Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1875-02-11


come home and swl Il
in his blackest nnd
that nobody cou
ties "a his taIE q - Is ~ ga g
them that he forgot cobmon people
could not understand them He would
speak of the 'larboard" siih Of . horse
in an easy, natural way that would
make one wish he was dead. And he
was always talking about est Looy"
like an old citizen; he wolid refer cas-
ually to occasions when he was coming
down Fourth Street." or when he was
passing by the Planters House," or
when there was q fireakd he took a
turn on the brakes Of ssthe old Big Mis-
souri," and then he would 60 on and
lie about how many towns the size Of
ours were burned down there that day.
Two or three of the boys had long been
persons of consideration among rs be-
cause they lad been to Louis once and
lad vague general knowledge of its
wonders, but the day Of their glory was
over now. They lapsed into humble
silence, and learned to disappear when
the ruthless ''cub'' engineer approach
ed. This fellow had money, too, and
hair oil. Also an ignorant silver watch
and q showy brass watch chain. He
wore a leather belt and used no sus-
penders. If ever q youth vas cordially
admired and hated by his comrades,
this one was. No girl could withstand
his charms. He ''cut out" every boy in
the village. When his boas blew up at
last, it diffused q tranquil sontentment
among US such as we had not known for
months. But when he came home the
next week, alive, renowned, and appear.
ed in church all battered up and band
aged, q shining hero, stared at and won
dered over BY everybody, il seemed to
us that the partiality Of Providence for
an undeserving reptile had reached a
point where it was open to criticism.
This creatures career could produce
but one result, and it speedily follow
ed. Boy after boy managed to get OF
the river. The ministers. son became
an engineer. The doctoE,slnD0 the post
masters sons bcc:smc< y ze1E
wholesale liquor dealer et3llhc Z
bar-keepcr on boat; four sons of the
chief merchant, and two sons of the
county judge, became pilots. Pilot was
the grandest position of all. The pi-
lot even in those days of trivial wages,
had princely sala!y-from q hundred
and fifty to two hundred and fifty dol
lars a month, end no board to pay
Two months of his wages would pay a
preachers salary for year. Now some
of US were left disconsolate. We could
not get on the river-at least our pa
rents would not let US.
So by and by I ran away. I said !
never would come home again till
was pilot and could come in glory
But somehow / could not manage it.
l went meekly aboard few of the boats
that lay packed together like sardines
at the long st. Louis wharf, and very
humbly inquired for the pilots, but got
only cold shoulder and shert words
from mates and clerks. / had to make
the best Of this sort of treatment fol
the time being, but I had comforting
day dreams of future when / should
be q great and honored pilot, with plenty
Of money, and could kill some of these
mates and clerks and pay for them.
Months aftcrward the hope within
mc struggled to a reluctant death, and
I found myself without an ambition
But I was ashamed to go home. Iva:
in Cincinnati, and I set to work to maj
out a Few career. had been readins
about the recent exploration of the
river Amazon by an expedition sent out
by our government. It was said thai
the expedition, owing to difficulties, had
not thoroughly explored part of the
country lying about the head-waters
some four thousand miles from the
mouth of the river. It was only about
fifteen hundred miles from Cincinnati
to New Orleans, where / could doubt
less get a ship. ] had thirty dollar.
left; would 60 aud complete the ex
ploration of the Amaxon. This wa.
all the thought gave to the subject
1 never was grea. In matters Of detail
I packed my valise, and took passag,
on an ancient tub called the Paul Jones
for New Orleans. For the sum of six
teen dollars / had the SCARED ans
tarnishcd splendors Of "her" main sa
loon principally to myself. for she wa
not creature to attractthe eve Of wise
travellers.
When we presently got under wa,
and went poking down the broad Ohio
/ became new being, and the subiec
of my own admiration. was a trav
eler! A word never had tasted SO goo,
in nv mouth before. I had an exul
tant sense of being bound for myste
rious lands and distant climes which
never have felt in 50 uplifting degre
since. was in s1ch . glorifed condi
ton that all ignoble feelings defarte,
out of me. and vas able to look dow
and pity the untrayeled with compass
sion that had hardly trace of con
tempt in it. STILL when we stopped q
villages and wood-yards, / could no
help loiiing carelessly upon the railing
of the boilsr deck to enjoy the envy Q
the country boys on the bank. If the
did not seem to discover me, / present
lysneezed to attract ther attention, q
moved to o position vAe1e they coul
not help seeing me. Ard a. soon q
] knew they saw Ue 4 gaped an
stretched. ard gave othaT sigus Of b