Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-11-25
and sparkling eyes OF some among them naun

town, where we sometimes went TO fish and
spend summers day. we me, Mr.. Breckln-
days relaxation with some friends one of
whom, j. T., he expressed a desire to ,hrow in
tne river, but des1sted at the earnest remon.
STRANGE OF j. T., luckily, think. for the pro. h.
posed SUBJECT of the merry experiment, tor IA.
ex-vice and General is cast in natures strongas
mould and think his friend would certainly
nave been treated TO a bath had not the SPORT We
mood OF the big kentuckian been held in cheo k
Before parting Mr.. Il. presented us n hand
some silver mounted marine glass, which Is
stIil the property Of the club.
About the last excursion of the club. "a origi-
naily composed, took place about two weexs
after the Inauguration of Mr Lncoln, and the
catastrophe IN which ii terminated seemed n II;
prelude TO the impending disruption which
plunged the whole of this country as well rs
the microcOsm of the Undine Club, in a sea OF
trouble IL was ''raw and gusty day in
March, ''the troubled" Potomao ..chafing with
his banks" when we strolled down that de-
Hghtful canal which forms a species of on. N
sewer, IN order TO enter the river lust ut the
point where the unfinished column TO WASH
Ington may. perhaps, to the eve of the moralist
indicate the decay OF the old school of patriot
ISM, " hence there is a clear stretch of over a
mlle 10 Arlington, our fayorite resort on
account or Its convenient distance, a maguifi-
cent sprlng, pleasant grounds, shuttle board,
ana other amuSem-ntS. Just as we reached
the entrance TO the river, and caught
falr notion of the tough work that
Was before us, and some what an nxiousIy stroye
TO calculate what force of thews and sinsws II
would require TO drive our boat across the
nasty, chOpping caused by the stru uyyIe
tetween the tide ana the stiff north west bre- 20
we found our friend and rival, the Falcon.
wing on her oars, contemplating the scene
We hailed them, and were told they thou gnt the
weather too bad, and would return TO their Jat
house We tried in VAIN to change their de.
teTmiuation and TO induce them to give us a
chanc" OF comparing the weatherIy qualities
O: the two boats. They were fixed in their de-
termination. A little elated, perhaps. at the
thousht OF our own more seamanlike conduct,
We started out, and after pretty hard pull,
hardly have declined to attempt the VOYAGE
even had We been disposed 10 Imitate n our
Trends of the Falcon, for our coxs vain had
lhNI'ed friend, stranger in the city, To take
an excursion with us, and We felt Obliged to
make the e1ior:. Oar invited guest. New
1oIker, presented himself in a full suit Of
black In honor of the occas asion-as II turned cut,
not the most fitting rig be could have chosen
and expressed himself highly pleased on
our arrival at Arlington. The keen air and
threatening clouds suggested the prudence of
an early return, and we were soon on our way
back. We had made more than half the DIS
tance and had crossed the ship channel when
cur cOxswain, anxious 10 give mis- friend an
opportunity OF seeing how we'll our beloved
craft behaN ed under all circumstances. headed
her up stream for one or two hundred wards
She strmmed the angry waves in fine style,
Shd We All felt quite cOntented WHEN we u rned
our course hOmewards, and tn hought that a
few minutes would bring us through the most
trylng pull We had ever had. when suddenly a
an oar had snapped, but as each man looked
over his shoulder, he saw that hole was stove
IN the bottom, and the water was rushing in
rapidly. We had struck snag. sSruff a hat
IN H. Take on your jackets and close the
leak, with number of other random and
confused suggestions were yoclferated
IN an instant. One of the crew say
ing quietly, - There is no stopping that. we
must go overheard" suited the action to the
word ana jumped over the gun whale. The
Others followed AT once, seeing nothing was 10
q. no 1.t ! IL
TIE weight IN her. Fortunately we were on a
iat, III about three to four feet of water We
set 10 work with will TO drag the boat 70 the
SHORE, about half a mile distant, bailing ont AZ
N" same time with one Two Guns Which w.
baG. IN short time found tnis work ter
fih.y fttIguing. The soft mud OF rhe bottom
heid oq 10 our feet with such force that We
were Compelled TO exert a good deal of strength
aid 20 raise eur legs very hIgn every step,
mus using Il set of muscles not generally eX-
erred much in walking. The consequence Was
that torne of US were very much exhausted,
and wanted TO stop moment to blow Our
eoxswaln was inexorabls. "We must n "
stop a second. The boat gets heavier con-
tII Ually. and bes ides, the tiis is coming In,
and we have the little channel to cross II W..
los any tlme We may fnd II over our heads
We tpliefi on wetTiIy and suonissively, AMI
one or two exhausted subjects, bid SWIM ners
toe, began to ponder upon the probability OF
tA"T having strength left - swim the little
chap-el IN case OF necessity. Like Fi,Z james,
when he met RhoderIck Iyhu, they cast q lock
at earth and sky, thinking il might ba the last
The black and threaten ing sky, as the sun went
down, the deserted and agitated river, and the
bowling wind, altogether made up rather a
gloomy picture TO an amateur boat club. Our
invited guest, too, with his drcorous s.suit of
solemn black together with his being in bad
health, must have thought his evil star In the
ascendant. Fortunately we did not find the
water over our heads, and al last staggered 10
The shore we had been so wistfully gazing on
and longing 20 reach. After caring for our
beat We made for home a little anti.rheumatic
internal application, and dry clothes. No one
Of the party sustained any inconvenience ex-
cept one who got a touch Of rheumatism.
1t rs something OF an illustration of the way
IN which people Were torn apart by the war,
thai the gentleman who had been invited fell,
i believe. as Colonel of a N. y. Regiment,
while his inyIter. after lighting under the
Stars and Bars IN Virginia and the West, was
serving CT the seductive shores of the q Glf at
the close Of the war.
Soou after the war began, boating on the
river was interdicted, and various misadven-
lures befell the boat. To tell all our doings
would tax your patience. In the fear that l
have already been too garrulous, close at
ONCE this Ger long tale. GREYsTERL