Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1861-07-06
Select StorD.
MY FELLOW PASSENGER
BY PETER AGATE.

in the world. We went humping about in !
stage coaches on long leather springs, nine
inside, and four or five outside, with four
or six horses, and thought ten miles an
hour something wonderful.
Yet days ride inside such coach,
through fine country, and with a pleas
ant company, was not the worst ev ofthis
mortal life; and have thought sometimes
when numbering along western railway,
fifteen miles an hour, in close unventila-
ted car, filled with filthy, tobacco chewing
fellow citizens, that I would cheerfully 60
back to tho coach and four.
Did you ever ride on the outside, with a
nice girl beside you, whom it was nccessa.
ry to take good care of, some pleasant
morning, say up the Connecticut valley?
L have-and there are few things in this
sublunary existence not exhilcrating -
We go through the country in these, our
fast days, with lightning trains and sleep
ing cars S. but do we travel
There is another mode of travel we an
tediluvians used to think pleasant, it was
slow, and has become obsolete; but what
could be nicer than to glide all day through
constantly changing panorama of beauti-
ful scenery, on canal packet?
The present generation knows nothing
about it.
There was the long, slender, elegant
packet, with its row of windows on each
side, where you could lounge, play whist,
read, walk or sleep. At the breakfast,
dinner, or supper hours, the tables were
set, and it was wonderful what excellent
repasts came out of the little cupoard.like
kitchens. In fine weather we could walk
on the long narrow deck, or sit on the
trunks and enjoy the scenery. The canal
winds along the banks ofsmall rivers, and
through the villages which have sprung
up beside it. There was a time when
thousands of passengers were conveyed
from Albany to Buffalo, through the Eric
canal, in gaily painted packet boats, each
drawn by three or four handsome horses
at the rate of one hundred and twenty
miles in twenty four hours-not very rap
id but pleasant and tolerably safe.
landed on the dock at Buffalo, from
that loud old, high pressure steamer Con-
stitution, Captain Applebcc and taking
my carpet bag in my hand, to the DISCUS
OF runners, portcrs, and Jehus, made my
way unassisted, to the old City Hotel, ant
the canal basin, where lay one of the Rec
Bird line of packets, with steam up-hor
scs harnessed, | mean and boys mounted
ready to start at the minute, and max
connections with all the stage lines alon;
the canal
AS | came near the boat, l overlook
lady who had the same destination. Star
tied, perhaps by my quick footsteps, in
part of the town where lady did not Ii k
to walk unattended, she struck her foot a
gainst something on the tow-path, stum-
bled add would have fallen into the cana
had l not sprung forward and caught her
She was frightened, but thanked me hear
: tily-and allowed me to assist her upol
the boat.
What triAes govern our lives, and evel
decide tho destiny of nations. A pebbl
on the walk was my Introduction to one o
the loveliest and most brilliant of women
We had been on the packet an hour befor
l knew that she had been on visit t.
Buffalo, and was summoned home to Ro
chester by the sickness of her mother
And it was less than that time before he
dark eyes her voice of passionate music
her form of singular grace land her charm
ing ingcniousness had thrown a spel
around me, which seemed to change tn
whole current of my life. That glidin
packetboat was grander than all navies
that canal-which had been proianel
called ditch was more than rivers sea
and oceans; diminutive beside it SCENE
! the Atlantics, the Pacifcs, and broad In
dian seas. Here was the centre of th
universe, that swept around US, and a.
the rest was of little worth compared
the breathing lovcliness that stood besid
me.
How I recall the day--a rich lovel
Summer day, famed by cooling zephry
from the greatest lakes and Niagra. Th
4 sun was half yelled by feccy clouds. W
: went upon the deck, where she seemed
= queen to whom my heart paid an infRit
e homage, but with whom l became ever
y moment more confused, constrained, an
incapable of manifesting the feelings whic
n had sprung SO suddenly into their inton
est activity.