Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1892-04-28

The TACT was filled several posi-
tons in the iire-room, and even rs Il
boy knew something about steam EN-
| glnes.
This reminds me OF my first exper-
fence in engineering. On this occasion
| was firing aboard Il steam tug. A
companion, a few years my senior,
was a hand on the same boat At
the dock, after our days work was
done, and in the early morning before
starting out, my companion and |
were often wont to play steamboat
ing" He in the pilothouse-myself in
the engine room-would send down
the bells and l would respond to them
In this way, for long months, we kept
it up till Null and felt ourselves full
nedged, and were clamorous for devel-
opment into a broader scope.
Alas. We were challenged
One fine morning, while going
through our drill, we were hailed:
''Tug ahoy." Looking to the stream
we described q vessel flying a signal
for "tug.'
Equal to the occasion, we cast of
lines and backed out, and in a. short
time the Kate was alongside the YES
sci with Il salutation from Capt"
Null to the skipper" OF the latter.
Where do you want to go, captain?'
The destination being fixed and the
price mutually agreed upon the an
Choir was hoveup and the Kate went
tugsing away, the wharf being duly
reached and The vessel locked and
mot an egg broken" The next thing
was for us to return to our wharf and
make the Kate snug and fast at her
accustomed place ere our captain and
engineer put in an appearance.
Imagine our forebodings-Nluil at
the wheel Ike at the throttle when
we beheld both OF those gentlemen in
waiting on the wharf. The latter
gave us q familiar smile, while the
former greeted us with:
"Whcrc have you rascals been?'
AS there was Il V in the job we had
hoped for q kindly recognition from
our enragcd "skipper" on rendering
the same, but "ne'er u smile smiled
he
You can dot it down us q fact that
that was the last OF Null and Ipractic-
ing steamboating.
But to 90 back. | was duly INSTALL
ed in the position offered me as ell
gineer and filled it to the satisfaction
OF my employers. We were some
thirty miles from New York, on the
Jersey coast, and during the memoir
able 'Lncoln campaign" Joined the
'Nideawakcs' y ranks. Night after
night the boys went marching through
the streets OF the ad jacent towns, viz;
Newark, Elizabeth, Railway, and New
Brunswick while the air was rent
with the musical strains OF our &C.
companying bands. | tell you We
boys had lots OF fun playing soldier.
Then came election day. Twas my
first vote-and it went for u'ncIe
Abe Important as that first vote
seemed to me it is strange that it was
my lnst-but such is the fact.
In the course Of events | acquired
the command OF q vessel. On March
j, 81, Lincoln's inaugura ton. re-
member our ship was ly.A;; at West
Philadelphia. 1t was a cold biustery
day and we we're ioa"ing & CARO- for
Richmond, Va. We set sail al. in due
time reached that port to ret.,xe that
war was not thing spoken ofmerely,
but actually in progress.
At Richmond at that time and I'M
der existing circumstances it was even
dangerous to be safe" During our
stay in port mum" had been the
word with our crew. My mate, an
''o.d sea dog" always on the alert,
had been keeping an eye to windward
and more than once he had said,
Captain, we're not going to get away
from here
We finally discharged our cargo and
business matters were arranged for
our departure. Our vessel head was
well up at the head of the "basin."
We threw off lines and started on our
way entering the locks at the Rock
cts, and the gates were closed after us
by the locktender. All bid fair for
the f. Headley and crew TO soon be
fairly under way toward home,
place more congenial to our senti-
ments.
But, to the contrary, we coon found
the lock-tender surrounded by mob.
Then the wickets were closed. At this
iuncture l demanded to know the
meaning OF all this.
A rather consequential-ook sort of
somebody stepped forward as the
spokesman for the gang and said:
1--WE have seized your vessel. You
can not leave here" ! asked: "Who
are you, and by what authority do
you do this?"
Pulling n large document out OF his
pocket he asserted: an the name of