The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-07-21
AN ICE DELAY.
How the state OF tho North River Innu-
enres European Travel


New dangers are often added to the
undertaking of European tour by the
presence of ice in the North river, says
q writer in the New York Herald. If
you think that u fanciful proposition
went over to IIobolSen.
1t was cold day and the river was
pretty full of ice-a good deal fuller
than 1t had been the day beforc-a fact
that some of my fellow passengers
learned to their surprise and agony
when 1t was too late. Why agony, un-
less the boat was smashed? Because
they were crossing to take an outgoing
steamer. They were three we'll
dressed, gentlcmanly fcllows-that is,
they were very gentlcmanly when they
came aboard with their sticks and their
rugs and their umbrellas neatly
strapped up, and their handbags shin
ing like Xmas presents, with silver ini-
tails
They sat down together, and one,
pulling out his watch, remarked easily
that they had plenty of time, and an
other said that 1t was "bcastly to be so
early, don't you know. with all the fell
lows that are bores, you know, hang
ing around talking to you for hours"
and the third said Yes and the plank
was always SO chol1ed with the visitors
you couldn't find your state-room with
out lot of fuss" and that u steamer
the hour before she sailed was the best
place for pic!lpoclfcts in the world, and
that he never wanted to be on hand
fifteen minutes before the Gangplnnk
was drawn in.
Meanwhile the boat had drawn out
and WAS putting on steam to crush her
way through the ice. The three zen
tlemanly fellows had done everything
just rs they had meant to- and were
beautifully satisfied with themselves,
but they did not seem 20 know q great
deal about ice in the North river. Prct-
ty soon the boat stcppcd-thut is, she
ceased to go forward aud, US one of tho
passengers said, began to chaw on the
ice" The ice did not seem to mind it,
nor ut first did the three ocean-bouud
travellers But time went ON and the
boat didn't, and after awhile 1t began
to strike them that this was bad coru-
bination, and that if it kept up long
enough it might be announcement One
went out of the cabin, saying he was
going to find somebody to ask about
things. This Napoleouic measure did
not perccptibly increase our all but i'm
perceptible progress When he came
back the three looked at eoch other
very blankly, then they looked at their
watches and looked banker. They did
not seem to find much consolation in
conversation. They began tramping
about uneasily. One discovered that
from window they could see their
steamer lying at her dock They all
stared at her in turn long and earnest
ly Still the boat chawcd on the ice
The mutterings of profanity could be
heard from their once gcntlcnnnly lips
At last the boat forged aiIcnd for q few
feet, and the trio in WOO looked each
other in the face end smiled once more.
When progress again stopped and the
chawing was renewed their last estate
was worse than their first When finally,
by bacleings and startings and many ma
neuvcrs that all consumed time, we got in
to the clcnr water, they looked ten years
older than they did when we left New
York. Never had a trip to Europe used up
more vitality in the Same length of time.
They tried to exchange d few words
about the improbability of the steamer
leaving exactly on time, but their voices
seemed to stick in their threats, and it
was plain to any man with a watch In
his pocket and IN advertisement of the
line in his paper that they were still
left even If the steamer should lie
good many minutes late.
When ut last we got in they had their
measures arranged for the best fight
they could make. They had taken all
their traps and bags to some cmploye
on the fcrryboat TO keep till called for,
only putting in their pockets some small
things from their contents, for carriages
and hacks are not common around that
part Of l1obokcn, and they were wise
enough to prepare for the run that they
soon took. They started from the boat
at very nearly full speed, in spite OF
cheerful warnings from their fellow
passengers, ncwsboys and others to
save their wind.
a number of them followed al q lesser
speed to sec how they came out A cry
of stop thief" was raised by an uncn-
1ightened IIobokcncr, but he was
chokcd off The three gcntlcmanly fell
lows were for the time hardened to all
the sings and arrows of outrageous
torture. Not 30 when one OF them had
to come back alone. He was shorter
and fatter than his companions; they
flew over the wavering gangplank just
rs it was trembling on the very point of
retirement from public service. lie
didn't lie returned amid expressions
of sympathy from the Interested popu-
lace to hunt up the man that had all
their things, and with plenty of time to
consider what he'd do next