The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1875-08-20

another boat-livelyr Then turningto
the passengers, he exclaimed: Nobody
on the river'd forgive me il / lost the
Chums. Twould be as bad rs 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, iato the water.
Suddenly the pilot dropped his glass
extempor zed trumpet with both hands,
and shouted;
"Forrard-forrard One of ems up!
Then ne put his mouth to the speaking
tube. aud screamed to the engineer
"Let her drop down little, Billy"
The sounding party headed towards
black specll, apparently hundred
wards below them, and the great steamer
slowly drifted down stream. The speck
moved towards shore, and the boat rapid
v shortening distance seemed to scrape
the bank with her port oars.
safe enough now, ! guess" eXclsim-
ed Judge Turner, OF one OF the Southern
Illinois circuits. The Judge had been
interrupted in telling - story when the
accident occurred, and was in - hurry
to resume.
"As [ was saying, said he, abe hardly
looked like pro essional horse thief.
He was little and quiet, and had always
worked away steadily at his trade.
believed him when he said twas his first
offence, and that ne did il to raise money
TO bury his child; and | was going to
give him an easy sentence, and ask the
Governor to pardon him. The laws
have to be executed, you know, but
there is no law against mercy beng
prscticted afterwards. Well, the sheriff
was bringing him from Jail to hear tn"
verdict and the sentence, when short
man with red hair, knocked the sheriff
down, and off galoped that precIoas
couple for the Wabash. | cav 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 u root to
the bank, and trying to support the
other. whose shirt hung in rags, and
who seemed exhausted.
(Which ones hurtn asked the cap
tam. "Give me the class.
But the pilot had left the house aid
taken the glass with him.
Tho aa.sa eontinund;
~ saw the whole transaction through
the window. | was so close that | saw
the asslilants very eyes. Id know that
| fellows face if | saw il in Africa
| "Whv, they're both hurt" exclaimed
/ ,ba c,nf.in HThry'Ye thrown cont
over one, and they're crowdln' round
the othcr.~What the They're comm
back without them-need whisky to
bring EN- to, suppose. Why didn t
send whisky down by the other boat!
There's All awful amount of time being
wasted here. What's the matter, Mr.
| Bell?' shouted the captain, as the boat
approached the steamer.
Both dead replied the officer.
Both? Now ladies and gentlemen
exclaimed the captain, turning towards
the passengers, who were crowded for
| ward lust below him. ri want TO know
il that int streak Of the meancSt kind
Of luck? Both of the ahums gone?
Why won't be able to hold up my
head in New Orleans. How came 1t that
"Red tumbled out, and Black jumped
in after him." replied the officer. "Red
n Us. have been caught in IN eddy and
tangled in the old trees roota-clothes
torn almost ofI-head caved in. Black
must have burst q blood vessel-hi7
face looked like copper pan when he
reached shore, and no just groan'd and
| dropped.
The cantain was sorry, so sorry that
he sent the waiter for brandy. But the
CAPTAIN was human-busness was busl-
ness-tho rain was falling, and a big
log was across the boats bow, so he
shouted:
Hurry up and bury EN-, then. You
ought to have let the second boats crew
gone on with that, and you have gone
back 10 your soundings. They ,coS the
Chums to be sure but now they're only
dead roustabouts. Below therc Pass
ont couple of shovels!
perhaps some Indies would go down
with the boat, Captaln-and preacher
too, if there's one aboard, remarked the
mate, with All earnest but very mystic
rious expression. =,
"Wbv. what in thunder does the fell
low mean soliloquized the captain aud,
ibly. Women-a and preacher for dead
roustabouts? What do you mean, MI
Bell?'
"Red's woman" briefly responded the
mate.
The passengers all started--thc cap
tain brought his hands together with
tremendous clap, and exclaimed:
"Murder will ont! But who'd have
thought | was to be the man to find out
the secret of the Carmi Chums? Guess
I'll he the biggest man on the New Or
leans levee after nil. Yes, certainl y-of
course some ladies II go-snd a preacher
too if there's such man aboard. Hold
up. though-wcll all go. Take your
sGundings, quick, and we'll drop the
steamer Just below the point, and tie up.
[ wonder ifthere Is a preacher aboard! /
No one responded for moment, then
the Judge spoke.
Before | went into law | was the
regularly settled pastor ola Presbyterian
church" SAID he I'm decidedly rusty
now. but a little time will enable ma to
prepare myself properly. Excuse me,
ladies and gentlemen.
The sounding boat pulled away, and
the Judge retired to his stateroom. The
ladies, with pale faces, gathered IN a
group and whispered earnestly with
each other; then ensued visits to eHch
others ststerooms, and the final regath-
ering of the ladies with two or three
bundles. The soundlngs were taken ana
rs the steamer dropped down stream
men were seen cutting a path down tue .
steep clay bank. The captain put MS
hands TO his mouth and shouted:
"Dir only one grave-mske II VIDE