The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-12-11
VOLUME 2.

!
had only an hour or two of an evening,
/ but on Sundays we had all day. One
afternoon we went up the Harlem river,
/ and there we saw a sight that transfxed
US, as it were. On the river bank, mile
or so above High Bridge, stood canal
boat. l say stood, because it was so
/ firmly imbedded in the ground by the
riverside, that it would have been al
most as impossible to move it as to have
turned the Sphinx around. This boat
we soon found was inhabited by an oys-
ter-man and his family. They had liv-
ed there for many years and were really
| doing quite we'll. The boat was divid-
ed, inside, into rooms, and these were
papered and painted and nicely furnish
/ ell. There was kitchen, a living room,
a parlor and bedrooms. There were all
/ sorts of conveniences-carpe on the
I floors, pictures, and everything, at least
so it seem ed to us, to make home com
/ Portable. This was not all done at once,
the oyster-man told me. They had liv-
ed there for years and had gradually ad-
ded this and that until the place was as
we saw it. He had an oyster-bed out in
the river and he made cider in the win
ter, but where he got the apples don't
known. There was really no reason
why he should not get rich in time.
Well, we went all over that house and
we praised everything so much that the
oyster-man's wife was delighted, and
when we had some stewed oysters after
ward,-eating them at little table un-
der tree near by,-I believe that she
picked out the very largest oysters she
had, to stew for u.s. When we had fin
ished our supper and had paid for it,
and were going down to take our little
boat again,-for we had rowed up the
river,-Euphemia stopped and looked
around her. Then she clasped her
hands and exclaimed in an ecstatic un-
dertone:
"We must have canal-boat!'
And she never swerved from that de-
termination.
And l had seriously theaght over the
matter, I conld see no good reason
against adopting this plan. 1t would
certainly be cheap method of living,
and it would really be housekeeping. I
grew more and more in favor of it. AT
ter what the oyster man had done, what
might not we do? He had never written
book on housekeeping, nor. in all
probability, had he considered the mat
ter, philosophically, for one moment in
all his life
But it was not an easy thing to find a
canal-boat. There were none advertised
for rent-at least, not for housekeeping
purposes.
We made many inquiries and took
many a long walk along the water
courses in the vicinity of the city, but
all in vain. Of course, we talked a
great deal about our project and our
friends became greatly interested in it,
and, of course, too, they gave us great
deal of advice, but we didn't mind that.
We were philosophical enough to know
that you can't have shad without bones.
They were good friends and, by being
careful in regard to the advice, it didn't
interfere with our comfort.
We were beginning to be discouraged,
at least Euphemia was. Her discour-
agement is like water-cresses, it general
ly comes up in very short time after
she sows her wishes. But then it with
ers away rapidly, which is comfort.
One evening we were sitting, rather dis
consolately, in our room, and l was
reading out the advertisements of coun-
try board in the Herald" when in
rushed DIR. Heare-one of our old
friends. He was SO full of something
that he had to say that he didn't even
ask us how we were. In fact, he didn't
appear to want to know.
"I tell you what it is, Arden" said he
81 have found just the very thing you
want
"a canal-boat?" 1 cried.
"Yes," said he, "a canal-boat"
FURNISHED" asked Euphemia, hel
eyes glistening.
"Well, no." answered the doctor, a
don't think you could expect that"
"But we can't live on the bare floor,
said Euphemia; "our house must be fur.
nished"
"Well, then, suppose this won't do,
said the doctor, ruefully "for there ISM
SO much as a boot-jack in it. 1t has
, most things that are necessary for boat
but it hasn't anything that you could
call house furniture; but, dear me,
should think you could furnish it very
cheaply and comfortably out of YOU
book"
VERY true" said Euphemia, "if VIZ
could pick out the cheapest things aDC
then get some folks to buy lot of thu
? books"
"We could begin with very little,
t said ], trying hard to keep calm.
E Certainly" said the doctor, "yor
8 need make no more rooms, at first thar
e yon could furnish"
"Then there are no rooms," said Eu
t phemia.
e "No there, is nothing but one vas
apartment extending from stem to stern.
"Won't it be gloriousr" said Euphe
: mia to me. 1--WE can first make kitch
en-, and then dining-room, and a bed
- room, and then parlor-just in the or
4 der in which our book says they ough
e to be furnished"
k "Glorious!" I cried, no longer able t
contain my enthusiasm; 81 shoulo
think so. Doctor, where is this canal
!. boat?"
:. The doctor then went into detaile
:. statement.
~ The boat was stranded on the shor
J of the Seoldsbury river not far belo,
u Ginx's. We knew where Ginx's wa
{ because we had spent very happy da
p" there, during our honeymoon.
= The boat was a good one, but supel
~ animated. That however, did not intel