The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1872-06-09
THE MORNING. STAR SUNDAY JUNE 1872

the session the leadiugs of their President, or
forfeit 2 dozen Of champagne ana s sn ,'.s any
Rresident pro tmpore till the adjournment:
upen one occasion q cotton merchant from
Nw Orleans was their aest: He heard o. s@e
wss much quiet pluck ia tho strangers
manner that Smith who was dare devaa
when aroused, dessfminsd to put it 70 the
test. "a
II was late in the ev.niDg, in the dead cf |
winter, and loo was floating mp and down the
East river 1t every turn Of tho tide.
dent; and out Of the warm club-room-oat
less, gloveless and top-coatless-rushed SMITH
with thirty men behind him, down Dover
street, and thence on tho pier. One OF Smiths
sAips was moored Mt the dock lighter lay
inside; the ice was loose, and ground against
Follow your leaderw shouted the mad fro
Ticker again, and plunged into the water
Some drew back, but moro followed, and
ern merchant last-took the leap, scrambled to
| the lighter, reached tho dock again, and made
for the club-rOoms. Several Of the members
him. As he walked up soutI street he entered
| q store where ships' fndings were sold. and
drank glass of grog.
DO you keep gunpowderf" he asked.
sect mo half keg."
| 1t was paid for, aud the Southerner, taking
it under his arm returned to Tho GLIB ab.,.sa
upon entering, ayou have passed the ordeal
safely, and the club is under your command"
Thanks, my friends. accept the position,
but shall not ask you to leave the room again
tonight. Let us drink" and placing the
powder-keg in corner, he took his scat at the
table. After q moment, laying bunch OF tow
q string, he continued: 81 accept the command.
1 will lead now. Wait until give the word,
and then do as do"
H. l,oI $hn $nvU SntN a
string that would reach from the table to the
CRATE. He placed goblet on one end to con,
line the string to tho table, and then passed
made it fast BY lump Of coal. Not asword
: was spoken. Every eye was fixed upon the
; workman and his work. Taking the keg from
hg
the table. Not soul moved. He threw ",
handful of its contents into the fre. Thu
: considerable explosion that followed startled
2 Powder,,by Jupiterw exclaimed Smith.
Without noticing the remark, the Southerne
removed the end Of the tow line from unde
l the goblet and thrust it deeper into TIL
o "Now, members of the club" he said, ".
wish you to hear what have to say: 70!
d mate, and you have made me go through al
;, icy ordeal. 1t 10 my time now, and your ordea
a shall be fiery. If you stand it, You will nee
It no more wine: if you do not, your fines viii
lay q capital stock of wine in my cellar. Fol
e low your leader The speaker walked to tn
! CRATE, pushed away the lump of coal, an
q placed the end of the line in the fire. The
>, he walked back and bringing his fist firml
II on the table, said again: "Let no man stiI
Follow your leader"
ir The line had caught fret ran along tn
y tow in fitful sputterings; it had to ctav
Is eighteen feet only across the carpet when
o. would reach the powder. Sixty eyes or mol
g looked on: One member rose from his sea
III then another, and a third, until there came a
y; exclamation: 1--WE shall all be blown to Il
I'D devil" when several made for the door, III
I'd manic Increased: ont of the room the membe
plunged like flock Of sheep even Smith, II
e president, bolted with the rest Before tt
lis tow line had burned far as the table, all b'
the cotton merchant had escaped. AS soon
Az he saw that he was alone, he placed his fo
er upon the burning tow and extinguished it.