Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1876-02-09

officer. "Red must have beer
caught in an eddy, and tangled ir
the old tree roots-clothes almost
torn of-head caved in. Black
must have burst o blood vessel
his face looked like copper par
when he reached shore, and he
just groGned and dropped"
The Captain was sorry-so sorry
that he sent a waiter for brandy.
But the Captain was human, bus
mess was business, the rain was
falling, and big log was across
the boats bows, so he shouted:
"Hurry up and bury 'em then.
You ought to have let the second
boats crew gone on with that, and
you have gone back to your sound
ings. They was the Chums TO be
sure, but now they're only dead
roustabouts. Below there! Pass
out a couple of shovels."
perhaps some ladies would 60
down with the boat, Captain-and
a preacher, too, if there's one on
board" remarked the mate, with
an earnest but very mysterious ex-
preston.
"Why, what in thunder does the
fellow mean I" soliloquized the
Captain audibly. "Women-and n
preacher for dead roustahouts p
What do you mean, Mr.. Bell?"
"Red's a woman" briefly res
ponded the mate.
The passengers all started-the
Captain brought his hands together
with tremendous clap, and ex-
claimed:
"Murder viii out But who'd
have thought I was to be the man
to find out the secret of the Carmi
ChumsY Guess I'll be the biggest
man on the New Orleans levee,
after all. Yes, certainly-of course
some ladies'll go-and a preacher,
too, if there's such man on board.
Hold up, though-well all GO
Take your soundings, quick, and
wen drop the steamer just below
the point and tie up. I wonder if.
there is a preacher aboard"
No one responded for a moment
then the Judge spoke:
"Before went to law I was the
regularly settled pastor of Pres
byterian Church." said he. "Pm
decidedly rusty now, but q little
time will enable me to prepare my
self properly. Excuse me, ladies
and gentlemen"
The sounding boat pulled away,
and the Judge retired to his state
room. The ladies, with very pale
faces, gathered in a group and
whispered earnestly to each other;
then ensued visits to each others
state-rooms, and the final regath-
ering of the ladies' with two or
three bundles. The soundings
were taken, men were seen cutting
a path down the rather steep clay
bank. The Captain put his hands
to his mouth and shouted:
"Dig only one grave-make it
wide enough for two"
And all the passengers nodded
assent and satisfaction.
Time had been short since the
news reached the steamer, but the
Benefits carpenter, who was
man, had made q plain
,ofIin by the time the boat had tied
ip, and another by the time the
grave was dug. The first was put
upon long hand-barruw, over
which the captain had previously
spread table cloth, and, followed
by the ladies, was deposited be-
side the body of Red. Half an
hour later the men placed Black in
the other coffin, removed both to
the side of the grave and signaled
the boat.
"Now, ladies and gentlemen"
said the Captain.
The Judge appeared with a
solemn face, his. coat buttoned
light to his throat, and the party
started. Col. May, of Missouri,
who read Voltaire and didn't be-
ieve in anything, maliciously took
The Judges arm and remarked:
"You didn't finish your story.
Judge" .f t,s
The Judge frowned reprovingly.
"But really" persisted the Col
onel, II don't want curiosity to di-
vert my mind from the solemn