Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1856-02-12
LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI.
LOVE ON A ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS N-MARB,AGF-
BoATMEN's JUSTICE
The st. Louis Herald tells this story: F.:

! BoATMENS JUSTICE.
The st. Louis Herald tells this story:
! a week or so ago, the good steamer Heller
Marrow ice-bound at Rattlesnale 1.nd;n,,
twenty miles below this city-was the scene q
one VI those httle romances which will some.
tunes occur In spite of hfe's dull realities. W.
state the facts as related to us BY passenger.
The Helen Mar was bound down the Ohio fo,
this city. At Paducah, young man from Ten.
nessee came aboard, and took passage in the
cabin lie was from the country, and being
away from home, with a pocket full of rocks
he was not long in making the acquaintance oi
all on board, from the fremen to the captain
Among the passengers was a young girl of sew
enteen, to whom the Tennesseean paid marked
attentions, and it was evident that she was not
indifferent to his Establishments
The ice was running thick in the river as the
Helen Mar turned her bow up the Mississippi
and her progress was slow. The young Tennes.
seean would frequently join the circle gathered
around the stove, but presently paid all his at
tentIons to the young lady. Presently, she sell
dom appeared in the ladies' cabin, and her stem
recently as light as an antelopes, was heavy
and slow her cheek was pale, and her ewes dim
and swollen Tears were seen to steal from un
der her finged eyelids, and it was whispered
that sobs-deep heart-hroken sobs of anguish
and despalr-were heard from her stateroom in
the silence of night, when others slept.
The boatmen began to suspect that something
was wrong; they canvassed the matter among
themselves, and resolved upon an investigation.
The Trailer vessel being leaky, they determined
to overhaul her and discover the cause. With
that delicacy Characteristic of Western boatmen.
they said nothing to the girl herself but called
upon some OF the lady passengers to interrcgate
her.
The girl was young and artless. With tears
and sobs she confessed she had yielded to the
young mans opportunities and had fallen from
virtue. She blamed him not, however, but took
all the blame upon herself
1t was about ten o'clock at night when this
was communicated to the crew and passengers
composing the court of inquiry" They were
not long in making up their verdict. Their de-
cision was, that the two crafts should be lashed
together.
The Iennesseean was arraigned before the i'm
peratiye tribunal, and made acquainted W it'll the
sentence. He had to take the girl or be left
high and dry a sand-bar, where he would
freeze to death in less than an hour He "cayed
IN at once-sad he was willing to do what was
right, and would make the wronged lady mis-
tress of his plantation in Tennessee The girls
consent also obtained, and the next step
to find " blacksmith" to do the welding.
There was on heard authorized to officiate
on such interesting occasions, and about mid
night the boat was landed at Chester, on the
Illinois shore, and a messenger dispatched to
procure Parson or Justice of the Peace. A
Justice was found, jerked out of bed and marched
down to the boat, rather against his will, and
the marriage ceremony in the Sucker State be-
ing exceedingly brief, the deed was done in less
than tero minutes!
Having piloted the two crafts safely into port,
and tied them up safely together the jovial
boatmen resolved to have night of it," After
drinking the health of the bewildered Justice,
they sent him ashore, and reorganized the court
as board of commissioners to assess damages
The proceedings this occasion were of the
most mirth- provoking character. Our informant
says they indescribably amusing. Many
proposals We're made to infiict some ludicrous
speeches delivered were highly honorable to the
bar of the steamboat 1t was finally agreed that
the young man should pay fine ; a census taker
was appointed to count noses, and clerk to
figure up the costs. The sentence was, that the
happy fellow should pay four dollars and a half,
in legal Illinois currency-coon skins excluded
to be expended in spiritual comforts for the
benefit of the honorable court. The finding of
the court was announced with preliminary
40 yes p through the key-hole of his stateroom
door, and he was ordered, under threats of divers
pains and penalties, to f" shell out"
The last we heard of the newly married couple,
they We're snugly domiciled in elegant apart
ments at Barnum's St. Louis Hotel, having made
the trip by land from the point where the Relen
Mar WAS frozen in.