The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-11-23

The evening was som hfe AZ We alter walt
Ing come time, were informed, "Iour steamer
IA really coming now. She Is overdue, there
IA the smoke which heralds her. and bark.
yes that ID the whistle, sure enough" and
yelling on came the river queen, whose tire
less march down the yielding waters Illus
trated modern Invention, the triumph Ut
mind over matter. and the wonder working
ingenuity Of man. on whose upright form and
intelligent features are stamped the likeness
of his maker: though far inferior, q likeness
still.
But heavy rain drops were pattering around
This was not our worst trouble, tho time be-
Ing short and our steamer crowded with pas
sengers, we were obliged to drive down To the
boat-house LII all haste, and the splendid span
Ut horses conveying w. curvattnR and shying
as though regardless of the steep descent
down which we drove or of the sowrolling
river at its terminus. Well, va were aboard,
and could no longer distinguish loved forms
waving their adeu as deliberately our ark Of
safety directed her Prov southwark, and,
obeying the pilot, piled her immense wheels.
the river her highway,
There was I'D moon til silver the waters out
side. but within all was hustle. A saloon,
long and well lighted, WIS filled with passen-
gers, almost all ut them entire strangers to
each other. The observer uf humanity had
before him a motley group. How diversified
the cOuntenances and manners ot those Tor
tuituusly assembled On this tedious river yoy-
age---how yalious and engroesins theil objects
oil Interest. One had d group of children
under supervision another was absorbed with
newspapers just received, third wanted 10
play the agreeable. and seemed to occupy his
time In doing anything servieeable for those
who needed assistance. WI cannot say that
hr ssrnc ufatpfuIly trpNfn1. tho contrary. IL
seemed to us that his universal attentions
we're construed into Intrusive attempts 70
make acquaintance with strangers What
evar his motive for extraordinary pollteneSs
may have been, he was certainly snubhed.
fourth. enmmodiousiy seated under a chande-
lier. read perseverinRly we hope bis book
was valuable one, since reading at the time
must have demanded considerable exercise OF
will a. well a. power of concentration
hut we had retired. It was our first night
on the steamer We werely fairly atioat, aud
Tomorrow would bring ~ own reveallngs.
Sunrise on the overriding tiver-suntise on
It's wildly verdant hauksi Fta tho breakfast
hour; eatter Of dishes and hurrytng steps
remind us 81 this There are birds, too sUs-
pended lii their cages, swinging gieefully as
though they hung In come Areadian bower
and the free winds nf Heaven played about
their wiry prisons But there is music 81 an
other kind. A band of dark MINISTRIES. with
skill. and evident devotion to sweet sounds,
give utteranCe to whatever inspiration there
may M III Sweet Rye-and-hye,' "fhe Old
Clock" etc. Breakfast ov /. our attention
was demanded in another dlrecttan. VIZ.
Landing places, sand bare, passing steamers,
and. above ALL our, fer fhe time. associated fell
jow.yoyagers. Well. one OF two OF these. OBJ
livious of early bird songs. or African choir
iRts persisted In stfummlnE on the piano.
We cannot consider a steamer the proper
nlaca for practice of this kind, since music.
Though admirable In its place. yet, like any
other good thing, becomes an annoyance II
necessarily dmned into ones ears
Who evidently shared our feeling
iii this particular Size declared ahe was
tired of noise and betonk herself to the guards
LIN the stern of the boat. Here she remained
gazing oil, the water far EoIua Time anu ap-
preaching lady, with whom che was unac-
nuaInted. said 1--WE bee's now in danger; 50
much snakes In dc water here, q enake boat
srna. nov ahead" "SnakeA' exclaimed her
Interested auditor, what can YOU possibly
meanP" II means just what says--suakee,
yes, sixty feet long. what stands II the flvei
and strikes the steamer u never heaFn 81
this responded her auditor. snakes OF hal
immense size In the Mississippi! You auazf
ms" III tells YOU the truth. replied She with
great energy; "mtne own husband got hls
boat sunk here, mid all the cotton on board
and snakes done IL. They com from ".
rnnda draps into the river and II " dreadful
ruin and danger to boats. DO those snakes
hiteY" asked her companion, scarce restrain
ins laugh. mo. mait'n. they hstes ho,'
bit they strikes and are awful strong plant
cd i'm the river" light htgau tndawn on
the lstener 'You uIean aHaHa | suppose
trees fallen into the river "nd lmoaansu
thereP" "Yes shuost so; snakes what was
once trees. tell you true they bees awful
Evening came down on the Father q
Waters'' Our good steamer hai hiaS'd Wy
dreaded Snakes 4" far. SOFT breeze sue
eeeded midday heat. aud. slowly ASCENDING
came forth the queen 81 W. SILVER bow. Stfl
after star tWinklyi iii heavan = vast cancaNe
among other consultations WA that kuowi
by astronomers as Great ana Little Scar.
cluster ri stars whlch move Fou''d r ~ l'as .
h,lt never sink below the OCEAN. lhese arc
say mytholugie records. the unfortunate
CalIsta aud her hunter son-the ioriner con
verified ta a bear hy ]una'- Jealousy. tha iRtlel
saved from the crime OF ignnEan'ly e'aSlhe
his mother by Jupiter. whe, Fuatehtng then
from earth placed them eternal stars VI IN
heavens. But W. leave pert roa th" Sileh
watchers of night. and call back our wander
ing thoughts tnreality aud the present. luitl
admitting that ''etal gain !, something
too ethereal for tbs spirit wv thN agA Here II
a merry scene certainly, Masl" III lul! intte
n blaze of light, and nimhlt GauGer ilOatihh
liz and fro with III Nin4 t.nl hn tAttttl ~ tl1l
ing its best, and realty performs Very well
Meantime, our steamf / has conn Ia staha
still. lii short, her r4Vtsa y lfp"ned ~
dreaded sand-haT Here ~ matter to
anxiety indeed The dance Il over; we 81
patiently awaiting every ney announcement
or our situation. Epirg thFr5F hNkati, hhh ~
breeze consequent On m"ti9n, coming ~ "
fresh us we have a host ot VISITORS tioth TIL
shouting swarms 81 lnnas, lF".S ~ l,s' -
yering mosquitoes. wlnptN th'lf songs aHRu
our ears, making oar ftsers HtiH hsiti+ ssttSt
BILE of the fact that they pot oh'N sing. Y"
sting. We have Am aversion N' l1nsAdlS0Fs
who has not? and wv think tfe hNrda- etnaFa
ting from Western r,ss may well compel
with those of the Antilles long-tamed 10
venom. .
And now We near Mempui emphatleall;
the city OF the plague" We might no
pause, for the yellow winged messenger 9
death held high carnival Ill the WI nm AZ
deserted streets. How grim tne city iooke'
on her elevated position, ske mourning
mother grieving for her dead We sorrow
ully turned away, aud were glad to be IN