Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1866-07-19
rHE STEAMBOAT RACE.

We'll. ~ ~ o0ootu So0 oOOho0SO TO V0-
liz. tbs lass bsll hse seusdsd, The bslstsd
,svsk has bssn trundlsd oyer The plank.
nd ~ sss ~. The salliops ssresoins Dixie
ike Ten. sAssnA' a dssils, and the crowds on
he bank waving ~ bsn eoysqet
The main aaleeo Of ths best was spar
caeus apartment, . hundred feet long By
hing y bss0ish, gssescusly decorated
sltA 0oeesA paint end bri1iiaaty lighted.
rho eAllssbs lesding to tbe state ssecss
delag tise upon Ai.r. ran sstirsly r9oed J"
chile above them . sky>light OF unseu
slass shed soit warm light
There ore OGlcse, card rooms, ~ e
barber shops and even faro banks so0.
N these boats and - shs down trap %
cuniee from iorty Night 20 seventy noo -.
sccordine 10 ~ seaoe q the nvses ~ ~
NIL of running age0und. . pesfesmoees 70
he expeceed once in each trip-wc oecams
anita 1 mutoal amusement community y
the time il was over.
This trip the boat was vssy crowosd. .no
At supper tho effect efths line Of small =
Has. filled with officers in uniform, l4dics
sastefully dressed, and spsinhling Of
home spun coats-all reflected in the long
mirror-wss very brig I and gay. Aitsr
meals there Was generally promenade on
the upper decks-sans souci- where people
talk, smoke, inspect each other and hirt.-
They then adjourn to the state room, So
loon or card room, and lounge or read to
kill time for the Alabama u anything but
q picturesque stream. with ito low marshy
banks, only varied by occasional slides
and negro quart ers.
This night a. splcndidly clear, the moon
bright q day and STYLES and after see
ing the sOoloner' we'll tucked in, staid on
deck 70 scrape acquaintance with the pilot
aud the small secdy Freedmen who oh
clated q the calliope. lilo was original In
his wAy,--ths "Professor" with hss bead
like bullet, garnished with hair Of thu
most wiry blackness, cut ~ loose - TIL
scissors could hold IL, looking the most On
compromising porcupine. Of course b.
wss political refugee.
"Uirie Are nsllonale pas bsnschos !
he exclaimed, seating himself at bic instru
ment and twirling hug, uustache.-
"Voita ie Narseiieise Zat make nationu
hymn for your and he made the whist
roar end shrek in way 70 have sent tn
red caps Into the cir hundred miles away
''Grsnd, splsndidr rcared Styles, sbov
the steam. why, Professor, you're
genius. Come and take some brandy !"
The Professor banged down his instru
ment, led the way instanter down to on
state om, and once there did take some
thing more, ill he got very thick Tongues
and enthusiastic.
"Grand sire of 70 Llbercte" he cried .
last, mounting again 70 his perch, BY th
smoke stack. Song composed BY me for on,
grand NAME Van Horn. | make thi
end dedicate 10 him and he hanged AWAY :
TIE keys till he tortured tho steam into tn
Liberty iustts," from Puritan :"
allow you And Eat, Ell? Xat make .
hymn from 70 sonsc. Me, ] am republi-
can Viola l wear 70 mustach Of 70 revo
lutionists-my hairs ere cut en- SpccOateRt
Were zere colere more red 40 red, shout,
be zat" and the Professor was 30 struck b,
the brilliance Of his ideas that be play d
air again and again till il ran like . phan
tom cAerus over the still plantations. A
last no Was overcome BY emotion On
brandy, Slid from the stool and sat at I'll
foot VI the smoke stack, muttering, "Yat
Observation-Disclosures 10 - General and
e-Ais-country !"-and then he slept til
sleep Of the just conscience.
"Thar's ther Senator, aud she's gainin
on We" said the pilot as W walked for
ward, pointing to thin column Of smok
rising out Of the trees just abreast Of US.
"HoW far asterns"
"A matter Of about two miles around tha
| point"
splendid night for . race" muttere
Styles, twill she overtake u. Captain p
"Well maibsc replied theold river dog
while professional grin shot over his har
wooden features: Especially Of ease u
this Ar old GAL
"ha, Jones, now we'll have il. We won
turn in now" chuckled Styles, banging IN
on the back.
| Almostimperceptibly our speed slackens
and the thin dark column crept nearer an
nearer round tho trees, on the point in ou
wake. till ut last the steamer bursts in cl
sight, not pistol shot astern.
/ There's q sharp click Of tho pilots bell,
gaspng throb. as il DOR boat took deer
long breath, and just a. the Senator
makes our wheel, We head again, with ev
cry stroke Of the piston threatening to rae
our frsil fabric into shreds.
the river is very wide, and the channs
deep and clear. The ".s,nator' pulls ahea
in gallant style, now gaining our quarter
now a boats length astern, both energie
roaring and snoring like angry hippopo
tami, aud both vessels rocking and strain
me till they seem to paw their way through
the chufned water. Talk Of horse racin,
aud rouge st noir. But except the wild De
lirium of = cavalry charge a. described b,
those who have been in one-there is no OK
element that can approach boat racing Of
a southern river. One by one the peopl,
pop up the ladder and throng the rails
First the unemployed deck hands then
gentleman or two, and finally ladies snt
children, till the rail is full and every ey,
is anxiously strained on the opposite boat
She hods her own wonderfully well
considering the reputation Of ours, and .
each burst, when she seems to gain on us
the whole crowd hold their breath and u
she drops of again, there 10 deep drawn
gasping Sigh Il relief like wind in the pines
Even the Colonel has reused himsel
from dreams Of turtle at the St. Charles
and red fsh ct Pensacola, and has CO me OF
deck in shooting jacket and glsngary cap
that makes him look like Fasoo. lie leanl
over the stern rail, putting his eabana il
long, easy whids % We gain a length, o.
sends out short, angry pulls At the ".Sena
tor Is she crseps upon 10.
Foot by foot, we gain steadily until tn,
gap is widsncd to three or four boa
lengths. though the Senator piles her fire.
till the shores behind her, on each side
glsw from their reflection; and her decks
-now black With anxious lockers eu-send
W cheer after cheer, - she snorts dsfiantly
| afsse %.
Suddenly the bank seems to loom ur
right under our larboard bow
We hars cut It too close
Two sharp, vicious elicks Of tho bell
Our helm goes hard dom, and the engines
stop With sullen jar, = | catch . hissins
cure heesk Though The ct tessh Of the
A ysll Il wild triumph rise ftsu the
''Stsasers' deck % she comss, In eal-
liant style. shutting the gap and passing y
like . race horse, before we eaa swing into
the channel aud recover headwsy. Il il .
splendid sight - he noble beet Dassse q.
her black bulk standing out in the clear
moonlight, against the dim gray bauks like
. living mcoessr, and her great chimneye
enorting out volumes Of massive. black
smoke that tsails out dat behind her from the
great speed. Her side towsrd M il crowded
With men, women and children; and hates:
handksfchieis and hands are swung madIv
about to aid the effort Of the hundred voio.
e. st'''R' E''7
Cleee down y Tie waters sdRs-scarce
obOVO The line Of fbon - cenka-hoe lo~..