Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1874-01-20

pilots-and then she began to fall away
TO starbOard, and every eye lighted.
'NOU then meet her! meet her |.
Snatch herr
The wheel flew to port so fast that
the spokes blended into spider web
the swing of the boat subsided-she
steadied herself
Seven feetp
'Sev-siX and n hdTr
Sir feet SIX F.
Bang! She hit the bottom! George
shouted through the tube:
'Spead her wide open! Whale it at
herr
POw-wOw--chowI The escape
pipes belched snowy pillars of steam
alOft, the boat ground, and surged, and
trembled-and slid over into -,
Mark twain!'
Quarter-heT-'
Tap! tap! tapv Ito signify Lay in
the leads.")
And away she went, flying up the
willow shore, with the whole silver
sea of the Mississippi stretching abroad
on every hand.
No Amaranth in sight!
'Ha-ha boys we took q couple of
tricks that timen said the captain.
And Just at that moment u red glare
appeared In the head of the chute and
the Ameranth came springing after
Them
We'll, I swearp
Jim, what is the meaning of that p
IN 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 i'm
that pilot house, now showing those
mud turtles how to hunt for easy wa
ter.
That's it! thought it wasn't any
SLOUGH that was running that middle
bar in HOgeye Bend. If it's Wash
what he don't know
about the river amt worth Knowing
"a regular gold leaf, kid glove,
diamond breastpin pilot Wash Hast
ings is. We don't take any tricks off
him, old man!
I wish I'd a stopped for him, that's
ALL
The Amaranth was within three
hundred yards of the BOr -as, and still
gaining. The old man spoke through
the tube:
What is she carrying nOw?'
hundred and siXty-five, STRIP
'How's your wood p
Pine all Out-cypress half gone
eaten up cottonwood like pie
Break into that rOsin on the main |
1eck-pile it in the boat can pay for
itu
Soon the boat was plunging, and quiv-
ariHg, and screaming more madly than |
ever. But the Amaian his head was |
almost abreast the BOreas' stern.
'How's your steam now, Harry?'
Hundred and eighty-two. STRIP
Break up the casks of bacon in the
forrard mold! Pile 1t in! Levy on
hat turpentine in the fantail-drench
every stick of wood with itu
The boat was Il moving earthquake
by this time.
How is she now?'
a hundred and ninety-six and still |
1 swelling-water below the middle
Iauge cocks-carrying every pound
she can stand-nigger roosting on the |
safety valve"
Good! HOw's your draft?'
Bully! Every time Niger heaves
1 stick of wood in the furnace, he goes |
nut the chimney with it y
The Ameranth drew steadily up till |
ner jack-staff breasted the Boreas'
Wheel-hOuse-climbed along inch by |
Hch till her chimneys breasted it
.rept along, further and further, till the |
boats were wheel 10 wheel-and then |
hey closed up with a heavy jolt. and |
ocked together tight and fast in the
Il IF hD Ia lnr u a d.
my moonlight! A roar and hurrah |
went up from the crowded decks OF
both stfamers-all hands rushed to the |
guards to look. and shout, and gesticu
ate--the weight careened the vessels /
over toward each other-officers flew |
lither and thither cursing and storm
rg, trying to drive the people amid
Captains were leaning |
Iver the ratings, shaking their fists. |
swearing and threatening-black vo,-
imes of smoke rolled up and canopied
he scene, delivering rain of sparks
IpOn the vessels--two pistol shots rang !
)ut, and both Captains lodged unhurt,
md the packed masses of passengers
,urged back and fell apart, while the
,hrIeks of women and children scared !
lhove the intolerable din
And then there was a booming roar,
/ laundering crash, and the ridd'ed
Amaranth dropped loose from their
sold and drifted heIplessly away!
Instantly the fire doors of the Boreas
vas thrown open, and the men began
iIshing buckets of water in the furna-
,eS for it would have been death and
destruction to stop the engines with
uch head of steam on.
AS soon as possible the Boreas drop
OOk off the dead, the wounded and
he unhurt-at least all that could be
rot at, for the whole forward half of
he boat was a shapeles5 ruin, with
he great chimneys lying crossed on
he top of it, and underneath were
lozen victims imprisoned alive and
yailing for help. While men with
lxes worked with might and main to
rec these poor fellows, the Boreas'
boats went about, picking up stragglers
rom the river.
And now q new horror presented it.
elf The wreck took fire from the
furnaces? Never did
nen work with heartier will than
lid those stalwart braves with aXCs.
But it was of no use. The fire ate its
way steadily, despising the bucket bril-
-ade that fought it. 1t scorched the
lothes, it singed the hair of the axe
nen-it drove them back foot by
OOt--inch bv inch-they wavered,
truck final blow i'm the teeth of the
nemy. and surrendered. And as they
ell back they heard prisoned voices
aging:
Don't leave us! Don't desert us!
DON'T, don't do it!'
And one poor fellow said:
Il am Henry Worley, striker of the
maranth! My mother lives in st.
.ouis Tell her a lie for poor DEVILS
axe, please. Say was killed in an
Instant and never knew what hurt ME
though God knows I've neither
cratch nor bruise this moment! It's
ard to burn up in coop like this
nth the whole wide world so near.
iood by boys, we've all got tc come
} it at last. anyway"
The Po-eas stood away out of dam