The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1863-04-22

actuating two other individuals who nov
joined US they, too, cast wistful glances q
the mouth Of the bell, and were evidentl,
contemplating in their minds the mos
salieit points in their past wicked lives.
| "You had better put up your legs, gen.
tlemen," observed the page; "there will
then be less chance Of falling out at the
bottom, wien we get under water"
LESS chance r gasped l. as I hastened
to obey this suggestion. do you mean to
say there is any chance!" 80. ..--~,-->,
"Well, you must sit qnte still, Of course.
or there's no knowing whas may happen.
Yon will be safe enough, however, like
this"
We had all got our feet in each other s
laps, forming quite a reticulation Of legs
beneath Us, so that, if we fell at all, it must
needs have been all together, when the al
rector suddenly exclaimed, "By your leave,
"A lady coming! Where on earth is she
to come to?" inquired I. There was not
room for pins head to make its way
among us, and far less lady's.
''Is there no room - inquired one of the
sweetest voices ever heard in my life.
'Plenty of room, miss. L"gS down.
crleO the conductor.
Then bonnet appeared, with one of the
most lovely faces IN it you can imagine.
and look Of tender appeal upon tat
finding the Bell full Of legs-which it was
impossible to resist. I sidlcd nearer IT,.
wards the page, in whom had some sort
Of confidence. and asade reem feF this
charming creature on my left hand. It was
before the days Of crinolinc, but she wcro
some expansive gauzy garment which, a.
she took her seat flowed over all the others,
and seemed to leave her alone with me and
the page--who, except as scientific as.
sistant, | considered as nobody.
''Is there any danger?' asked she. in
s'ft low tones, and putting he hand upo,s
mine in order to steady herself-for she
had very little to sit upon; II almost re-
greet that vcnturcd to come"
"Oh, say not So" returned I. 'IIold on
to mo. You may squeeze my hand as
tight as you please; that is the only way
to keep yourself from falling"
Even in that dim bottle green light, I
saw lovely blush steal over her damask
cheek but she did take hold Of my hand,
and held it pretty tight, too.
"What an oppression | feel about my
forehead" observed she my brain seems
on fire."
$50 does mir", my dear young lady"
replied I; "and my heart goes pit-a-pat.
pit-a,pa
$50 does mine," said she. II am told
the phenomenon happens in all these sub.
marine excursions"
"Why, We amt off, yet" observed the
page contemptuously, who hid been (most
listening tc our conversation.
| should perhaps have rcbuked him, but at
that moment the awful bell swung out from
terra tirma, and we bcheld beneath US the,
cold and trcachcrous wave.
"What terrible situation!" CALCULATED
my fair companion.
mot altogether" returned I, with =
pressure Of the fingers.
1--WE arc leaving all behind us-or at
least above u.s. added she, for even in that
awful moment her native correctness did
not desert her. ''lIcayen preserve us, what
was tha. ~
\ cannon appeared to have gone off i'm.
outside my ear, and then it went
on firing a royal salute-and didn't stop
then.
t:cmbl,i Ike an aspen-leaf, but not 80
much as the beautiful being who relied on
me for succor. We leaned up against one
another for mutual support. With my
left arm, mechanically encircled her waist
with my right hand, grasped half a. dozen
or the pages buttons. On one side Of mo
was Poetry; on the other, Science.
NV hat are those dreadful guns ?" inquir.
cd the young lady.
"Guns?' cried the page laughing,
laugh peculiar (I hope) to water-kcipies.--
That's only the tinpanieln Of your ear q.
busting, bless yer. It'll get wuss and wuss.
and the top Of your ed will be like to fly
off, as it seems to you, before we gets to
the bottom. Acomin' up youll like it
better"
Dear girl whispered |, in tones Of
comfort, you will find some relief to lay
your head upon my shoulder"
She did so, AMI caught her broken
tones inquiring what that dreadful thing
was beating against the bell, as though il
wanted to get in among us. II hope and
trust, my good boy" said she. addressing
the page with sudden animation, that it is
not that electrical eel ~
do believe, if l had not had fast hold
Of that boy by his buttons, that he would
have fallen off his seat into the water, in a
paroxysm Of mirth, and left US without any
protector. 'Lor' bless ye, MISS" replied
he, when he got breath enough to do So,
that's the beating of tire hair pump, that
is: if that was to stop for arf minute, it
would be all Hookery with us in this ere
bell"
"Hookery" calculated the terrified young
creature. "What dreadful language does
he use! You haven't got waterproof
coat on, have you, sir?''
trcmbled as the dear girl made this o-.
traordinary inquiry, for thought that ter
ror was depriving her of reason. Could shc
imagine that Macintosh would save us,
ever so many fathoms under water as We
now were
"Alas, no." said thinking 1t best to hu.
NOR her; 81 left my waterproof f.:coat tup
above, and also my umbrella"
II asked" returned she, because seem
20 breathe nothing else but india-rubber."
Perhaps it was this peculiar atmosphere
which erased her words, as it were, as soon
as she had uttered them, that comnelled
me to keep my cheek quite close to hers,
to catch the precious tones.
"They pump the air through india-rub-
Der tubes" answered. -...
"How wise you are," said she admirably;
"how nice it must be to know everything"
"Very NICE" said l. "Plcass 10 tell me,
therefore, what name you bear in the upper
world. have read Of sirens and Iner-
maids--how dare you touch that lady's
Dress" cried |, with excessive indignation.
as the scientific page made sudden snatch.
at her petticoats.
"They was a gettin' into the water, that's
why" returned the youth with sulkiness.
Don't you 60 a-hollern' at me. It's my
duty to care OF all as comes down here.
and have my orders about their petit.
coats" u
"My good boy" said l, here is half 3
crown for YOU. am sorry spoke SO loud,
ansa wninr .nnlucfS sound with great