Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1873-08-14

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turkey, cake, fruit, and possibly claret
punch, danced before my mental Wis
ion, and l was enabled to play two
or three more airs on the strength of
these expectations. But alas for the
vanity of human hopes! | was doom
ed to disappointment-a disappoint.
ment so bitter that / have not yet re-
covered from it. Truly "this world is
but u heeting show"
As result of the labors of the
worthy gentlemen who exposed their
venerable heads to the heat Of the sun
that they might collect shin-plasters
in their hats for our bcuefit. We
were shown into the dining cabin Of
the boat at about u, 80 p. m. Dinner
was ready. | shall not attempt to
decribe that dinner. There are emo
tions and sentiments which no Ian
guage can adequately express. The
staple article of the bill of fare was
corned beef | have seen worse corn
ed-beef-but not much, | never did
like corned beefeither. But the mus
tard was good, and plenty of it, | help
ed myself to mustard. There were
six big niggers to wait on us, and |
sadly reflected that if there had been
two more niggers we shouldn't have
got anything to eat at all, We did
not tarry long at the table. 1t was
unnecessary, We went up stairs, and
bought peanuts. Peanuts are not
very hearty food, but they serve to
assuage the clamors of an empty
stomach
Then we played some more. After
short time we arrived at Pier |, at
the southern extremity of the pleasant
and prosperous village of New York.
Some of the party, quite large num-
Der of them, in fact, landed here, and
went up town to see the elephant. |
may here remark before | forget it,
that they did not succeed in finding
the elephant. He was "out of town.
But some of them searched for him so
long that they got left when the boat
stopped at the pier on the return.
We shortly departed to the inspir-
ing strains of "Good bye Fritzy,' and
again stopped at 18th st. Having
some business to transact in the city,
l left the steamer at this point, and
proceeded up as far as 9th Avenue.
Being extremely hungry, l got out
side of a square meal at dining sa-
loon, and then, cornet in hand, got
aboard street-car and started down
town. The conductor of the car was
an aimable looking individual of about
thirty five summers. Said he, "Sir,
you look fatigued.,
responded that / was slightly 50.
He added:
"Been playing on an excursion, l
presume p
sorrowfllly admitted that had.
"From where?' he continued.
| informed him.
"What society was it ?" he inquired.
II don't like te tell" remarked
confdentially, 'but the fact is, it was
a Baptist church affair
You ought to have seen the look Of
disgust that overspread the features
of that conductor Said he, sit must
have been a dry old excursion" Said
I, My friend, your judgment does
you credit
Then | went to Union Square,
and from thence tolls Broadway.
A friend of mine so,journs there, call
ed on him. We used to sling type
together, and suffer martryrdom in
boarding-houses too. Much mutual
suffering makes warm friends. |
found him singing ink with one hand
and mopping the sweat from his coun-
tenance with the other. He did not
recognize me at first. l remarked
that it was warm day. He seized a
big inkstand and was about to hurl
it at me when he recognized my tea-
lures. Said he with a look of desper-
ate resolution, Eight hundred and
seventy-four people have made that
remark to me to-day. You were the
eight-hundred and seventy fifth, and
if YOU hadn't been friend of mine
l should have massacred YOU"
| asked him if he was busy. He
said he would go out with me, but he
didn't think he could get farther than
1sO Broadway. $50 Broadway is a
corner grocery, only it is in the mid
die of the block. We went there i'm
mediately. Said l, "NIr-, am very
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