The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1875-08-26

whose reporters had the freedom of the
Benefits bar and the same season saw
the Bennett staggering down the Missls-
sippi with so heavy load OF sacked
corn, that the gunwales amldshlps were
fairly under water. The river was very
low, so the Bennett kept carefully in the
channel, but the channel Of the great
muddy ditch which drains half the Union
is as tickle as disappointed lovers de-
clare woman to be, and it has no more
respect for great steamer-loads OF corn
than Goliath had for David. A little
Ohio river-boat, bound upward, had re-
ported the sudden disappearance of a
woodward little way above Milliken's
Bend, where the channel Rugged the
shore, and with the woodward there had
disappeared an enormous sycamore-tree,
which had for years served as tying
post for steamers. AS live sycamores
are about as disinclined to float as bars
of lead are, the Captain and pilot of the
Bennett were somewhat concerned-for
the sake of the corn-to know the exact
location Of the tree. Half mile from
the spot it became evident, even to the
passengers clustered forward on the
cabin-deck, that the sycamore had re-
manned quite near its old home, for a
long, rough ripple was seen directly
across the line of the channel. Then
arose the question as to how much water
was on top of the tree, and whether any
bar had time to accumulate. The
steamer was stopped, the engines were
reversed and worked by hand to keep
the Bennett from drifting downstream,
boat was lowered and manned, the
Chums forming part of her crew,
and the second officers went down to
take soundings, while the passengers,
to whom even so small cause for excite
ment was a godsend, crowded the rail
and steam.
The boat shot rapidly down the stream,
headed for the shore-end of the ripple.
She seemed almost into the boiling
mud in front of her when the passengers
on the steamer heard the mate in the
boat. shout:
"Back, all !"
The motion of the oars changed in
an instant, but little too late, for, a
heavy root of the fallen giant, just COW
cred by the water, caught the little
craft, and caused it to careen so violent
ly that one man was. thrown into the
water. AS she righted, another man
went In.
"Confound it !" growled the Captain,
who was leaning out of the pilot
house window. 81 hope they can
swim. Still, faint as bad as it
would be if we had any more cargo to
take aboard"
"It's the Chums, remarked the pilot,
who had brought glass to bear upon
the boat.
"Thunder !" exclaimed the Captain,
striking bell "Below there Lower
away another boat-Iively" Then,
turning to the passengers, he ex-
planned: "Nobody on the river d
forgive me if I lost the Chums.
'Twould be as bad as Barnum losing his
giraffe"
The occupants of the first boat were
evidently of the Captains own mind, for
they were eagerly peering over her side,
and into the water.
Suddenly the pilot dropped his glass,
extemporized a. trumpet with both hands
and shouted:
Forrard- forrard! One of ems
up! !" Then he put his mouth to the
speaking tube, and screamed to the
engineer "Let her drop down little,
Billy!"
The sounding party headed toward a
black speck, apparently hundred yards
below them, and the great steamer slow
~ drifted downstream. The speck
moved toward shore, and the boat, rap
idly shortening distance, seemed to
scrape the bank with her port oars.
"Safe enough now, I guessl" ex-
claimed Judge Turner, of one of the
Southern Illinois circuits. The Judge
had been interrupted in telling story
when the accident occurred, and was in
a hurry to resume.
GAS I was saying" said he, she
hardly looked like professional horse
thief. He was little and quiet, and had
always worked away steadily at his trade.
[ believed him when he said twas his
first offense, and that he did it to raise
money to bury his child and was go
ing to give him an easy sentence, and ask
the Governor to pardon him. The laws
have to be executed, you know, but
there's no law against mercy being prac-
ticed afterward. Well, the Sheriff was
bringing him from Jail to hear the YER
dict and the sentence, when short
man, with red hair, knocked the Sheriff
down, and off galloped that precious
couple for the Wabash. I saw the en-
tire ~
"The deuce" interrupted the pilot,
again dropping his glass.
The Judge glared angrily the passen-
gers saw, across the shortened distance,
one of the Chums holding by root to
the bank, trying to support the other,
whose shirt hung in rags, and who seemed
exhausted.
(which ones hurt9" asked the Cap
tain. Give me the glass;"