Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1874-02-28

the boat aground, and surged and
trembled-and slid over into
Mark twain!'
TQuarter hep"
"Tap! tap! tap! Ito signify, clay 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 .AmaranM in sight!'
Ha-ha, boys, we took couple of
sticks that timer said the Captain.
And just at that time q red glare ap-
pearcd in the head of the chute, and
the AmaranM came springing after
them.
Well, 1 swear"
",Jim, what is the meaning of that ?'
"Tll tell you the meaning of it.
That call we had at Napoleon was Wash
Hastings, wanting to come to Cairo,
and we didn't stop. He's in that pi-
dollhouse, now, showing those mud
turtles how to hunt for easy water
"That's it! 1 thought it wasn't any
slouch that was running that middle
bar in Hog-eye Bend. If it's Wash
Hastings--well, what he don't know
about the river amt worth knowing--a
regular gold-leaf, kid-glove, diamond
breastpin pilot, Wash Hastings is. We
won't take any tricks off him, old man. ="
"I wish Id stopped for him, that S
ALL"
The 41maanM was within 800 yards
of the Boreas, and still gaining. The
" old man" spoke through the tube:
What is she carrying now?'
CA hundred and sixty-fve SIR
I "How's your wood?'
"Pine all out-cypress half gone
eating up cottonwood like pie
Break into that rosin on the main
deck-pile it in, the boat can pay for
it,"
Soon the boat was plunging and
quivering and screaming more madly
than ever. But the .1mdrdnth's head
was almost abreast the Boreas' stern.
How's your steam, Hary?"
GA hundred and eightytwo, sir"
Break up the cakes Of bacon in the
forrarl hole. Pile it in. Levy on that
turpeniinc in the fantail- drench every
stick of wood with it.
The boat was now moving earth
quake by this time.
Chow is she now?"
GA hundred and ninety-six and still
q swelling ng-water below the middle
guage cocks carrying every pound she
can stand-nigger roosting on the safe
ty valve
"Good! How's your draft p
Bully. Every time a niger heayes
a stick of wood into the furnace he
goes out the chimney with it.
The .lmdrduM drew steadily up till
her iack-statf breasted the Boreds'
wheel climbed along inch by
inch till her chimneys breasted it
crept along further and further till the
l,o,I, ,,.o,o ,,boo1 10 xr1,oo1 owl than
they closed up with heavy jolt and
locked together tight and fast in the
middle of the big river, under the flood
ing moonlight. A roar and hurrah
went up from the crowded decks of
both steamers-all hands rushed to the
guards to look, and shout and gcsticu-
late-the weight careened the vessels
toward each other-officers flow hithei
and thither cursing and storming, try
ing to drive the people amidships--
both Captains were leaning over THEN
ratings shaking their fists, swearing
and threatening black volumes Of
smoke rolled up and canoped 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 wo
men and children scared above the in
tolerable din.
And then there was booming roar
a laundering crash, and the riddled
-lmarunh dropped loose from her hold
and drifted helplessly away.
Instantly the fire doors of the Bo
reas was thrown open, and the mer
began dashins buckets of water in the
furnaces--for it would have been death
and destruction to stop the engines
with such head of steam on.
A, soon 90 ooccibla fho ROyons