The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1895-12-28
Go be c%ontinuet.)
THE FIRST STEAMBOAT FARE.
Fulton Wanted to Buy a Bottle of Wire
with 1t, but Couldn't Afford 1t.

Zone of the most interesting incidents
of a business nature connected with
Fulton's steamboat enterprise was the
first steamboat fare paid to him. said
Uncle Joshua to the Boston Herald
man. The narrator of this, who was
also u of the actors in the scene, says:
Il CHANGED to be at Albany on business
when Fulton arrived there in his I'M
heard-of craft, which everybody felt SO
much interest in seeing. Being ready
to leave and hearing that this craft was
going to return to New York. re-
paired on board and inquired for Mr..
Fulton. / was referred TO the cabin
and there found a plain, gentlemanly
man, wholly alone aud engagedin writ
ing.
Mr.. Fulton, I prcsume?
ayes, sir
"'Do you return to New York with
this hoatp'
I'VE shall try to get hack, sir
"Can | have a passage DOWN.
"'You can take your chance with us,
SIR"
II inquired the amount to be paid
and. after n moneut's hesitation, a sum
Il think $6-was named. The amount
in coin l laid in his open hand and, with
his eye fixed upon it, he remained sc
long motionless that I supposed there
might be a miscount and said to him;
Is that right, STRIP
"This question reused him as from q
kind of %reverie. and, us he looked up to
ME, the big tear was trimming in his
eye and his voice faltered as he said.
Excuse me. sir, but my memory was
busy in contemplating this, the first
pecuniary reward l have ever received
from all my exertions in adapting steam
to navigation. l would gladly com.
memorate the occasion over a bottle Of
wine with you, but really | am too poor
even for that just now. Yet l trust we
may meet again when this will not be
the case.'
His voyage to New York was sue.
%cessful, as all know, aud terminated
without accident /"
Some four Years after this, when the
Clermont had been greatly improved
and her name changed to the North
River, and when two other boats-namc.
ly. the Car of Neptune and the Paragon
had been built. making Mr.. Fulton's
fleet three boats regularly plying be.
tween New York and Albany, l took
passage on one of these for the latter
city. The cabin in that day was below,
ana as l walked its length, to and fro. ]
saw that I was very closely observed by
Il | supposed a stranger. Soon, how.
ever. / recalled the features Of Mr.. Full.
ton, but. without disclosing this, ] con.
tinued my walk.
Eat length, in passing his seat, our
eyes met, when he sprapg to his feet,
and, eagerly Selling my hand, ex,
claimed: 1 knew it must be you, fol
your features have never escaped me;
and, although | am still far from rich,
yet | may venture that bottle now 1t
was ordered. and during its discussion
he ran rapidly, but wildly. over his ex.
perience of the worlds GOODNESS and
sneers, and of the hopes, fears, disap-
pointments and difficulties that were
scattered through his whole career OF
discovery-up to the very point of his
final, browning triumph. at which he SO
fully felt he had arrived at last.
"And in reviewing all these, lie said:
4 have again and again recalled the oc.
casion and the incident o four first inter.
view at Albany; and never have 1 done
so without renewing in my mind the
vivid emotion it originally caused. That
seemed, and does still seem, to me the
turning-point in my destiny-the divid-
ing line between light and darkness in
my career upon earth, for it was the first
actual recognition of my usefulness to
my fellow-men."