Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-03-01
BEN BLOWERS STORY,

aAre you sure that's the Flame over
By the shOreP
q oerting, Nanny; could tell her pipes
ecrcss the Missouri"
WAnd you will overhaul her q
HWon't We, thought Itellye, stranger,
20 sure as my name is Ben Blower, the last
Ear bar'l l hove in the furnace has put jist
the smart chance Of go-ahead into US to
cut Of the Flame from the pint yonder, or
esnd our boat 70 kingdom come
HThe devil r exclaimed Q bystander,
who, intensely interested in the race, was
leaning the while against the partitions Of
the boiler room. "IVe chosen a nice
place 10 see the fun, near the internal
powder barrel p
Mot go bad as if yer vas in il y oOOlly
observed Ben, as the other walked rapidly
away.
AS if he were in it, In What1 In
the boiler"
aCertingl Don't folks sometimes go
inio boilers, Aanny?2
I should think there'd be other parts
Of The boat more comfortable"
That's right-pokin' fun ct me onot-
but wait till We are through the brus
with the Flame, and III tell you Of reg.
lar fxln' serape that man may get into.
II is true, too, every word Of it-as sure ss
ny name is Ben Blower"
aYOu've seen the Flame then sfOre,
stranger 2"
"SIK years ago, when new On the river,
che vas q real out and outer, tell ye. /
vas ct that time hand aboard Of her.
Yes, belonged to her at the time Of her
- kon-v.
hsp, Of the blow up by which We lost it,
They made q great fuss about it-but il
vas nothing but mere 6zz Of hot water
sitter all. Only the springiDg Of g few
EiVets, that loosened bileF plate or two,
and let out 3 thin spirting upon some
niggers that didn't know enough 10 get out
q the way. Well, the Collar took Of cur
passengers, and We ran into Smasher's
Landing to repair damages, and bury the
poor fools that we're killed. Here We lsy
Tor q matter Of thirty hours or 80, and got
things to rights for q bran new start.
Ihsrs was some carpenter work Jet to be
done, but the captain said that might Just
as well be hxed of when We were under
Way-He had worked hsrd-the weather
vas sour, and We needn't do any more jis.
noH-We might take the afternoon to our
selves, but the next morning he'd get up
Btesm mighty airly, and we'd all come out
new. There was no temperance society ct
Smasher's Landing, and vent ashore on
q lark with some Of the hands"
omit the worthy Beniamin's adyen-
tures on land, and, dsspsiring Of fully
conveying his language in it's original Do
Eio force, will not hesitate to give the rest
Of his singular narrative in ny OWE words,
save where, in few instances, can re-
oan his precise phrsseOlogy, which the
reader viii easily reo0gnizs.
The night was raw and sleety when
regained the deck OF our boat. The off,
esrs, instead Of leaving s watch above, had
closed up everything and shut themselves
IN the cabin. The fre-Toom only vas
open. The boards, dashed from the out
side By the explosion, had not yet been re-
placed. The floor Of the room was wet,
end there was scarcely corner which
afforded 3 shelter from the driving storm.
/ vas about leaving the room resigned to
sleep in the open cir, and now bent only
upon getting under the lee Of some bulk
head that would protect me against the
wind. In passing out kept my arms
stretched forward to feel my way in the
dark, but my feet came in contact With
heavy iron-lid, stumbled, and, as fell,
che Of my hands struck into the man
kele,' II think this vas the name be gave
70 the oVal-shsped opening into the head of
the boiler, through which the smith had
entered to make his repairs. fell with |
ny arm 90 far thrust into the aperture |
that received pretty smart blow in the !
face as IL came in contact with the hesd Of |
Ehe boiler, and did not hesitate 10 drag |
ny body after it the moment recovered |
from the stunning effect, and aseeTtained |
ny whereabouts. In q word, crept into |
the boiler, resolved to pass the night there. |
The place vas dry and sheltered. had my
bed been softer, would have had all that |
nan could desire; as it vas, I slept, and |
slept soundIy.
81 should mention, though, that before |
closing my eyes, several times shifted my |
petition. had gone first 10 the farther
enc of tie boiler, then again I had ersWled |
hack 10 the man-hole and put my head ont |
10 zee II it vas still open. The Harmest |
place vas at the farther end, and there [ |
finally established myself, and thatI knew 1
from the first It was foolish in me To
think that the opening through which 1 |
had entered could be closed without ny |
hearing il snd that too when no one was
astir but myself. But the blow on my
face had made me q little nervous, per.
haps, snd besides could never bear to be
shut up in any plaoe--it always gives
vildlike feeling sbout the head. You may
laugh, stranger, bat believe should suf-
focSte in an empty church, il once felt
that I vas shut up in il, and I could not
esi oct. have met men before now Just
Ike ne. or worse, rather much Worse-
msn that il made sort Of furious 10 Be- tied
down 70 anything, yet 50 softlike and
oontFadiotory IN their natures that you
might lead them anywhere 80 long ss they
did not feel. the string.
Stranger, Il tskes all sorts Of people to
make WcEld and We have q good many /
Of the worst kind Of white men here out
Esst. Bat hare seen folks On this river
-quiet-l0oking chaps, too, as ever you see
who were 90 teetotally cazanktero1k kLsfyo,s
that they'd shoet the doctor who'd tell M n
t1ey e0uldn't live ailing, and make 4 die
Of Il just out Of spite, when told they upu,t
eet we'll. Yes, fellows ss fond Of the po6d
shings Of earth as you or l, yet who'd rush
Ike mad ever the gang plank Of life, IL
C1cs brought tc believe that they had to
stay IN il whether they wanted TO leave il
o. not Thunder and bees i such 3 fol-J
Tow aa that had heard the cocks GROW as I !.
dia, awakened 70 fnd daTkness sbout him
4-darknes5 SO thick that yeu might cut It.
Fiih 9 knifs-heard ether soaRds, too. 10
tsll him thas Il was noFnine, and scramb-
ling 10 tumble for that msn-hole, found il.
too, blaok-slosOd-blaek and even % the