The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-04-09
L,Pg ON The WAVE.
Not Exactly "0eeau wave" but n Deep
too "Roiiing" for Comfort.


too "Roiiing" for Comfort.
The river rose about ten feet in the night
between Saturday and Sunday A man and
his family were living In house boat moored
10 the Ohio shore below the city, and went to
bed Saturday night close TO land, with stage
plank for communication with terra hrma.
Yesterday morning the head OF the family
was awakened by bis wife, and found the
irail bark rocking, 10 use his own words,
like all possessed" and ripping Of waters
made him look down at the floor, which was
covered several inches deep with water. His
first tho ght was that the boat was sinking,
and picking up his two children aud calling
To his wife 10 follow, he made for the little
platform at tho end OF the boat She
was half dozsn rods from Shore, the
stage plank was floating about among the
willows which had been several feet from the
waters edge the night before, and his skin,
which had been lying across the stern OF ths
boat, was disappearing around bend below.
A passing packet had run too close for safety,
and though there was no immediate DANGER
the man says 1t was rather damp opening
for such u pretty day. The house was well
furnished, and after good deal OF trouble,
the owner got the craft poled to shore. and
took the furniture and carpets out In the
sun to dry, while the family camped out for
the day.
There reporter saw them yesterday In q
little exploring expedition, and opened
| conversation with the man. After getting
the story, the reporter asked:
"How long have you lived this wayT
"Well, we've been aboard this boat about
touryears, starting up 10 Pennsyl yania. That
,youngest one there was born on the river"
"D0 YOU like the life, or why do you fol-
low it?''
"oh, have enjoyed myself. Ny health
was breaking down and ! happened to get
hold OF this boat on debt man owed
me, and Ms the doctor advised me to 30
South, and | couldn' very well afford II any
other way, got little stock Of queensware
and glass, moved our household goods on the
boat, and started with my wife and two
babies. We have things pretty homelike
when we're fixed up"
Thought you said the younger child
was born on the boat"
She was" said the man, and his manner.
which had been very matter.of.iact, changed,
and his voice soitened. 1--WE lost one baby
away down In Indiana year ago. That made
my wife pretty home sick for while, and II
rather robbed The life OF Its charms for me,
and as soon as We can make It back up home
we will leave the water for good. It's u sort
OF a gypsy If, at best, and Is not regarded rs
The reporter did not see why respeo table
PEOPLE should not live In that way, and
said so.
Neither do !, for that matter. But they
seem TO be mighty scarce all ,at. Only. the
other day we stopped by u town over night,
aud the next morning the police came
aboard with sseRrch warrant for some goods
that had been stolen out OF store In the
night. why, gentlemen says1, we only
got here last night, and have MT been
ashore But they went on with their search,
and my wife who Is sort O. hystericky ever
since ihe little boy died, got to crying.
When they got through they sort o apollo.
gized, and said the people who lived In boats
was bad lot, and they suspected US as soon
as they found we were there. ! s'poSe ]
could MT blame them, but II was kind OF
grating on an honest mans feelings"
as the business proGtable?'
We've laid up some money, but we live
pretty cheapIy. G .ods sell well enough, but
the farmers Jew fellow down 30 there's
precious little profit in It. Often one can
trade for some country cured ham. or some
apples or some lard or something you use,
and get better bargain. Farmers along the
river is curious folks. They'd rather give
you two dollars worth OF produce for goods
than dollar in money.
'Sometimes We laid up at little town and
staid for month, and did good deal OF
trade, but In most OF the towns where there
are stores there's prejudice against store
boats At Cincinnati my wife invested In a
lot OF cheap chromos and we've made the
most money on them. They 20 oil like hot
cakes in the country"
Here the man, who looked as II the novel
tour south had accomplished the desired
effect, picked up bucket aud started down
the bank for water, and the reporter babe
the family good day and sauntered on.