The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-03-29

erer-pcrhaps In fifty papers in the course Of
few ycars-as containing the maxim in it:
original set'irg.]
Old Times OH the mississippi.
From ark Twain's Experience rs related In tn,
Atlantic Mcnihly for APRIL
thought i had finished this number
but wish TO add 4 curious lbiT 6 while it is
in my mind. 1t is only relevant in that it is
connected with plotting. There used to be
an excellent pilot on the river, Mr.. y :.
who was q somrambuIist. 1t was said that il
his mind was troubled about bad piece OF
river he was pretty sure 10 get up and walk
in his sleep ard do strange things. lie was
once fell0w-piot for q trip or two with
George T. on great New Orleans pas
sepger packet. During considerable part
of the first trip George was uneasy, but got
oyer ii by .apd.by, a. Y. seemed content 10
stay ia bis bed when asleep. Late one
night the boat was approaching Helena,
Arkansas. The water was low and the
crossing above the town in 4 very blind
and tangled condition. y. bad seen the
crossing hice = had, and As the
night was particularly drzZly, >ulicn, and
dark, T. vas considering whether he
hid rot better have Y. called 10 assist in
and y. walked in. Now, on very dark
rights light is q deadly enemy to plotting.
You are aware that if you stand in q lighted
Ioom OF such night you cannot see things
i'll he street. TO any purpose; but if you put
GU, The lights and stand in The gloom you cab
make out objects in The street pretty well.
50. on very dark nights pilots do not smoke.
They allow no tircSln the pilot-houSc.stove il
j. q crack which can allnU Tho lpo>t ray
tU\csc;,l G. They OF der the furnace, to be cur
taiAcd with huge 'arpaulns and the sky
li2N,s 10 bc closely blinded. Then no light
Wu,h,ver issues from the boat. The undo.
fnaalc shpe that now entered the pilot
house had Mr. KS voice. This said:
Let mt takc her, MIR. E; Pye seen
this place since you have, and It's so crooked
hat reckon can run it myself easier than
! cuuId tell you Row 10 do it,"
II j. hiru OF you. and swear 1 am will
ir@. h",n't got another drop of perspira.
Lien left in ne. ! have been spinning
Muurd and around the wheel like SPUR
rr II l. so Clark can't tell which way she
j. Swinging TIL she is coming around like q
WhirlgiS"
So E took seat on the bench, painting
and hltattltss. The black phantom assumed
The wheel without saying anything, Stcadicd
the Nai'zing steamer with aturn or two, and
then stood al ease c0aXing her q little 10 this
side and then 10 that, - gently and aS swcctly
rs If lie tin" had been u0onday. When E
Observed this marvel Of steering he wished
TIC had not confessed. He stared, and " on-
dered aud iiually sad:
We'll, thought | knew how to steer u
:tcainuo.lt but that was another mistake of
m'ne."
y. said nothing, hu. went scrcncly on with
his work. He rang for The leads; he rang 10
SOW down The steam; he worked the boat
carefully and neatly irto invisible marks.
then stood at the centre of the wheel and
ic,scd blandly out into the bhckness. fore
ard aft, 10 verify his position; as the leads
sliuaed more and more he stopped the en-
giucs entirely, and the dead silence and suS-
pcusc OF drifting" followed; when the
shoalest water was struck he cracked on
the steam, carried her handsomely over, and
then began TO work her warily into the next
system OF shoa.marks; the same patient,
hcedlul use of leads and engines followed,
the boat slipped through without touching
bottom, and entered upon the third and last
intricacy Of the crossing impeiceptibly she
moved through the gloom, crept ty inches
into her marks, driltcd tediousy till the
shoalcst water was cried, at then, under 8
tremendous head of steam. went swinging
over the reef and away into deep water and
SAFETY!
E let his long.pent breath pour out in
great, relieving sigh, and said:
"That's The sweetest piece Of plotting that
was ever done On the Mississippi river. |
wouldn't believed it could be done if hadn't
seen it,
There was no reply, and he added:
Just hold her five minutes longer, part
DER, and let mt run down and get a cup of
cvilre."
y minute later E. was biting into pie
down in The "teXas," and comforting himself
WITH coffee. just then the night-walchmaD
happened in, and was about 10 happen out
again, " hen he noticed E and exclaimed :
"Who is nj the wheel, sir!"
OK"
Dart for the pilot-house quicker than
lightnipg!"
The next moment both men were flying
up the pIlot-house compauion.way three
steps Jnmp! Nobody there! The great
steamer was Whistling down the middle OF
the river at her own sweet will! The watch
man shot out Of the place again. E
seized the wheel, set an engine back with
power, and held his breath while the boat
ttluCl1utiy ~ GHo away llol loh utau
which she vas abcu, 10 knock into the mid.
die of tie Gulf OF Mexico!
BY and by the Waterman came back and
said:
Didn't that lunatic tell you be was asleep
when be first came up here?"
"No."
swell, be WIS. found him walking along
On top Of the ratings just Il, unconcerned as
another man would walk pavement, and
put him to bed. Now, just this minute there
he vas again, away astern, going through
that sort Of tght-rope devi,ry the same rs
before"
"Well, think Pll stay by next time he
has one OF those tits. But hope he'll have
them often. You just ought 10 have seen
him take this boat through Helena crossing
/ never saw anything so gaudy before. And
if he can do such goldIeaf, kid glove, dia
mond-breastpin plotting when he is sound
asleep, what Couldn't he do if he was
deadY'