The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-01-16

Their First Sight of a Steamb oat.-
How Darkey's Prayer was An.
sweTed.
"The Gilded Age" the new monde
script book by Mark Twain and Charles
Dudley Warner, contains the following
picture: ~ E#G
"Uncle Dan'l" (colored), aged 40; his
wife, Aunt jimmy" aged 80; young Miss"
Emily Hawkins; young Mars" Washing.
ton Hawkins; and "y0upg Mars" Clay,
the new member of the family, ranged
themselves on a log alter supper, and con.
templated the marvellous river, and dis
cusSed it, The moon rose and sailed
alolt through a maze of shredded cloud
wreaths, the sombre riyerjust perceptibly
frightened under the vail OF light. a
deep silence pervaded the air, and was
emphasized at intervals, rather than
broken, by the hooting oil an owl, the bay.
ing of dog, or the muffled crash OF a
caving bank in the distance. The com
pany assembled on the log were all chill
dren lat least in simplicity and broad
comprehensive ignorance,) and the re-
marks they made about the river were in
keeping with the character; and so awed
were they by the grandeur and sOlemnity
OF the scene before them, and by their be-
llet that the air was filled with invisible
spirits, and that the faint zepbyrs were
caused by the passing wing, that all their
talk took 10 itselfa tint ofth supernatural
and their voices were subdued TO low
and reverent tone, Suddenly Uncle Dan'l
exclaimed: eEE 20 sH
"Chiren, dah's sumfn comm "
All crowded close together and every
heart beat faster, Uncle Dan'l pointed
down the river with his bony finger.
A deep coughing sound troubled the
stiffness, way toward the wooded cape
that jutted into the stream q mile distant.
All in an instant fierce eye of fire shot
out from behind the cape and sent long
brilliant pathway athwartthe dusky wat.
err The coughing grew louder and loud.
er, the glazing eye grew larger, and still
larger, glared wilder and wilder. A hugo
shape developed itself out Of the gloom,
and from its tall duplicate horns; dense
volumes Of smoke, starred and spaug led
with sparks, poured out and went tumb-
ling away In the darkness. Nearer the
thing came, till It's long sides began TO
glow with spots Of light, which mirrored
themselves In the river and attended the
monster like a torchlight procession.
What is7it! Oh, what is it, Uncle
Dan'l% 80 . ~ %
With deep solemnity the answer came /:
"1t's de Almighty! Git down on yo'
knees T.
It was not necessary to say II twice.
They were all kneeling In moment. And
then, while the mysterious coughing grew
stronger and the threatening glare reached
farther and wider, the negro's voice lifted
up Its suppllcatiohs: .' : 20 . '5''. - =
20 Lord, ives ben mighty wicked, as
we knows dat we 'zerVe to go to de bad
place, but good Lord, deah Lord, We amt
ready yit, we amt ready, let desc pO'
chilen hab one mo- chance, ies' one mo
chance. Take de old niggah, II you's got
70 hab somebody. Good Lord good, deah
Lord, we don't know whah you's gwyne
TO, We don't kno wwho you's got yo' eye
on out We knows by the way. you's com.
10, we KNOWS by the way you'e tiltin'
long in 20 charyot O. fab dat some no.
sinners gwyng to ketch It. But good
Lord, desc chiPen don't b'long 6eah,
dey's I'm 0bedstown whah dey don't
know muffin, an you knows, ye own seI
dat dey amt 'sponsible, An deah Lord
good Lord, Il amt like 20 mercy, 1t ami
like yo' pity, II Amt like yo' long sufFerin'
lovin' kindness for to take dis kind O
vantage o SIGH little chilen as desc Is,
when dey's so many ornery grown folks
chuck full o cussedness dat wants rostin'
down dab. o Lord, spah de little chil'en
don't tar de little chil'en away I'm dey
irens, jes' let 'em of jes' dis once, and
take It oufn dis ole niggah, Heb I 10
Lord, heah l Is De ole niggah's ready,
Lord, de OLE - .'1.,l =
The flaming and churniugi steamer
was right abreast the party, and moi
twenty steps away. The awful thunder
of mud valve suddenly burst forth
drowning the prayer, and as suddenly
Uncle Dan'l snstched q child under each
arm and secured into the woods with the
rest OF the pack ct his heels, and then
ashamed Of himself, he halted In the deer
darkness and shouted, but rather ieebly
"Heah l is, Lord, heah l is.nF,ia Is
There was Q moment Of throbbing sus,
,lpense, and then to the surprise and com.