The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-06-23

an end; the upper and lower jaws quivered
and trembled, and the moro he tried and in.
sisted on them doing their work the moro they
wouldn't The traveller first looked astounded
then sorrowful and plying, and then dis
gusted. Finally Ably, losing all patience. and
being mortified. for he was very sensitive as to
his defect, Strengthened himself up and by q
superhuman effort bawled to the traveller
d it; go on, for you can get there before
l can tell you the way" and the traveller went,
not even thanking Ably for his urbanity, for
the traveller was we'll posted and knew that it
would not be healthy to make any uncaled- for
remarks as to the defects of any Of the Blundy
family.
Bang clash goes the bells; those that were
not utilized for
CANNON AND cANNoN-BALLs.
It was beautiful Sabbath morning, the sun
| was shining brightly, and the crystal drops of
water sparkled on leaves and flowers for there
had been slight rain. The birds were singing
| sweetly, and great crowds Of men, women and
children, as we'll as colored aunties and uncles
| and pickaninnies. were all vending their way
in one direction of-church? No; but to the
river. Religion and church were laid aside for
| the time being, and out in the middle of the
! river, safely anchored, with great signs up
mo admission on board" were two blockad
runners loaded from stem to stern, and from the
hold to the hurricane roof, with everything
| 1t be, little blue smoke emits from the CHM
| neys of each, scarcely discernible; anchors are
| weighed, and stealthily they crawl up to the
| wharf. Gang.planks are placed in position,
Gordon of soldiers stationed, no one being adj
| mitted on board but officials and stock holders;
congratulations, handshakings and even hug
ging and kissing in rap.urous enjoyment, were
exchanged in honor of the great event of
thwarting the Yankees once again in evadng
the blockade feet and safely landing immense
! stores in Southern port. Liquids flowed as
water; imported luxuries were bolted and con-
sumed in large quantities; the acme of happi
ness had been reached. Burns's description of
Tam O'Shanter and the landlords and land
lady's joviality" was as nothing compared to it.
And now the stevedores begin their work.
Great bales, bundles, and boxes of merchandise
strew the wharves; long lines Of drays appear
In the distance, loaded with compressed cotton,
ready to be put aboard as soon as the necessary
room could be made for IL. The great doors Of
the Customhouse are wide open, and the drays
that brought the cotton take the merchandise
TO 1t.
THE BELL DID RING
for church, but the attendance was slim, and
from early morning until late at night great
crowds came and went to see the sights and
hear the gossip. During the day the two ves-
sells were entirely discharged of their valuable
freight reloaded with cotton, and at midnight
sudb HlSuo aSdlu LOT udYaua,
The usual day advertisements were inserted
in the papers, and the coming sale is the great
talk and wonder ofthose peculiar times.
Before the sale took place there was an incl.
dent happened that think should be recorded
under the head of Blockade Running. A South
ern gentleman, now residing near New York
City, proposed to play the part of profitable
humanitarian, and by some MEANS of which | |
am not conversant obtained from President
Lincoln Il saw tho permit MYSELF the privilege
OF trading cotton for medicines and other arti- |
clcs that humanity would suggest for the BEN
eft of the citizens and soldiers of the Con feder-
acy. With this permit he went to Now Or |
leans. obtained an immeIse supply. turning |
over the portion he agreed Ito to the Confedsr- |
ate States officials, and disposng of the balance
as he thought would do the most good from |
humanitarian standpoint. Procuring q small |
steamer, he loaded her with cotton, in order to |
carry out his part of the contract in good faith. |
The vessel was to leave a certain port for New |
Orleans on certain Sabbath afternoon. Now, |
notwithstanding he had religiously carried out |
what he agreed to do, and it was acknowledged |
that the supplies he had brought into the Con-
federate lines had been
THE MEANS OF DOING GREAT GOOD
both to the citizens and soldiers, no objections
being raised until they had got the full bene-
fit of the supplies, then, at the last moment,
when steam was up, the gang plank hauled in,
and orders given to let 70, it was suddenly dis
covered that such aiding and abetting of the
enemy should not be permitted by any means.
and soon great mob rose up. An Indignation
meeting was called, led by little spit-fre
conseript officer. A crowd placed themselves
below the boat on the bank Of the river, and
they had in some way procured q cannon and
threatened to blow her out Of the river should
she weigh anchor for New Orleans. This
honest humanitarian, notwithstanding it was
HsahI tn i'm rlo o1 in lin 10 ha 4
mitted to carry out his part of the contract in
good faith, but all to no purpose. The steamer
was only an ordinary river boat, in no way
and no doubt would have been
blown out of the water had she attempted to
have passed that particular point, and not one
ounce of that cotton did the United States au-
thorities ever get, notwithstanding they had
paid for it in full.
Mr.. F, the gentleman who had made the
contract, as last resort, appealed to the Con-
federate General in command of that particular
port to enable him to carry out his part of the
agreement, but he appealed in vain, the COM
handing General taking the position that it
wishes, as he termed it, of the citizens.
And now the great sale day has arrived.
Blundy and Jack are on hand, the former
LOADED TO THE MUzzLE
With imported edibles and drinkables. The
;alesroom of the Customhouse is clearly swept
aud sawdusted, not a particle of dust discern
lble anywhere, for it was the hight of the am
oition of the colored people of both sexes to be
In employe of the Customhouse, and they ex-
,elled each other in tidiness and cleanliness
hoping thereby to retain the coveted positions
And now the auctioneer mounts the rostrum, J
dressed In superb imported French broad
10th suit, and, surrounded by elegant ladies
rom far and near, he makes his best speech |
md cutest remarks and the sale begins. Bid
ling is spirited, Confederate currency of all
Kinds is poured into the hands of the cashier,
md long before the sale is over it accumulatss
n such volume that 1t has to be sent off to the
lifferent banks in order to make room for
more.
And now there is an excitabe bidding. An
imported mocking- bird in beautiful cage is
he cause of the animation. Several refined 6
aides and Blundy are the opposing parties. l
The old fellow was feeling good, grand, and
,lorious "o'er the ills of life victorious" and
the indignant glances of the
aides, he bid, bid, and bid, and kept on bidding
InalIy saying that his bid was five dollars over
anybody else and 1t was knocked down to him t
or $1,000. He gave yell of triumph that I
choed and re-echoed from cellar to dome of t
hat immense building. 1t was he considered, t
great victory for Blundy, and to hear him t
xpatiate upon it was ludicrous, if not instruc- l.
i've. The bird and cage was turned over to /
ack with emphatic instructions that t