National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1874-01-16
Well, I swear |"

SlN, WnaG Cne meaning OF that Z
"Ill 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
pilot house now, showing those mud
turtles how to hunt for easy water"
As the boats ranged side by side they
careened over toward each other officers
flew hither and thither, cursing and
storming, trying to drive the people
amidships-both captains we're leaning
over their ratings shaking their fists,
swearing and threatening-black vol
umes of smoke rolled up and canopied
the scene, delivering rain of sparks
upon the vessels-two pistol.shots rang
out, and both captains lodged unhurt,
and the packed mass of passengers
surged back and fell apart, while the
shrieks of women and children scared
above the intolerable din. And then
there was booming roar, a thunder.
ing crash, and the riddled Amaranth
dropped loose from their hold and
drifted hopelessly away.
Instantly the fire doors of the Boreas
were thrown open, and the men began
dashing buckets of water in the fur
naces for it would have been death
and destruction to stop the engines
with such head of steam on.
As soon as possible the Boreas drop
ped down to the floating wreck, and
took off the dead, the wounded, and
the unhurt at least all that could be
got at, for the whole forward half of the
boat was shapeless ruin, with the
great chimneys lying crossed on the top
of it, and underneath were dozen vic
tins imprisoned alive, and wailing for
help. While men with axes worked
with might and main to free these poor
fellows, the Boreas's boats went about
picking up stragglers from the river.
And now new horror presented it.
self. The wreck took fire from the dis
mantled furnaces. Never did men work
with heartier will than did those stall
wart braves with axes, but it was of no
use. The fire ate it's way steadily, de-
spising the bucket brigade that fought
it. 1t scorched the clothes, it singed
the hair of the axemen it drove them
back foot by foot, inch by inch; they
wavered, struck final blow in the
teeth of the enemy, and surrendered.
And as they fell back they heard pris-
oned voices saying:
"Don't leave us Don't desert us
Don't, don't do it
And one poor fellow said :
~ am Henry Worley, striker of the
Amaranth !! My mother lives in st.
Louis. Tell her lie for poor devils
sake, please. Say was killed in an
instant, and never knew what hurt me
though God knows I've neither
scratch nor bruise this moment It's
hard to burn up in coop like this,
with the whole wide world so near.
boys-we've all got to come
TO it at last, anyway"
The Boreas stood away out of danger,
and the ruined steamer went drifting
down the stream, an island of wreathing
and climbing flame, that vomited
clouds of smoke from time to time, and
ylared more freely and sent the lumin-
ous tongues higher and higher, after
each emission. A shrek at intervals
old of a captive that had met his
loom. The wreck lodged upon sand
oar, and when the Boreas turned the
lext point on her upward journey it
vas still burning with unabated fury.
When the boys came down into the
main saloon of the Boreas they saw
oitiful sight, and heard world of pitt
ul sounds. Eleven poor creatures lay
lead, and forty more lay moaning, or
pleading, or screaming, while score of
food Samaritans moved among them,
loing what they could to relieve their
bathing their skinless faces
nd bodies with linseed oil and lime
water, and covering the places with
'ulging masses of raw cotton, that gave
o every face and form dreadful and
nhuman aspect.
A little wee French midshipman of ,,
ourteen lay fearfully injured, but never
ttered sound till a physician of Mem
his was about to dress his hurts. !
"Can I get we'll? You need not be
fraid to tell me-"
"No, IL am afraid you cannot" !
Then don't waste your time with
those that can get WELL" q
"But -"
Help those that can get we'll f.! 1t
] not for me to be a girl. carry the
lood of eleven generations of soldiers
/ my veins |" :
The physician-himself a man who .
ad seen service in the navy in his time e
touched his hat to the little hero and s
assed on. Il
The head engineer of the Amaranth, Q
grand specimen of physical manhood,
;ruggled to his feet, a CHASTITY spec g
lcle, and strobe towards his brother, 3
le second engineer, who was unhurt. !,
-e said q
You were on watch. You were boss. d
on would not listen to me when beg u
ed you to reduce your steam. Take d
lat take it to my wife, and tell her a q
comes from me by the hand of my !
urderer Take it land take my Il
lrse with it to blister your heart for p
lndred years-and may you live SO s.
ngw o
And he tore gold ring from his Il,
1ger, stripping flesh and skin with it, u
rev it down, and fell dead n
But these things must not be dwelt p
oon. The Boreas landed her dreadful 81
reo at the next large town, and deliv- n
ed it over to multitude of eager
ands and warm Southern hearts-a
rgo amounting by this time to thirty
ne wounded persons and twenty-five :,
lad bodies. And with these she de- =. -
7ered list of ninety-six missing per- y,
MS that had drowned or otherwise ..
,rished at the scene of the disaster, " "
A jury of inquest was impaneled, and y -
ter due deliberation and inquiry, they ID ID
turned the inevitable American yer. 90 90
ct, which has been so familiar to our ". W
RS all the days of our lives -"Nobody - -,
blame." g.
T In note the authors vouch for the ., .,
tire authenticity Of the above ac- ~ ~
unit ~