" clouds that had been gathering
over the sky, portended, with an almost abso-
lutte certainty, the near approach of one of those
driving and blue-devil storms, in which no quar-,
ter of the world can proclaim itself New Eng
lands counterpart. Even as stepped on board
-shivering, and buttoning my Overcoat close
about me, the big drops of rain and sleet
dashed against my face, and chequered the
deck
Being a man of curiosity, and unwilling to
burrow, like the hundreds of other passengers
who we're on board, in the close cabin | sta
toned myself to the leeward of one of the
smoke-pipes on the upper deck, that / might
derive some consolation from its genial warmth,
and lifting my umbrella although the wind
threatening every moment, to tear it from my
grasp or rend it piecemeal, for my temerity in
Drawing its fury-I busted myself in noting the
process of casting loose and getting under way.
The big bell tolled-the voice of the mate
echoed "All aboard ~ the little bell of the
engineer tinkled, and the wheels SpaShed in
the water, while the huge bulk of the steamer
yielded to their force, and moved majeStically
along the pier Just then, a carriage which |
had noticed and heard whirlng and creaking
along the road by the water side, with the
horses at full speed, was halted at the head of
the pier-the door was hastily opened-and
tall, burly man, with a very protuberant alb
Il L.. hale Ix, h
cheeks bundled himself out and ran down the
pier fast as his legs could carry him, screaming
as he came, in a soft voice, singularly inconsis
Tent with his size =
Ere you capn 'Old hon 'Old hon i
LreS passenger vot's left 'Old hon 'Old
non Oh, my it's too late p
Ii the officers of steamboats, were accustom-
Ell TO stop their engines for every laggard who
would go on board, they would never leave the
"naFt. Our captain, in the present instance,
easeonced in the .wheel-house, into which, not
outstanding that the windows were all up, and
'ae now fast falling rain patted merrily against
'nen the voice of the petitioner penetrated,
OIiy turned his face towards him, and unmov-
~ " Ills mploring accents, gave no command
"aOp But the few porters and coachmen
VI 'ne wharf, were more Observation-Disclosures
through perception that here was rich game
's6 %a Joke or through real pity of the mischance
n m(ae Tue anxious cockney, cannot determine
"nSperlng moment with each other, they
sP'uhg towards him, and without explanation,
!: u 50 much as "By your leave" seized him by
n. an arms and legs, overturned him to horizon
@ position, hurried him to the corner of the
ptt Round which the boat was swaying, and
gss5 reL TWO or three preliminary swings, back
tn pa'u and forward, to obtain sufficient impe-
"o "~ while others threw in his luggage let him
SLto nv; land wherever his good or evil fortune
fout dispose of him. AS good luck would
=" "'s ~ the tide was very low, and the deck
~. ~ winch stood, nearly On level with the
fJa FGa :, The cockney struck fair and plump be-
bo'. h" Nne WheeLhouse very near me, and, in his
na ,'oT VI and amazement, would have foundered
~'' 'nc water, from the nclining as well as