The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-02-03

In the new book, ''The Giided Age"
humorous episode is the experience Of ''Un-
Gle Dan'l and the Chllun," when they saw
the Mississippi for the first time, and caught
their first glimpse of steamboat:
''Uncle Dan'r' (colored), aged forty; his
wife, "Aunt jimmy" aged thirty; ''young
Miss Emily Hawkins, ''young Mars" Clay,
the new member of the family, ranged them
selves on log after supper, and contemplated
the marvellous river, and discussed it. The
moon rose and sailed aloft through maze Of
shredded cloud wreaths, and the sombre river
just preceptibly frightened under the veil Of
light. A deep silence pervaded the air. and
was emphasized at intervals, rather than
br oxen, by the hooting of an owl, the bayipg
of dog, or the mufled crash of caving
bank in the distance. The little company as
sembled on the log were all children lat least
in simplicity and broad comprehensive ignor-
ance), and the remarks they made about the
river were in keeping with the character; and
SO awed were they by the grandeur and the
s1lemnity of the scene before them, and Dy
their belief that the air was filed with invlsi-
caused by their passing wings, that all their
talk took to itself tinge OF the supernatural,
and their voices were subdued to low and
reverent tone. Suddenly Uncle Dan'l ex-
claimed:
''Chirer dah's somefin cominp'
All crowded close together and every heart
beat faster. Uncle Dan'l pointed down the
river with his bony finger.
A deep coughing sound t;oubled the still.
ness, way toward wooded cape that jutfed
into the stream mile distant. ALI in an in.
stant fierce eye of fire shot out from behind
the cape and sent long, brilliant pathway
quivering athwart the dnsky water. The
coughing grew louder and louder, the glarlns
eye grew larger and still larger, glared wilder
and still wilder A hugh shape developed
itself out of the gloom, and from its tall dupll,
cate horns dense volumes of smoke, starred
and spangled with sparks, poured out ana
went .tumbling away into the farther darK, i!,,
mes Nearer and nearer the thing came, I'LL
its long sides began to glow with spots ri light
which mirorred themselves in the river AID
attended the monster like a torchlight pro-
cessiOn.
.'What is it! Oh, wha, is Il, Uncle Dan'l?'
What deep solemnity the answer came:
''It's de Almighty? Git down on yo'
kneesr'
1t was not necessary to say it twice. They
were all kneeling in moIneut. And then,
while The mysterious coughing rose stronger
and stronger and the threa tening glare reach
ed farther and wider. the negro's voice lifted
up its supplications.
10 Lord, wes ben mighty wicked, an We
'zerye to 90 to de bau place, but good Lord
deah Lord, we aint ready yit, we amt ready
let desc po' chil'en hab one mo- chance. TAX,
de ole niggah if you's got to hab somebody
Good Lord, good deah Lord. we don't know
whah you's agwyne to, we don't know wht
you's got yo' eye on, but we knows by d,
way you's a comm, we knows by de wa!
you's tiltin along in y1 charyot fab da
some po' sinners guyne to ketch it. Blu
Cd Lord, desc chiPen don't b'long heaa
dey's I'm Obedstown whah dey don know
muffin, an you knows. yo' own SET, dat deg
amt 'spons.ble. An deah Lord good Lorn,
It amt like yo longsuerin lovin' k,ndntis y, .s
for to take dis kind O. vantage w o s,rn nrnerv
chiren as desc is when dey's SO many oAAs''