The Forrest City times., 1896-07-17
RURAL SURVlvAlS.
"Reminiscences of the Past About thS
Northern Waterway.

"Reminiscences of the Past About thS
Northern Waterways.
You find everywhere "reminiscences OF
the past clinging like green growth
about the northern inland WATERWAYS
"reminiscences of those past days OF
which old LOSING, in his ever-delight.
ful Field-Book, writes of "a neat little
canal packet, it's cabin crowded with
passengers and well-supplied dinner.
table, and it's deck piled with as much
luggage and as many loungers as low
bridges and a hot sun would allow
and of which he says: For a loiterei
who takes no notice of the passing
hours and who loves to glide along list
lessly amid green fields and shady
woods, voyage upon a canal may be
really delightful, especially il the face
of nature is attractive, and a companion
or agreeable book assists in smoothing
the passage of time" The old fellow sc
wrote his delightfully."- stiff and formal
phrases about 1850. That was in the
very palmy days of canal travel, and il
Is of those days that "reminiscences
still cling about the purlieus Of locks
and of open basins.
l spent nearly an hour of one still
and tranquil evening with an old lock,
keeper, listening to his narratives OF
those bygone days. He told me with
great circumlocution of how the rival
packet companies used to run theil
boats with 12-horse teams and great
show OF colored trappings and jingline
bells; OF how the crews Of the packet,
used to quarrel whenever they would
meet; of how the companies always
provided crews of fighting men n
punch the heads of the crews of the op
position line. He told of how the pas
sengers used to crowd the decks; oil
how the gentlemen used to step ashore
at the locks; of how the bar could no,
supply them fast enough with drink.
The presence of the smooth, CLASSY
stretch OF waterway, and the cataractal
rush OF water overflowing the upper
gate into the lock where the continual
accompaniments to his words, the
background to the narrative, and they
made it all seem very real. could pic
ture to myself those old-time packets
their decks crowded with passenger.
the men with bell-crowned hats
high-rolling collars, and stocks; the
women with smoothly brushed hair
big bonnets, ample skirts and leg-of
mutton sleeves. / could fancy the
Homeric battles of the fighting crews
their red shirts, the hair curled for
ward over the cheeks, the trousers
tucked into their top boots. could
imagine the shouting and brawlina
when the packets met--the screaming
OF the ladies and the confusion of thu
gentlemen.
The old lockkeeper got up to oper
the gates to some on-coming boat, and
sat down and watched the lumberins
hulk as it sank lower into the locx
with vast and tremendous rushing oil
water out of the wickets. did not &c
away, and by-and-by the old man came
back and resumed his "reminiscences
and l sat there far into the gathering
OF the warm, starry darkness, behold
ing, through him, as IL were, a glimps.
OF other days and of another life, gone
never to return, excepting in the dim
twilight of the Imagination.
Those peaceful narrow stretches oi
water highwaysl Those gentle, kindly
simple folk! Those slow-moving
heavy-ladened barges, with the limo
cent, pan-like music of mouth-organ OF
accordion sounding distantly from the
little cabin-house upon the deck.
HAPPY | shall voyage thither among
them some time again; if not. those
things shall linger with me as swee'
and tranquil memory of passage OF
very happy hours Harper's Maga
zine.