The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-12-12
Bum on a Missisaippi stean er.

III. l.
About three weeks ago, the Mcclellan
left her levee at Lacrosse for Sc. Paul,
with as choice lot Of passengers on
board as one generally sees together and
a crowd too, that evidenced by its hilar-
ity that il felt il was getting away from
the theatre Of war, and fast nearing the
realms Of peace and fresh air only 10 be
found in the congenial climes and gleri-
Gus scenes north Of Maiden's Rock and
Lake Peppih. Once under way, as is
usual on such occasions, and with such
crowds, the passengers went at the work
OF killing time in more ways than can
here be conveniently told. Euchre, whist,
old sledge, checkers, backgammon--ev-
erything but poker, had its devotees,
while Billy at the bar was kept particu-
larly busy mixing, and "dispensing."
1t was while thus engaged that Tyrrell
commenced his pranks. He had prepsr-
ed small blackened cork, to resemble a
great black spider, attached il to one end
of long hair, which, by means Of small
stick, be would cause TO drop down in
front of some semi drOwsy player, start
ing him TO his feet in deadly fright, or
perhaps causing him TO clutch or slap at
his unwelcome intruder, with vengeance
only to be witnessed when one is start
led out of his wits by some horrible APP
partition. Scores of passengers had been
sold by the dodge, and new victim
was about being tried on, when all at
once q cry came up from below, clear and
distinct-a cry that always will startle
all on shipboard-horrible in contempla-
tion and fearful in reality - s3
"StOp the boat !--stop the boat Nan
overheard lr--man overheard !"
In an instant the cabin was cleared-
men dropped their cards and glasses /;
women turned pale with fright and the
bartender left his lager running TO waste,
the, captain let fall his pen, and Tyrrell,
for the once, subsidized from his sport,
and all rushed in promiscuous confusion
TO the guards and lower decks, to see and
render help to the poor wight, who was
supposed to have taken so unceremonious
bath in the father Of waters. OF all
| the frightened ones, no one was more so
| than our friend Tyrrell. He went through
the dining hall, into the ladies' cabin,
out on the stern, down below, and up in
to the pilot house, with velocity S0i
movement that would have done honor u
Stewards Virginia Cavalry, and in Iess
time than it takes to tell it, But .whal
Of the voice? None had heard the teEs
| rible cry save those who were IL The
cabin. The darkies< below were as limo.
cent of any knowledge of the cause ol
the hub-bub as human beings could be
| while the deck hands swoFe that th,
| whole fuss was raised by Tyrrell, who
had rushed down below in state o.
mind bordering on insanity, and insisted
on getting out the life boat, in which e
reconnoitre the cooks galley for III,
missing man, or upon doing other a.
strange and incOmprehensible things, il
order 90 fathom the mystery. cnl
But the crowd soon became convinced
that they had been sold, and an investi
cation was entered into in order to ascer
tain who was the vender. The heavies
purchaser was evidently peor Tyrrell
They came back into the cabin and re
sqmed their avocations--all but Tyrrell
who was afterwards found sitting abaf
the hen coop, tanning himself with bot
tie rVll 1at sai3 iiay91
We had almost forgotten TO explain tn
joke. It,seems that among the passen
gers on board who had witnessed th
"spider trick" was "reliable war cor
respondent" wag, by-the-way, and
ventriloquist of the first water, VIII
thought il was to bad too let Tyrrell hav
all the fun TO himself, so he went it on hi
"vocal"