New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-12-25

All Ecduy
The boat hesitated-see,.ed to hold her
breath. as did the captain and pilots-and
then she began to fall away to starboard,
and every eye lighted:
"Noc then meet her meet her. Snatch
herr
The wheel flew to port so fast that the
spOkes blended into a spider web - the
swing Of the boat subsided-she steadied
herself
''Seven feetr'
"Sev-six and Ralfp'
''Sir feetl Six f."
Bang! She hit the bottom! George
shouted through the tube:
"Spread her wide open! Whale It at
herP'
Pow-wow-chow! The escape-pipes belched
snowy pillars Of steam aloft, the boat
ground and surged and trembled and slid
over into
MARK twain 1"
Quarter her -"
Tap! tap! tsp!" Ito signify "Lay in the
leads.")
And away she went, flying up the willow
shore, with the whole silver sea of the Mis-
sissippi stretching abroad on every hand.
No Anaranth in sight!
"Ha-ha, boys, we took couple of tricks
that time ~ said the captain.
And Just at that moment q red glare ap-
Amaranth came springing after them.
swell, swear!'
"Jim, what is the meaning of thatf"
"I'll tell you what's the meaning of it.
That hail we had at Napoleon was Wash
Hastings, wanting to come to Cairo-and
we didn't stop. He's in that pilothouse
now showing those mud turtles how to hunt
for easy water"
'Thats it! thought it wasn't any slOuch
that was running that middle bar in Hog
eye Bend. If it's Wash Hasting-well,
what he don't know about the river amt
worth knOwing-a regular gold-leaf. kid
glove, diamond breast pin pilot Wash Hast
ings is. We won't take any tricks off of him,
old man.
II wish I'd a stopped for him, that's all.'
The Amaranth was within 300 yards of
the B0reas, and still gaining. The '.old
man" spoke through the tube:
"What is she carrying now2"
IA hundred and sixty-fve, sirr'
''How's your wOOd}'
"Pine all out-cypress half gone-eating
up cotton wood like pie!'
''Break into that rosin on the main deck
pile it in, the boat can pay for it!'
Soon the boat was plunging and CULVER
ing and screaming more madly than ever.
But the Amaranth's head was almost
abreast the BOreas's stern:
"HOw's your steam now, HarryP'
"Hundred and eighty-twO, sirf''
"Break up the casks of bacon in the for
rard bold Pile it in! Levy on that tur.
pentine in the fantail-drench every stick
of wood with it,!
The boat was Q moving earthquake by
this time.
"HOw is she now7"
"A hundred and ninety-six and still
swelling water below the middle gauge
cocks carrying every pound she can
stand !-nigger roOstipg on the safety
valver
"Good! How's your draft ?"
"Bully! Every time niger heaves a
stick OF wood into the furnace he goes out
the chimney with it,"
The Amaranth drew steadily up till her
jack staff breasted the Boreas' wheel
along inch by inch till her
breasted it-crept along, further
wbeel-and then they closed up with
heavy jolt, and locked together tight and
fast in the middle of the big river, under |
The flooding moonlight! A roar and |!
hurPah went up from the crowded !
decks of both steamers-all hands rushed |
to the guards to look and shout |
and gestIculate the weight careened |
jhe vessels over toward each other |
,tficers few hither and thither ours
uR duu HbolAuluS, " uIiSc hhD BtOpiC |
lm.lship ps- both captains were leaning over |
heir ratings shaking their fists, swearing |
md threatening-blaek volumes of smoke |
oiled up and capOpled the scene, delivering
rain of sparks upon the vesseis-two pis-
ol shots rang out and both captains
lodged unhurt, and the packed masses
# passengers surged back and fell apart.
While the shrieks of women aud chill
lren scared above the intolerable din
Az thnr h.Nny !
crash, and the riddled Amaranth
lropped loosely from her hold and drifted
lelpleasly awayl
Instantly the fre-doors of the Boreas
we're thrown open and the men began dash
ng buckets of water into the furnaces-for
{ would have been death and destruction
o stop the engines with such q head Of
team on.
As soon as possible the Boreas dropped
own to the floating wreck and took off the
cad, the wounded, and the unhurt-at
EAST all that could be got at, for the whole
Drward half Of the boat was q shapeless
uin " ith the great chimney's lying crossed
n TOD of it, and underneath were dozen
clip. While men with axes worked with
light and main to tree these poor fellows,
,Oreas' boats went about, picking up
tragglers from the river.
And now q new horror presented itself |
he wreck took fire from the dismantled
lrnaces Never did men work with q
cartier will than did those stalwart braves
ith the axes. But it was of no use. The |
re ate it's way steadily, despising the
ucket brig ade that fought it. 1t scorched
10 clothes, it singed the hair of the axe
len-it drove them back. foot by toot-inch
Y inch-they wavered, struck final blow |
the teeth of the enemy, and surrendered. |
nd as they fell back they heard prisoned
Dices saying:
Don't leave us! Don't desert US Don't
D it p
And one poor fellow said
81 am Henry Worley. striker of the Anna
.nthl Ny poor mother lives in st. Louis.
ell her lie for poor DEVILS sake, please.
" was killed in an instant and never
new what hurt me-though God knows
ve neither scratch nor bruise this moment. :
's bard to burn up in q coop like this, with
10 whole wide world so near. Good-by,
,ys-we've all got to come to it at last,
,ywayr
The Boreas stood way out of danger,
Id the ruined steamer went drifting down I
e stream an island OF wreathing and =
lmbing fame that vOmited clouds of
Nuke from time to time, and glared more j.,
.rcely and sent its luminous tongues
CHER and higher after each emission. A q
rick at intervals told of captive that
I'd met his doom. The wreck lodged upon
sand bar. and when the BOreas turned :
% next point on her upward journey it
IA still burning with scarcely sbated fury.
When the boys came down into the main
loon Of the B0eeas, they saw . pitiful
nk fvr1 IA 1 .