Smyrna times., 1881-04-06
The Wedding Trip.

We had grown up together. "a it were,
M"llr and ], our parents being neishbor--
which does not always mean friends as we'll.
They wPr" poor. ami suspect that fact had
much TO do with their friendship. Tor 0I.
I'~rtnnilieS were always turnn. up for
helping one another; and have often
noticed that, when near nei9hhnrS are we'll
oil and have no need for mutual help
there is very seldom any friendship between
them there Is more apt to be jealousy and
cOmpr. .tion.
Our parents being such good friends, i,
naturally resulted that M"llp and follow
r'l tn ir example. W. went To- schnnl L..
g"ther, played together; and, somehow,
when M"ll;" was eighteen and | was twenty
Sc agreed To travel together all cur livr,,
"nf were very happy al that arrangement
IN fact, no other would have scempd right
or natural, either 10 uS or to our patents.
Frnm the earliest days Of my bnyhnnd
had i"ndnrs- for the water. haunting the
pAlaiial steamboats, that Il ,Atrd on the
grand Mississippi River, IN whose banks
nestled the city |" which We dwrlt, aud at
the period /" which ana about Ia refer,
had just zee urrd rn>ltion as pilot oil u
small freight steamer.
II WA" not much of a position 10 be sure,
nor WAS there much Of salary attached
I" it /; bu', small AS il was, Mnllie and de.
ri'ied that W. could make it answer for
NV" people, neither Of them +xtravagant
ar unreasonable; bs.iies which, had
h"pr~ Of better times To come. as hal re-.
cVlved word of COMMUNICATION from my
employers and promises of specify promo.
ton.
"" early one bright morning, having ot.
! tanned days leave of ahsrnor, Mulliv AMI
! were m FRIED, and stepping int" a Car
rage | had hired for the occasion we star.
ted Oft, having drcl'lrd an days excur.
SION TO II celebrated cave near by. thi,
being all tn" wedding trip W. cuud allow
ourselves, not that We cared in the lrast
however, VIZ were too happy To be in the
least disturbed bV any shortcomings of sun
or purse.
| We had scarcely driven beyond our owl
street when We were brought to halt.
mrs>rngrr when ] recognized AS i,+longimi
To "uI Steamboat company hailed me.
Here's note to you from the suprrn
trnl+nt."
Thus it ran: Am sorry to have to re
call your leave for to day. but you must in,
mrdiatrly 20 On board the Mnlllia, whI
il ready To start up the river. The pilot i
too III to attend To duty, and you are ~,
pointed TO take his place for the present.
There goes our wedding trip all /,
smssh,' said |, rs M"lis read the order.
Why SUP sue asked.
You See must go into the pilot hou,
of the .NoJiia."
"V"ry WE'LL" she replied. we shall
just 90 up the river instead vi to the cave
DRIVE ON. Bot; let Us 90 down I" Ill
wharf in state"
But you cant go in the pilot hou
with the, little goose"
"Oi course. not; hut can sit on ia
deck out,idS," laughed MoIlip, land "
eAR cast langu i>hs.g chances ut each other.
And 81 il cam" I" pass that ! took pO
session of the Mobifa's pilot house, IA.
heart glowing with love and pride; wit
love. for Ihers. just before me, an the lItil
forward deck. sat INV sweet bride. wit
prid-,. because the MObiRa was one of III
finest Il at'ng palaces of the Mississippi
and t" pilot such one had been the heigl
of my ambition.
The steamer was fitted up with a louI.
cabin, one above the other; the upper OF
opening upon ~ small deck. reaching ol
towards the h"w, near the centre Of whic
an "a raised platform, was placed the ill
house. The deck WAS always occupied
passengers. and this morning il was Ia
ticularly crowded, for the boat WAS heavi
: laden with people taking advantage of t.
! h-autiful weather to make an excursion ,
: the river.
: Same rough fellows j,stlsj against NJ,
lies chair after while. and she rose "a.
passed down into the lower cabin, ito q
drink OF water" sh- whispered To me
she passed but ! suspect It was to prpve
the bursting "f the thunder clsud she 3,
gathering On my brow.
saw that the insulpnt fellows made
attempt TO follow nay dear one, So ga
myself up to my own happy thoughts, NJ
l0oking out on the tar distant, p~acei
shores Of the great river, over whose plar
bosoM We were moving so swiftly there ro
from my heart IL glad silent hymn of
jniring
But suddenly cry broke from the cab
behind me that stfrciualIy changed 4
\. current Of INV thought:
Fire fire lire !" A horrible cry at
times, hut most horrible Of all when
rings forth in the midst Of gay. un>u.
cious hundreds hoa,ing in the fnncied
n curity in the niiLst Of the waters.
n. An instanl's awe struck silence succ,
ded that awful cry, and then three hu
@ssa voices Of men, women and childr