The Princeton union., 1879-02-26
A Mississippi River Incident of the
Old Days.

Wv O~JSs
The inexperienced traveller in quiet
home, who has never been tempted to
wander from Its peaceful precincts, has
but faint idea of the emigrant's troub-
les; and many may fail to deeply symp-
athize with Michael O'Reily, the subject
OF our sketch; but there are those who
mingled in the perilous tide, and can
knowingly speak Of the dangers.
MAYBE, Michael would say, 'it's
mesllf that has had full peck measure
of thin, barrin' what injaneously is
capped"
Michael's brother, Patrick, had in
duced him to quit the little cottage and
pratie patch on the green sod for q home
where "goold" flowed up the rivers. At
the time we encountered him he had
reached the spot where "a great man en-
tirely" had prophesied this shiney metal
| would flow to; and he but waited to
reach Patrick's home on the Missouri
River to set net in the stream and catch
his share. As he and Mrs. OR. (who was
we'll, but naturally enough, "wskely'O
were seated on the boat, considering how
they could get farther up the stream, a
steamboat-runner came to their aid, and
forthwith made every necessary arrange
ment for taking them safe. Michael's
mind being at ease about that matter, he
| ventured to indulge in Whit of the
pipe, when he was accosted by another of
the of-in. twenty minutes agents.
"Passage up the Missouri, sir2" inquiries
the runner.
"Yis, I'm goin' wid yes" says
Michael. "Sure wan Nv your boys en-
| gaqed me minnit ago."
The runner, perceiving in moment
that rival had encountered Michael, re-
solved to do the aforesaid rival out of his
passenger, and accordingly hurried him
off to his own boat, by telling him that
steam ,oas up!
The "do,ae" runner, on running and
finding his passenger off, suspected that
the rival boat had secured him, and ven.
tured upon the "terror experiment" te
bring him back.
| Michael instantly recognized his frs
friend, and saluted him with:
"I'm here, ye see!"
"Yes, but you've got yourself into 8
kingdomcome snarl, if you only knowr
it, without tryin'.'
Twist the snarz which way Michae
would it. sounded unpleasantly, and h
ventured to inquire:
"1t's what did ye say kind of snarz
was in?''
II only just want to open your pepper
; to the fact of having been trapped o,
board an old boat, fully i,s1ued, with
desperate shakey 'scapepipe, and en-
gagged to blow'd up this trip; so good-by
old fellow-vou're ticketed."
"Och! if she's fully insured, all's right,
> says Michael, whispering safety to hi
heart; "and the boy that I came vic
says she can run up tree if there's
,, dhrap of wather on it."
"If she don't run up q tree," was tn
reply, 'sshe'n be SURE to run agtn snagg,
one; and then. predicate, some of he
, passengers'il be blow'd tree high; so 70,
are in for it, old hoss. Geod-by! I say
6 if you should see my old uncle doaon tha
: (pointing at the same time Significant
to the rushing river)-the one, 1 mean
: who didn't leave me asy money, tell hir
for me, as he's gone to the d., t
shake himsef-will you2" And afte
delivering himself of the soothing reques
he vanished, leaving Michael fancyip
:, himself astride of scape-pipe, ridin
,, over tree-tops, rocket fashion.
"Och! sor1a the day I iver put fo
: among sich haythinsl" soliloquize
Michael. ITO talk of a mans bei1
blown to smithereens. as if it were but
gintle rap wild shillelah! Faith, it
out Nv this I'll be immigratin' quicke
than you could peel pratie.' An
= forthwith he proceeded to move, with al
possible haste, his stock af worldly e1
}, fects; observing which, the runner, VIII
had awoke his fears, shouted out as q,sis1
ener, "Don't forget uncle; for he woul
think it dreadful mean, if I didn't sen
word by somebody knew was goin' d.
J, rect"
"Leave that luggage alene!" savagel
shouted the mate. "You can't leave th
> boat-you're engaged"
'sThruo for ye's," says Michael, in
4 doleful tone. ''Be dad, was omadhaur
enough to do that same; and yes ca
blow me up wheniver you're mind to.
{. "We won't blow her up" says til
: m ate, "until the downward trip, unlet
;, :, some gentieman's requested it in his bal
), gain. If you've got flying ticket, "
| GRO ho,n6 IN accom- mod afe Won ~