The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1867-01-08

tnuSlaSm ueScrlCeu III Tue iOliOWlnS Thrill
ling sketch, taken from novel, entitled
Pour Years in the Rebel Capital" pub
lished in the CoSmopoIitc::
!: * X ~ X X
Well, we are now aboard of the South
ern Republic, the last bell was sounded
the last 5elated trunk has been trundled
over the plank, and we are of, the cali.
ope screaming Dixie like ten Thousand
devils, and the crowds on the bank waving
US bon voyage. x x i
"Thar's the Senators and she's gaining
on we" said the pilot, IS we walked for.
ward, pointing to thin volume Of smoke
rising out of the trees just abreast of us
GLOW far astern2'
ga matter of about TIVE miles around
that point.
"Splendid night for race" muttered
Styles.
''Will she overtake US. Captain2"
"Wall, maibee," replied the old river
dog, while the most professional grin
shot over his hard wooden features
specially if | ease this ar old gall"
"Ha, Jones2 Now we'll have it. We
won't turn in now" chuckled Styles,
banging me on the back.
Almost imperceptibly our speed slack
ened, and the thin, dark column crept
nearer and nearer round the trees, on the
point in our wake, till at last the steamer
burst into sight not pistol shot astern.
There is sharp click of the pilots
bell, gasping throb, as if our boat took
a deep, long breath, and just as the Sen
ator makes our wheel we dashed on again,
with every stroke of the piston threaten
ing to rack our frail fabric into shreds.
The river here is pretty wide aud the
channel deep and clear. The Senator
pulls ahead in gallant style, now gaining
our quarter, now boats length astern-
both engines roaring and snorting bke
angry hippopotami, ,and both vessels rock
ing and straining till they seem to paw
their way through the ehurned water
Talk of horse-raeing and rouge ct aoirl
But except the wild delirium OF cavalry
charge--as described by those who have
been in one--there is no excitement that
can approach boat racing on the South
arn rivers One by one the people pop
up ladders and throng the hurricane deck
and the rails, First, the unemployed
deck hands; then stray gentleman or
two, and finally ladies and children, till
the rail is full and. every eye anxiously
strained to the opposi te boat.
She holds her own wonderful well,
considering the reputation of ours: and
at each burst, when she seemed to gain
on us, the whole crowd hold their breath,
and as she drops off again, there is a
deep drawn, grasping sigh of relief, like
winds in the pines. Even "the Colonel
has reused himself from dreams OF tur-
tie at the st. Charles and red 6sh at Pen
sacola, and has come on deck in shoot
ing jacket and glengary cap, that makes
him look like jaunty Fosco. He leans
over that stern-rail, putting his Havana
in long, easy whiffs, as we gain length,
or sending short, angry pufs at the Sen
ator, as she creeps upon us.
Foot by foot we gain steadily, until the
gapis widened to three or four boat
lengths, though the Senator piles her fires
till the shores behind her, on each side,
glow from their reflection, and her deck,
now black with anxious lockers on, send
up cheer after cheer,as she snorts defiant.
ly after US. IS.
Suddenly the bank seems to loom up
right under our larboard bow!
We haze cut IL too ciosei
Two sharp, vicious clinks of the bell.
Our helm goes hard down, and the en-
gines stop with sullen jar, and l catch
kissing curse break through the set
teeth Of the pilot.
A yell of wild triumph rises from the
Senator'S deck! On she comes in gallant
style, shutting the gap, and passing us
like race-horse, before we can swing
into the channel and recover headway.-
1t is a splendid sight as the noble boat
passes US, her black hulk standing out in
the clear moonlight against the dim gray
banks like a living monster, and her great
chimneys snorting out volums of massive
black smoke that trails out fat behind
her great sweep. Her side toward us is
crowded with men, women aud children;
and hats, handkerchiefs and hands are
swinging mad!y about, to aid the effort
of the hundred voices.
Close down to the waters edge-scarce
above the line of the foam she cuts-her
lower deck lies black and underlined in
the shadow of the great mass above it.
Suddenly it lights up with lurid fash
as the furnace doors are thrown wide
open, and in the hot glare the negro sto-
kers-their stalwart forms jetty black
naked to the waist, and streaming with
exertion, that makes the muscle strain
out like cords-show like the distorted
imps of some pictured inferno They
too, have imbibed the excitement, and
with every gesture of anxious haste, and
e-bal.s starting from their dusky heads
some plunge the long rakes into the rec
mouths of the furnace, twisting and turn.
ing the cracking mass with terrific
strength, while others hurl in the huge
logs of resinous pine, already heated
by the contact till they would burn like
pitch. Then the great doors bang too
the yol yo =! of the negroes dies away
and the whole hull is blacker from the
contrast, while the Senator, putting densel
clouds than ever, swings round the point
a hundred yards ahead.
There is dead silence on our boat, Sc
deep that the rough whisper of the pilo