The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-12-16
the PIlo7's STORY.

uclSuDOI6, Huu-Wl1Cu OO06 auOt AWdyS
follow-6rm friends as well. They were
poor, and suspect that fact had much
to do with their friendship, for oppor-
tunities were always turning up for help
ing one another; and I have often
noticed that, when near neighbors are
well off and have no need for mutual
help there is very. seldom any friend
ship between them there is more apt to
be jealousy and competition.
Our parents being such good friends,
it naturally resulted that Mollie and I
followed their example. We went to
school together, read together, played
together and, somehow, when Molie
was Is and 20, we agreed to travel to-
gether all our lives, and were very happy
in that arrangement; in fact, no other
would have seemed right or natural
either to us or our parents. 3 R
From the earliest days Of my boyhood
I had fondness for the water, haunting
the palatial steamboats, that foated on
the great Mississippi river, on whose
banks nestled the city insswhich we dwelt,
and; at the period to which II am about
to refer, I had just secured position as
pilot on q small freight steamer.
1t was not much OF a position, to be
sure, nor was there much of salary at
tached to it but, small as it was, Mollie
and decided that we could make it an
swer for two people, neither of them ex-
travagant or unreasonable; beside
which, I had hopes of better times to
come, as had received words of com
mendation from my employers, and
promises Of speedy promotion. IL
So, early one bright morning, having
obtained days leave Of absence, Mol
lie and I were married, and, stepping
into carriage had hired for the occa-
sion, we started off, having decided on a
days excursion to celebrated cave
near by, this being all the wedding trip
we could allow ourselves not that we
cared in the least, however; we were too
happy to be disturbed by any shortcom-
lngs OF sum or purse. -.
We had scarcely, driven beyond our
own street, when we were brought to g.
halt. A messenger, whom I recognized
as belonging to our steamboat com pany,
hailed me- a. a. s<S aas ~. -. =,
"Here is gat note Tor you from, the
Superintendent. @''~
Thus itran: ess-- .g.
Am sorry to have to recall your leave for to-
day, but you must Immediately 60 on board
the Mobilia, which is ready to start up the
river The pilot is too i'll to attend to duty,
and you are appointed to take his place for the
present
"There goes our wedding trip all to
smash !" said I, as Mollie read the or
der. @< ss'@. o. -
"Why SOP" she asked.
'You see I must go into the pilot
house Of the Mobilia." ,gs g>asH aa :
every WE'LL" she replied. -" We will
just go up the river instead Of to the
cave. Drive on, Rob let us go down to
the wharf in state" a, ., So, sqss.ss2.g9
But you can't go in the pilot-house
with me, little goose.
"Of course not but I can sit on the
deck outside" laughed Mollie, "and
we can cast languishing glances at each
other"
And so it came, to pass, that I took
possession OF, the Mobilia's pilot-house,
my heart glowing with love and pride
with love, for there, just below me, on
the little forward deck, sat my sweet
bride; with pride, because the Mobilia
was one of the finest of the beautiful
floating palaces Of the Mississippi, and
to pilot such a one had for years been
the height of my ambition. -at RI g.
The steamer was fitted up with a
double cabin, one above The other-the
upper one opening upon a small deck,
reaching out toward the bow, near. the
center Of which, on a raised platform,
was placed the pilot-house. = This deck
was always occupied by passengers, and
this morning it was particularly. crowd
ed, for the boat was heavily laden with
people taking advantage Of the beauti.
full weather to make an excursion up the
river. - '
Some rough fellows jostled against
Mollie's chair after while. and she rose
and passed down into the lower cabin,
to get a drink of water" she whis-
pered to me as she passed but I sus-
pectit was really to prevent the burst
ing Of the thunder-cloud she saw gath.
ering Oh my brow. a'Ia@f "d3 81 .to@
saw that the insolent fellows made
no attempt to follow my dear one, so ]
gave myself up to my own happy
thoughts, and, looking out on the far.
distant, peaceful shores of the great
river, over whose placid bosom we were
moving SO swiftly, there rose from my
heart a glad, silent hymn of rejoicing.
But suddenly a cry broke forth from
the cabin behind me that ~efectually
changed the current of my thoughts
"Fire fire! fire r. "A horrible cry Al
all times, but most horrible Of all whe1
it rings forth in the midst Of gay, unsus
picious hundreds floating in fancied Sc
curity in the midst of the waters.
An instant's awe-struck silence sue
ceeded that awful CRY, and then three
hundred voices, sof men, women, ! ant
children, united in fearful, sheart-rend
ing shrieks for help. - IN I - : @
Fire fire !fire!" be aaa ss.a "a
Aye! there was no mistake about it
nor false alarm. No one could tell hoy
it had commenced, but there it wa!
creeping along the roof of the uppe.
cabin, with the dead flames Breedil,
tapping up every scrap Of awning ant
curtain they could find upon their way
ever and anon darling long tongues Q
flame down to the floor to clasp the igh
chairs and tables and settees in their fer,
embrace. fsHS So KAg'
As well seek with sieve to scoop ii
the waters Of the great river on which
the Mobilia foated. as to try to subdu,