Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1885-08-01
A BridegrOOm's Experience.

"A br1QegrOOm EXPERIENCE
Any one who has travelled to anv ex-
tent on a steamboat is familiar with
the unearthly racket made by the lit
tie donkey engine on the forecastle,
when in operation. 1t is mostly used
for the pursose of lowering and hoist
ing freight into and out of the hold,
being known. in river parlan ce, as tho
Tiger" On one occasion the writer
was a passenger on that staunch Ten
nessee river packet, the Silver Cloud,
Capt. Jack Sleeth, with "Old Hoss"
Edwards as first mate. Somewhere
above Johnsonville the boat had ship
ped q newly-married couple. The
groom was a regular curiO, green as
the grass of his native hills. He had
never ridden a mile on a steamboat
before in his life, and, to complicate
matters, some wag had stuffed him
full of stories concerning the horribl o
atrocities the reckless mariners were
accustomed to perpetrate upon their
helpless passengers. The twain were
assigned to state-rOOm near to our
own. Late in the night we were
awakened by a commotion next door.
The boat was at the bank taking on a
number of hogsheads of tobacco. Old
HOss" was ashore directing the work,
and, high above the roar of the escap-
ing steam, his stentorian voice could
be heard giving the orders to the
crew.
"Cut it in the head" he yelled to
the men who were getting the heavy
hogsheads down the steep bank, Il
tell you to cut him in the head; now
roll him over; now hit him with hand
spike-so; slide HIM down and turn
the tiger on him"
"Chew! chew! chew! wh-o-o! chew"
went the .tiger, accompanied with the
usual clanking of chains. Indeed, the
noise was appalling to ears unused to
it.
"As the "tiger" ceased working
there came a wall from the next apart
ment, II told you SO, Marlar; ! knew
1t would be SO! They're KILN the
passengers as sure as there's a God in
heaven. Didn't you hear the varmint
a chawin' 'em up an cronchin' thar
bones! Let's jump ashore while we've
got chance"
"Oh, come back to bed, john"
replied the voice of the bride. ''They
won't hurt us; we've paid our way"
At this instant there came another
yell from .'Old Hoss," this time from
the forecastle: Tackle him with your
hands pixies; cut him in the head; slide
him down endways; 500; chain him
up an let 60 the tiger! "
Lets go, Mariar!" pleaded the
voice of the groom. "DOn't ye hear
it a-tarin' 'cm up?"
Hi! How many more you got up
there? howlcd "Old Hoss" to the men
on the top of the bluff.
Two, STRIP came back tho reply
meaning hOgsheads of tobacco, of
course.
"Hear that, MariarP" almost Shrek
ed the groom, as he rushed out on the
boiler deck guard. They have got
en- all but l an you! Follow met"
And over the rail, on to 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 the hip" muttered the "Old
Hoss" as he caught sight of the flut-
tering raiment of the groom as that
worthy clambered up the bank, which
lowered above the steamers hurricane
roof. Then suddenly recovering him
self, he hailed the men on the summit
with "Hi! up there! Alloy! all hands
above! Catch that thar crazy man
in his shirt-tail yonder!
"The native" was recaptured by
the crew, returned, reassured and
placed in the custody of his blushing
bride. .'Old Hoss" took good care to
lock both doors of their staterOOm,
however, remarking in his wrath,
"Durn his fool skin; amt he pretty
pansy to git married and start a fam
ily? Don't see what his ma could have
been thinking of to let him get so far
away from home!'
The writer will never forget his ride
over that most picturesque of streams;
nor how the tears rolled down the
genial, weather-beaten, old face OF
Capt. Jack-"Old Peanuts" as he is
familiarly known along the whole
lenght of the noble Tennessee-when
he came OH watch and yelled with
laughter as he heard the story; nor
the more than paternal solicitude
with which he hovered over that young
couple for the balance OF the trip.
We extended to him the Arabs bless
ing: "May his tribe increase and may
his shadow never grow lcss!-Bow-
ling Green Sunday Critic.