Union County star and Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1859-1864, 1863-04-03
Meditations and Sights at Newport
News.
corrsspondsnee Of the star 1 Chronicle.
NEWPORT News, March 25, 1868.

News.
OoYrsspondsnee Of the Star Chrouisle.
NEWPORT News, March rs, 1868.
A Spring day-the white clouds tia
fit and Aoa, awsy-darker ones that CONT
and 60 across the changeful sky-nos
hiding the glory of he sun-now break
ing, to let its full food spread over earth
and water-the soft cir gently stirring
breathing Of the warm summer to come
familiar sounds, too, Of laughter and spor
tho shouts Of ball playsrs-the ring o.
the quoits-ths low dash Of the waters OF
the pebbly 'hOre-a dreamylday .too......I
has made mo dream, and foated me bacl
over many years to school.boy days
Were it not for the rattle of the drum, tn,
harsh bray Of the horn. and the occasions
deep boom Of some heavy gun, l should
almost forget where l sm. The sky see
out Of the opening Of my tent might seem
the same that saw out the window Of the
old German scbool-bouse; the same
shaped clouds are floating tbere-tbe air
stealing over my cheek and stirring my
hair and kissing o, SO gently, my forehead,
feels just IS it did then when my cheek
was softer and my hair was ligh,er-apd
that dash Of the waves might be John
Browns mili-ths boom of the cannon
might DO tho distant rolling thunder. l
have the Same dreamy, longing feeling, the
same esger wish to look out beyond the
bright clouds, the same wish for change
and hope Of better things. And SOFT is
. transition state. The earnest summer is
couicg-its earnest work 10 to be done
and re are Uaai"y tor the transports.
The shrill whistle Of the steamer breaks
all dreams. The shout of the news-boy,
"Here's the New York Herald ! the 9Th
Army Corps going to St. Louis! Gen.
Burnside slready sber,!" raises wonderful
commotioo iu the camp to be found sell
to effec. s'als. As large asell as the queer
looking thing lying down about two huu-
dred yards from shore, shaped like cigar,
its back only out Of the water, and perhaps
eighteen inches, made like . boiler .
queer thing, like . fish tail, at one end,
aud rise on the other like . butter
frkio, fifty to hundred feet long, said to
have eighteen meu inside, but showing no
signs of life. Some said it vas . ram,
some said it was . submarine battery, and
others remarked, like the man Of whom
Artemus Ward speaks, when asked what
be thought of the war, "They'd be dod
blamed if they koowed what it was"
The last report was that it wss to pull out
piles. Many got into . boat and we're
padded around it, looking like the picture
in The old geography, Of boats pulling
round the carcass Of whale. But it was
- spsechlsss as dead whsle; aud if you
arc 10 the army awhile you will 6nd as .
general rule, what you dou's know your
self, you'll not fiud any person near BY to
tell you sb,ut. You will hsve to do
like the people iu Washington, when they
arc anxi u, about Cabinet uews-wsis
until morning, when the yeraoious New
York papers come.
The "Ssganon' is the turreted monster
here. Like Susquehauna raft, 200 feet
long, pointed at both ends, and the cheese.
box 10 the center. When you jump on
it, from . tug, as ws did this morning,
you feel surprised that it don't give like
The decks Of other bosts; and it feels so
,olid that you can't get rid Of the idea Of
i's being solid oil the way through to the
middle Of tho earth. There 10 but . foot
'f it above water; aud when you 60 below,
'ok st the berth deck, elegaus officers
quarters, mess room, &C., you don't
'salise that il 10 under water. When
through the narrow ways, half
'oss.ed, in terror Of falling down some
unknown depth, into tho furnace room,
'hers you feel like - il you we're trying
hs old philosophers experiment Of seeing
ow near you can roast yourself and sur
i've, looking as the powerful machinery,
on get sense Of having been inside Of
ne Of those combinations in which .
'atoh and . music.box sre made up 60 a.
bs put 10 the setting Of . finger ring.
'sery,hiug has such . compsc, l.ok. One
hing Vas pleasant 10 our sxplorati ons .
'ssh breath Of air meets you, every onos
. while, coming from the fao, driven BY
10 engine. which thoroughly vsnsiIstss.
can only give my impressions, leaving
sseripsion to those who can do it, espe.
ally, as the thing most rem markabls in the
hole concern, which vas the creates.
fdoulty to bs overcome 10 tho ooustruc-
DO Of this kind Of boats is not proper to
'eak Of, nor did understand, and never
V been spoken Of BY tho newspapers, or
y Who ever pretend to give description
the Same, 50 that, if you eao't get an
selligible idea from. what has been said,