The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-04-10

a sadder sight in the nautical line than ~
steamer which treads the dusty nood -
tween jeff and Cedar City. Ia ~ ap-
preached the mud pie whfeA = ~ =
landing, our driver sounded the sac hut
as a signal for the old colored iuebriate
who acts as crew to lower the drawbridge.
The latter is an old and well gnawed c.
lection of warped fence boards, one corner
of which curls up like the toe of burned
boot.
When the omnibus passes over this
bridge the entire crew has to stand on this
corner to hold it down or the wheels will
not go over, but the crew had been out the
night before attending a dinner given by
the Board of Trade, l think, and he did
not have entire control of his faculties, so
he neglected to stand on the warped gang
plank and serious accident was only pre-
vented by getting off the bus and lifting
it on the boat
The boat itself is broad amidships, with
no saloon to speak of, though if you are
acquainted with the pilot you can get
something out of his overcoat pocket
which will answer every purpose, it is
said.
The train does not start until this boat
gets across, no matter when that is, and
it is very uncertain, for the boat might
spring leak and fill full of sand in little
while. Then it would be very difficult for
it to start up again.
The crew, as / said, consists of COL
ored man named Potiphar p. Rawlo, of
Galloway county. He has been married
ten years, and eight children have blessed
their home, so he is told; but as he has
lived on the boat all that time, night and
day, he only knows about his family by
report. Lately he has taken to drinking,
and talks of establishing residence at
Sioux Falls for the purpose of obtaining a
divorce.
How sad it is, after ten years of welded
happiness, living of course simply but
happily. the wife on shore and the hus-
band on the wave, to snap the golden cord
happy past forever. Is it not indeed
tough?
had intended to make this letter more
profound and reconcile than usual, but
other matters seem to crowd out those
plans and prevent the work being so re-
condite as had arranged for.
Yesterday received condensed story
in manuscript from a man who wishes
me to get it published at once, as sit
should be issued at least four weeks be-
fore the national conventions" he says.
Otherwise the conventions will most
likely be bitter disappointments, Judge.
He says the book Is a timely one, and
should have been published two months
ago TO fit people for the coming national
convention" He says this to me in q
tone OF reproach which | am sure do not
deserve. / could not have published the
book, even if had been at home, and had
it done by this time. Possibly not by
another year even, or may be later than
| that.
hate to have a stranger hop on me that
way for not publishing his book and going
| out afterward personally to canvass for IT,
! Few people of the great work-a-day world
realize that | am engaged in BUSINESS
| business which occupies my time and re-
| quires my best energies. The idea that 1
| sit up in large haymow all day reading
rejected manuscripts, and then in the
| evening that | go about from house TO
| house as a professional parior entertainer,
giving readings from my own works in ex-
| change for broken candies and the heel
taps OF large public dinners, is erroneous
! and ought to be exploded somewhere on a
vacant lot outside the city limits.
This manuscript is, or will be, ready for
the printer in few days, SO the writer
says. lie never wrote anything before for
publication, being an engine wiper at the
roundhouse, but he can hardly wait for
this book TO come out. He thinks I am
setting II up now and sewing on the bind
ings, perhaps. of evenings after the chill
dren are asleep. This is mistake
Any publisher who would like this man.
uscript, however, can obtain il by writing
me and incloslng postage, together With q
promise to get the book thoroughly seat
national conventions.
| @A2 AW