New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-06-24


husband and wife generally grouped togethet-hus-
band sitting. wife standing. with nand Oh his
shonlder-and both pseserving an oss vni.ts
brisk 81 Now smile If you pleaseW Braeketed over
what-not-place OF special sacredness-an Outrage
in water-colvr done by the young niece that came
on a yisit long ago. and died. Pity, too; for she
might have repented OF this in time. Horse, hsir
chairs. horse hair sofa which keeps Siding IIom
under you Window shades, OF oil 5tun WIN
milk-maids and ruined castles stencllled on tnem
in fierce colors. Lambrequins dependent from
gaudy bookings Of beaten t9 gdeG ssn5o sort
with a sag in the middle, the cords needing tght-
ening; snuffy feather bed-not aired often enough;
cane-seat cnars. splint- bottomed rocker LOOKING
glass on wall school-sate size, veneered frame IN
herited bureau; wash-bowl and pitcher, possibly
but not certainly; brass lcandlestck, talow candle
snufers Nothing else in tho room. Not q bath
room in the house: and no visitor likely to como
along who has ever seen one. That was the resi-
dence of the principal citizen, al the way rom the
subutbs Of New Orleans To the edge OF sc. Lodls
The serious manner of Mr.. Clemens is shown in
his rarrative of Mr. Bixbys exp plot IN passing Hat
Island at night:
Coming upstream. pilots did not mind low, water
or any kino of darkness nothing stopped them
but fog But down stream work was different;
boat was too nearly helpless, with II stih current
pushing behind her; so It Was not t. customary 10
There seemed to be one small hope. however; II
we could get through tho intricate and dangerous
Hat Island crossing before night We rou an
better water. Bnt it would lie insanity TO attempt
Hat island at night. so there was deal OF loolnR
at watches all the rest of the day, and CONSTANT
cipherIng upon the speed we were making; hat
Island was the eternal subject; sometimes hope
was high ana sometimes we were delayed ny pa1
crossing and down 10 went again. FOR honrs al
hands lay under the burden OF this suppressed OK,
element; it was even communicated 20 me, ana
got TO feeling so sOlicitous about Hat Island, ana
nler sHch an awful pressure OF responsibility that
wished might have five minutes on shore 10
draw q good, full, relieving breath ana staEt over
again We were standing no regular watches.
Each of pilots such portions OF the river as
he had run when coming Upstream, because OF DIS
greater familiarity with it but both remained IN
'"S bour before sunset Mr. Bixby took the wheel
and Mr. W stepped aside. For the next thirty
minutes every man held his watch ms hana anu
was restless. silent and uneasy. AT las soheoouy
said. with doomtul SIGH
It,"
sighed aud muttered something about its beng
. foo had too bad-ah, II could only have got
here half an hour sOOnerW and the place was thlck
with the atmosphere OF disappointment. Some
started TO 90 out busloItcred hearing no bell-tap
10 land The sun dipped behind the horizon, the
boat went on ng1Tng looks pas'qa nj from nm G 'hs
door knob ana had turned II, walled then pres
emily took away his hand and let the KNOB turn
hack again We bore steadily down the bend
More looks were exchanged, and mods of surprised
admiration-but words. lnsenslbly the men
drew together behind MIR. BiXby, az the Ky DARK,
silence and sense of waiting became oppressive
Mr. Bixby pulled the cord, and two deep; mellow
notes from the big bell toated oil on tue night
Then a pause and one mOrs note was struck. The
watchmans voice followed, from the hurricane
deck ,,y
The cries Of tie eadsmen began 60 rise out OF tho
distance. and were gru1iy repeated by The v ord
passcrs on the hurricane deck.
Mark three i, aaTH onr'o 6nVs pa,
twain Mark twain! -. Quarter-less -
Mr.. Bixbv pulled two bell-ropes,. and was an
svcred by faint nglings Tar below "a lnS SnsS n
10 whistle through the gauge-cocks, The cries OF
the leadsmen went on-and 1t Is weird sound,
watching now with Fixed cJ es. and talking under
his breath Noho ly was calm and easy but Mr:
Bixhy. He would put his wheel down and stand
on a spoke. and as this steamer swung into her TO
mel utterly invisible marks-ior We seemed TO be in
the midst OF a wide and gloomy sea-he would meet
and fasten her there. Out oil the murmur of half
audible talk one caught coherent sentence now
~" "Tbsto; she's over the first reef oil right!D
After q pause another subdued voice -
Her stern's coming down just eractly right by
Nov she's in the marks; she goes!'
Somebody else muttered =
ON. NJ was done beautiful-JeaHtifal"
Now the engines were stopped altogether and we
drifted with the current. Not that could see the
bv rms fine This drifting was the dismallost
work; it held ones heart still Presently dis
covered blaeker gloom than that which snr-
rounded us. IL was the bead OF the island. We
were closing right down upon II. we entered IT'S
deeper shadow. and so imminent seemed the Teril
tnat was likely TO suioGate; and bad the strong
eat impulse to 40 something, anything, to save the
vessel But still Mr.. Bixby stood by bis wheel,
silent. iutent as o Cat, and all the pilots stood
shoulder to shoulder at his back: ,,,
She'll not make II, somebody whispered.
The water grew sboser end shOaler. by the leads
mans cries till 1t was down to
Eight-and-a half! Eight feetl
E-i-U IA 4 feet SfNen-anQ
Mr. Bixby said warningly through his speaking
tube to the engineer
stand by, now!'
sAye-aye. sir!
seven and shalt! Sev-n feet S6-and"-
We touched bottoml Instantly Mr.. Bxby set a
lot of bells ringing, shouted through the tube,
- Now. let her have it-eyery ounce you've got!"
then TO his partner. /" Pit her hard down snatch
her snatch herr The boat rasprd and ground her
way through the sand. hung upon the apex of dis
aster a single tremendous instant. and then over
she vent And such a shout rs went up at Mr.
Birbys back never loOsened the roof of pilot
There was no more trouble after that. Mr.. BIIby
was hero that night and IL Was some little time.
TOO before his exploit ceased TO be talked about by
river men.
Once In while. but ii Is very seldom this di-
yeIs0e ed writer attempts the romantic picturesque
uauner-as may be seen in the following extract:
had myself called with the 4 o'clock watch,
IN ornings for one cannot sec too many summer sun
rises on the Misslsslppi: l9ey are enenantina.
hush brools everywhere. Next there IL the hannt-
inc sense OF loneliness isolation remOteness from
the worry and hustle of tho world. The dawn
orseps In steathily Sue solid walls OF black forest
soften TO gray and stretches of the river open
mn and reveal themselves; tho water is glass
slnootf gives of spectral little wreaths Of white
mist there Is not the faintest breath of wIud.
stir of leaf the tranquility is profound and inf
nltely satisfying. Then bird pipes up another fol-
lows and soon the pipings develop into jubilant
riot of music. You none tf the birds; Won sim
ply move through atmosphere OF song which
seems 10 sing itself When the light has become q
little stronger you have OF the iairest and soft
est pictures Imaginable. You have the intense
green of the massed and crowded foliage near by
YOU see it pans shade by shade In front Of you
upon the next projecting cape mile oil or more,
the tint has ghtened to the tender young green OF