Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-07-25
A E,HDEGROOM'S TERROR.
scared out OF Ills >tat"-ronm by Nisnnd"r-
.tnnhing the Trnnsnclinns on Dock.

standing the Transactions on Deck.
ANY one who has travelled to any cS-
tent on steamboats, is familiar with the
uncarthly racket made by the little
donkey engine .n tho forocastlc when
in operation. II is mostly used for the
purpose of lowering and hosting
freight into and out of the hold. being
known in river pnrlancc as the tiger
On one occasion the writer was pas
scnCrr on that stanch Tennessee river
packet, the Silver Cloud, Captain Jack
| Slcc,h. with "Od Iioss' Edwards rs
! frs, mate. Somewhere about Johnson
| vile the boat had shipped Il newly
married couple. The groom was
| regular curio, green as the grass Of his
native hills. He had never ridden n
| mile on steamboat before in his life,
| and. to comp!icato matters. some wag
had stuffed him full of stories concern
ing the horrible atrocities the reckless
I mariners were accustomed to pCrpc-
tratc upon their helpless passengers.
| The twain were assigned TO state
room near to our own. Late in the
night we were awakened by commo-
ton next door. Tho boat was at tho
bank taking on number of hogshcads
of tobacco. "Old lloss" was ashore
directing the work, and high above the
roar Of the escaping steam, his stcnto-
rian voice could be heard giving the
orders to tho crew.
"CuT HIM IN THE HEAD,'
he yelled to the men who were getting
the heavy hogshcads down tho steep
bank. Il tell you to cut him in the
head; now roll him over now hit him
with handspikc--so; slide him down
and turn tho tiger on him"
Chew! chew! chew! wh-o-o! chewr
went the ''tiger,' accompanied by the
usual clanking of chains. Indeed, the
noise WAS appalling to ears unused
TO it.
As the ",igcr' ceased working there
camc wall from the next apartment.
Il told you so, Mariar; knew it would
be so! They're KILN the passengers,
AS sure rs there's God in Heaven.
Didn't you hear the yarmint a chawin'
'cm up an crunchin' thar bones? Let's
Jump ashore while we've got a
chanccn'
"Oh, come back to bed, john" re-
piled the voice of the bride. They
won't hurt us; we've paid our way"
At this instant there came another
veil from "Old Hoss," this time from
the forecastlc: Tackle him with your
hundspikos; cut him in the head; slide
him down ondways; $3.50; chain him
up an let 90 the tiger"
Lets go, Mariar!' pleaded tho
voice Of the groom. Don't yc hear it
a-toarin' 'cm upP'
"II! How many more have you
got up thcro?' yelled "Old lloss" to
the men on the top of the bluff.
"TwO, sir" came back the reply
meaning hogshcads OF tobacco, OF
course.
"IIEFR THAT, MARIAR?"
almost shriekcd the groom, ~ he rush
ed out on the boller-dcck guard. "lhey
have got 'cm all but an you. Follow
mo. :" And over the rail onto the land
he went, his wife screaming to him to
come back; but the poor fellow heard
nothing but his own fears and kept on.
What's tho row?" muttcrcd the
sold iloss,' rs he caught sight of the
iluttcring ralmcnt Of the groom rs that
worthy clambcrcd up the bank, which
lowered above the steamers hurricane
roof. Then suddenly recovering him
self, he hailed the men on the SUNNI,
with, Iii! up there! Alloy! all hands
above! Catch that thar crazy man in
his Shi,t-lail yondcr!'
The native was recapturcd by tho
crew, returned, rcassurcd and placed
in the custody of his bushing bride.
"Old llOss" took good care to lock
both doors Of their state-room. howey.
cr rcmarking in his wrath, Darn hi.
fool skin, amt he pretty punsy I,
get married and start Il familyP Dom
see what his ma could have been think
ing OF to let mm get 50 far away from
homer
The writer will mover forget how tn,
tears rolled down the genial, weather
beaten face OF Captain Jack when Ia
came on watch and yelled with laugh
ter as heard the story; nor the more
than raternal solicitude with which III
lowered over that young couple for thu
balance Of the trip BoWIing iree'
(hy) Crittc.