New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-06-27

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lage street. at Lockport, could see tn
horses of TRt bound eastward, led alon
| from level toXcnyel at the last lock; and il
| spite of my dSttlnination not to hurry.
| put myself on the long, Looping trot whicl
| the st. Regis Indians taught me, that
| might overhaul this boat before che 60
under way at her new speed. came on
| on the upper gate of the last lock just a
she passed out from the lower gate. Tn
gave them their first blow after two hour
OF rest and corn. AS the heavy boat started
off under the new motion, saw. and he
skipper saw at the same instant, that a Ions
new tow rope Of his, which had lail
cOiled on deck WAS suddenly flying GU
to its full length. The outer end o
it had been carried upon the loci
side by some chance or blunder, anC
there some idle loafer had thrown tn,
looped blight of it over hawser post Tn.
loafers or the lock saw, as did, that tt,
rope Was running out. and at the call of the
skipper one of them condescended to throw
the loop overheard. but he did it so care
lessly that the lazy rope rolled over into the
lock, and the loop caught on one OF the
valve irons of the upper gate. The whole
was the busnt SIS of an instant, of course
But the poor skipper saw. what we did not
that the coil of the rope on deck Was foul
and 80 entangled found his long tiller, thai
ten seconds would do one of three things
they would snap his new rope in two, which
was tritie, or they would wre nch his tiller
head Oft the rudder. which would cost hin
an hour to mend, or they would upset those
two horses, at this instant on trot. and
put into the canal the rowdy yOungster who
had started them. Ii was this complex Ger
tainty which gave fire to the double erie;
which he addressed al: to US on the lock
and forward to the magnet boy. whose in
different intelligence at that momen. drew
him along.
l was stepping npon the gate head e
walk across il. L. took but an instant. nos
nearly all the ten seconds, to swing down
by my arms info the lock, keeping myself
hanging by nav hands. to catch with ms
right foot the blight of the cope and lift it
off the treachrrUus iron, to kick the whole
into the water. and then to scramble up the
wet lockside again. got little wet, but
that was nothing. I ran down the tow.
path, beckoned to the skipper, who sheered
his boat up to the shore. and l Jumped on
board.
At that moment reader. Fausca was sit.
ting in a yellow chair on the deck of that
musty old boat, cr"cheting from a pattern
in Godeys Lady's Book. ! remember it as
remember nay breakfast of this MOI ming
Not that fell in love with her. nor did I
tai! in love with my breakfast; but knew
she was there. And that was the first Time
ever saw her. l. is many years since, and
! have seen her every day from tina. eve.
ming to this evening. Bus had then no
business with her. Ny affair was with him
whom have called the skipper. by way OF
this fresh water narrative to ears
to Marryat and Tom Cringle.
l told him that had to go to New York:
that ! had no time to walk. and had no
money to pay; that ! should like to work
my NAV to Troy il there was any way in
which could; and to ask him this had
come on board.
"Waal, said the skipper, "'tain't much
that is to be done. and Ezekiel ard Gale.
late to do most of that; and there's that
blamed boy beside"
This adjective "blamei" is the virtuors
bath by which simple people. who are i'm
proving their habits. cure themselves of
stronger epithet. as men take to Hag-root
who are abandoning tobacco.
HE amt good for nothin'. as you see,"
continued the skipper meditatively, land
TOu air. anybody can see that" he added.
EFF you've mind to come to Albany, you
IAN have your vittles. poor enough they are
90: and ct you are willing to ride some.
lines, you can ride. l guess where there's
Dom for three in the hunks there's room
or four. 'Tain't everybody would have
'ast off that blamed hawser rope as neat as
'ou did
From which last remark inferred what
learned as a certainty as we Travelled fur.
her. :hat but for the timely assistance |
lad rendered him should have pleaded for
ny passage in vain.
This was my introduction to Fausta That
3 TO say, she heard the whole OF the CONVEX.
alton. The formal introduction, which is
united in 20 circle Of Am.r ican life to
which l have ever been admitted took place
8 tea, half an hour after. VIXEN Mrs. Grills,
Who always vovaged with her husband,
rought in the tiapjacks from the kitchen.
Miss JONES'" said Grills. as came into the
neal. leaving Z4klel at the tilIer-"Miss
ones, this is young man who is going to
llbany. don't rightly know how to call
our name, sir" l said my name was Car
ef. Then he said, MIR Carter, this is Miss
ones. Mrs. Grills, Mr.. Carter. Mr.. Carter,
1r,. Grills. She is my wife" And SO our |
artie carree was established for the VOYAGE. |
In these days there are few people who |
now that journey on canal is the pleas. |
ntest journey in the world. A canal has |
0 go through the finest scenery. 1t can |
OF exist unless it follow through the valley |
stream. The movement is so easy that,
18th your eyes shut. you do not know you
'ove. The route is go direct that when
on are once shielded from the sun YOU are
afe for hours. You draw, you read, you
rite. or you sew, crochet, or knit. You
lay on your flute or your guitar. without
ne hint of Inconvenience. At a "low
ridge you duck your head lest you lose
our hat-and that reminder teaches You
lat you are human. You are glad to know
lis, and you laugh at the memento. For
le rest IT the time you journey, if you are
all right" within. in Elysium.
rode one of those horses perhaps two or
lree hours day. At locks l made myself
,nerall, useful. At night walked the
eek I'm il one o'clock, with my pipe or
ithout it, to keep guard against the lock
ieves. The skipper asked me sometimes.
ter he found l could "cipher.' to Olsen
ngle me of the knots in his bills of lad
e for him. But all this made but little
road in those lovely autumn days. and for
Q eigh days that we glided al0ng-there
one ble.se level which is seventy miles
ng-1 spent most of my time with Fausta
e walked together on the tOwpath to get
II appe;i'es for dinner and for supper. At
nrise always made a cruise inland, and
Elected the gentians and black alderberries
ID cOlored leaves with which she dressed |
re-. Cribs table. She took an interest in
Y wretched sketch book; and though she
d not and does not draw we'll, she did
ow me how to spread an even tint. which
never knew before. l was working I'D nv |
ench. She knew about as much and as
tie as did, and we read Nine. Rey baud's
ementine together. guessing at the hard
,rds because we had no dictionary.
Dear old Grill offered to talk French at | :
BILE. and we tried it for few days. But
proved he picked up his pronunciation at
GATHERINGS, among the boatmen there,
d he would say show for "horses," where
3 book said cheraur. Our talk, on the |
Ter hand. was not Partisan, but it was
t Californian. and we subsidized into Eng {
again.
80 sped along those blessed eight DAYS. I
old Fausta thus much of my story, that S
was going to seek my fortune in New
TX. She of coursa knew nothing of me- |