Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1870-08-25

plank and up on deck to where ]
was sitting AS soon as he reached
me, I inquired what was the trouble.
Way said he, "as came BY, the
landlord in there had just drawn his
revolver on those fellows, and as ]
knew they were our men, thought
| he had better let them alone" re-
Well, you had better look out
how ,you get into scrapes," said l;
those are two of the meanest little
rascals-in our company, and yon may
wish you had left the landlord to
take care of them, before you are
done with them" He made no re-
ply, but walked of, Iwhistling a, live
ly tune, with no thought of the cool
daring he had just shown. Jsass
'Ah," thought /, that's the stuff of
which soldiers and pioneers are made
but if that hoy don't lose his scalp be-
fore We get back, I'm mistaken, un-
less he's more prudent; and / began
secretly to fear that the promise /
had made his mother-to look after
him-would not be easy of fulfill
ment. ..lL.E q.
NV reflections were soon inter
rupted by the arrival of the head
lpilot-a large, raw -boned, eagle-eyed
rough specimen Of humanity-who
walked over the plank and took his
place at the wheel, with the air of a
man who knows his importance, and
expects to be treated accordingly.
Immediately after him came the
chief engineer-burly, red-faced,
and self-important tone could al
most smell the brandy when he came
in sight; and as he came along
side-coat over his arm, and cigar
leading the way-he caught sight of
us on deck, and called out to the
Captain: "Say, Cap, got any darn
ed Yankees aboardY'' .......
Now, as 1 have said, the war was
just over, the echo of the last bat
tie had scarcely died away, and the
soreness" was not yet gone from
the hearts of either Northerners or
Southerners. We knew when he
said yankees" he meant Union"
men, and the look which passed
from one to the other, said palmer
than words, that he would be a
marked man, and many were the re-
solves that he should be made to
swallow his words before he had
done with us. -.# .. ...-......
The gang-plank was now drawn
up, all hands ordered to their posts,
the steam turned on, and soon the
wheel began to revolve, and the
steamer after hating at coal barge
and taking on a supply, steered
boldly out for the middle channel,
and was soon putting the waves be-
hind her in way which was pleas
ant to behold; and as she sturdily
grappled with the current, the cap
tain turned to the mate with a shrug
of satisfaction. "She rides like a
duck" said he; "she'll take us
through"
A last look at the receding city
was soon taken, as the river swept
round in one of the curves by which
it winds its way through the "great
valley Of the Mississippi" now close
at the base of the table land on the
one side, then passing gracefully
over quite to the cliffs on the other
like some ballroom beau" who,
after paying his compliments to
some stately beauty, bows himself
politely of, to give the same hon.
age to rival belle. a
The rich bottom lands which lie
along the river-first on the one side,
and then ON the other-are over
flowed at the time of great freshets,
and were now almost on level with
the water. They are thickly cover
ed with shrubs, rank underground
coming quite to the waters edge,
while further back were the large
oaks and button wood trees.
AS / sat watching the swiftly
passing banks, and fancying to my
self what must have been the scene
when all this valley was filled with
a foaming, roaring torrent, as it
must have been, my thoughts were
brought back to the present by the
stewards call to supper, and as he
led the way, he kindly endeavored
to prepare us for the future, by say
; ing that as the boat had on board
more passengers than she was in
tended to carry, We would find our,
selves somewhat crowded. But"
said he, as he ushered us into a
room some II by 16 feet in size,
most of which was filled by the ia
BILE, "we will do the best we can for
, you, gentlemen" .''
Of course, all could not sit down
at once, but by filing and refilling
the table several times, all were at
last served, and we went out again
on deck to find ourselves opposite
what looked like swampy bayou
or deep curve in the river; but af:
ter passing quite to the upper side
, of the opening, the steamer came
slowly around and passing over the
quiet water above the current, VIC
soon saw by the thick, muddy waves
foaming and tossing in our wake
that We had fairly entered the
: mouth of the Missouri.
H.. r, .: ol,,, l,nao d.,