The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1892-01-23
A GREAT FOG.

who was also the postmaster had
read all the postal cards and unsealed
circulars that had come In by the last
mail. and was resting from his labors
Neither the liquor or grocery depart
ments OF the establishment were very
busy and peaceful quiet had settled
over the emporium.
IL guess thar won't be many stirrin'
tonight" remarked the major as he
wiped the steam of the pane OF glass
In the door and peered out lit are
one Of the durndest foggyest nights
that most ever see"
Old Pete Strengthened up and took
place beside the major and looked
out at the fog. 1T are thick. major,
that's fact but I've seen it thicker
down in the south country WHARF l
cum frum."
.Oh, go long with yer south coun-
try; to hear you jaw folks 'ud think
that 1t were the only place to live in.
II it is 80 mighty purity down thare
what made you leave it and come up
to this placer"
Delivering himself OF this meant-to-
be crushing retort the major left the
window and resumed his chair at the
stove.
Pete remained at the door a few
moments longer and then he. too
returned TO his seat I'm allow that
this is purity tough fog. can't see
the hitchin' posts an they're only
eight feet from the door; but I've seen
wussern this. though not often.
One OF the men around the store
finally pulled together enough energy
TO ask:
If you've seen worse jest name the
date. Why. old Sile started for home
about half an hour ago. and the fog is
30 thick that he lost his way and run
plump into the door Of Flanigan's
saloon"
IL doubt it." said Pete that old
liar, Sile. could find that saloon II it
was so dark that he had to split his
way through it with a crowbar."
''It's all right for you to call old
Sile liar. but he says that you can
lie him out OF his boots. n II you
ever see thicker fog than the one out
doors now why don't you give dates.
See fog to beat this" said Pete
rather pettishly. 'of course have.
Seen one when ! was boatin' down on
the Mississippi"
How was thatp'
We'll. 1t was SO that what I'm goin
to tell you is plum dead facts. was
second mate for time on one OF the
river boats, and one night goin down
the river we run into fog just afore
we got to Natchez 1t was purity
thick and nasty. and the capting kept
good look out fur'rud and good
one astern."
What did he want one astern forp"
asked one OF his listeners
You're fool. you are. said Pete.
what did he want lookout in the
stern for but to keep some careless
cuss from running up behind him an
Dustin his rudder of Anybody can
see you amt no sailor, and II you
want me to prove what l say, you
keep yer jaw quiet
las was sayin', the capting had his
lookouts watchin' mighty sharp. and
then we nearly run into half dozen
boats before we reached the town. We
put of our load and took on q whole
passed. OF other stuff that loaded the
boat down hard, and then we left
Natchez the fog kept gittin' thicker
and thicker, until finally 1t got so thick
that you could wash your face in it. "
Did you improve the opportunity
for wash, Petep" asked one OF the
men; but Pete paid no attention to the
sarcastic remark and continues:
you couldn't see through that fog
no more than through milestone. and
the pilot up at the wheel could hardly
hear the lookout hollerin' to him. The
capting begun to git leetle scarf as
he had sort OF lost his bearin's, so he
slid up and gave me the orders to
heave the lead. I hove her over and
she went down, down. until the rope
was all out and sings back to the
capting that the rope was all out and
she hadn't touched bottom yit"
.Jerusalem!" said the capting.
''what part OF the river have we
struck There ought to be a turn in
the river here somewhere. Put her
half speed and keep the lead going"
so the engineer Stacked her down
and kept singing the lead over but
1t went clean down with no signs OF
touching bottom. and kept hollerin'
back rope all out instead OF the
usual mark so and so Bine by the
rope went out OF my hand with yauk
and was gone. reported 1t to tho
capting, and he was mad rs yaller
hornet for you see 1t was the only lead
we had. on board. and that gone. we
could not tell how near we was to bot
tom. Then / took long pole and
every once in a while punched it
down, but could not touch bottom any
where The capting was the most
surprised man you ever see, for we'd
been going ahead all the time and
hadn't reached the bend In the river
had not gone much further
when we noticed that the old boat was
actin rather queer. 1t seemed as
though VIC were going up and down
on heavy seas, but It was so thick and
dark that we could not see the water
The capting ordered the anker over
and we let out every bit OF chain we
49, sA~ I.x~v. "a xkt~ -