Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1856-12-09
fllstfIlantOus.
AN EXPLOSION CN TIE OHIO RIVER,
4 SINGULAR RENCOUNTRE

On the first day Of March, ten years
ago, the new, palaJ.al, and powerful steam
boat "Siren" floated away from her wharf
at Cincinnati, bound for the port of New
Orleans, and carrying gay crowd Of pas
sengers, who had been attracted by the
splendor Of her appearance, and the re-
nown Of her speed, safety, and luxurious
accommodations. AS she moved OIL,
walking the sunny waters SO truly ike
thing Of life, smiling throng stood on
the hurricane deck waving their hand
kerchIefS to friends or the shore, and ey-
cry thing, even the very air, seemed elo-
quent Of hope and happiness.
The multitude consisted Of the usual
miscellaneous characters 10 Be found on
western vessels. There might be seen
in close proximity thriving merchants with
their staid ledger like look, politicians
with sculptured courtesy IN every feature,
mere pleasure seekers in easy attitudes,
and a sprinllling OF black whiskered gen.
try; whose restless eyes, over dress, and
profusion Of jewels betrayed their acquain-
tauce with the history Of the four queens.
Besides these, number Of course fea-
tured, genuine specimens of the back
woods hunter IN the fore part of the cab
in in the neightorhood of the bar
Nor were the angelic sex unrepresent-
ed III their end OF the hall. Every de-
scription Of beauty might be studied there
as in q picture gaIlery-the blue eyed,
and bright haired belle of the north, the
dazzling daughters of Kentucky, and the
charming creole with Ianquid air and
face like the love light Of a dream All
on board seemed Joyous in their particu-
lar ways. No doubt darkened the gen
eral festiyity, and almost every one ap-
peared to have companions or friends for
social converse and the interchange of
ciyiIilies.
| must, however, mention an exception
10 the remark There was q gentleman
Of fine form and strikingly handsome
countenance, with brilliant gray eyes,and
a high, white, intellectual forehead, who
made no acquaintances, and, indeed did
not appear to desire any, as he continued
to walk the hurricane deck in state of
profound and somewhat mournful abstrac-
ton long after everybody else had gone
below. He was dressed in a suit of cost
ly black CLOTH entirely without ornaments,
and wore piece Of Grape round his hat
as u token of recent bereavement. Sew
eral of the curious had noticed the stran-
ger when he came on board, and saw him
register his name as Captain NJ. Cook,
of Texas" but some of the inqulsitiye
parties happened to be old Texans them
selves, and they all coLcurred IN the dec
laration that they had never heard Of such
man in the territory Illuminated by the
lone star, and one or TWO suggested that
he must be an lnposter.
AT length, the dinner bell sounded, and
the handsome captain descended into the
cabin: but he found all the seats at the
upper end Of the board occupied, and was
turning to retire. when the head waiter
interp0sed. and conducted him 10 the low
er mart Of the table where he discovered
a vacant chair among the ladies'. \ brief
and involuntary glance showed that he
was on the verge of a constellation of ra-
diant faces: but they all seemed TO have
society and protection IN companions Of
the stronger gender, save only one.
she was a girl some eighteen Years Of
age. robed in deep mourning; and wheth-
er it might be tins circumstance, exciting
sympathy by calling to mind his own sor-
row, or he peculiar charms of her per-
son. which fascinated his soul, Captain
Thomas did uot attempt, on the instant, to
determine: but he felt an immediate and
almost magical interest IN the sad yisage
shining from the opposite seat.
Itis true, he did not at first think her
very beautiful Her form and features,
though exqulsite.y symmetrical, looked
too small and child like for such poetic
al epithet: for the term LITTLE might be
applied to her as a whole and apparently
in every part. Her face. bust, bosom,
hands, feel, were ali little, save pair of
almond shaped eyes, dark as night, and
curtained by long raven lashes, which
gave them a long dreamy expression;
while the rich black hair and golden
warmth OF her southern complexion fur
nished striking resemblance to the ia
vori.e portrait Of the immortal Titan.
The captain could not remove his gaze
from the unique visage before him. Had
+ he seen that face somewhere in his wan
derings in Italy or the sunny ORIENT