The morning times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1897, 1896-08-30
is spread By the masculine hand of tn
boatnan's wife.

is spread by the masculine hand OF the
boatman's wife.
CHILDREN ARE PLENTIFUL.
,c1 headed children OF all sizes and ages,
with greater or less amount OF clothing,
bcbbed up everywhere on the towpath.
along the edgesof the water where the more
timid ventured but a short distance in, and
out into the canal where the more venture
some disported themselves in high glee and
got rid Ut a weeks accumulation of dirt.
Small babies were on the decks encased
fri soap boxes and sending forth spasmodic
yells OF delight or anger, or were hitched
up in a sort OF harness, to which was at
tached n strap OF leather, the loose end
being tied to an iron ring fastened in
plank, to prevent the little ones from rolling
off the deck into the water, when the
mother was giving her attention to some OF
the other manifold duties which devolvc
upon her.
Men were sitting about, idly dangling
their bare feet over the, edge of the
beat. smoking their coruCob pipes or try
ing to discover, by the aid of their crude
knowledge OF mathematics, where any
profit was to come from when the canal
company had been paid SIS for the Use
of the boat, SIC for the hire OF the four
mules, the lock men the $3.50 for their
necessary services, the three or four hands
their wages, the feed man for the hay
and the oats for the stock, ani the grocer
for the necessaries of Hfe-canal men know
not the taste OF misunderstanding the trip
down, the long wait of perhaps a week
or ten days before their turn to unload,
and the trip back, which is generally
moneyless one, for freight is rarely sent
to the headwatefs OF the canal
Sohietimes boatman is lucky enough to
carry back a small cargo of lumber, but
az the cases are isolated ones aud there
are scores OF applicants for the handling
the freight bill amounts to almost moth
Ing. Perhaps half dozen of the men
We're laboriously perusing the contents
of book. magazine, or newspaper,
given them by some charitable person.
Those OF the women who We're not pre-
pairing the evening meal were sitting be-
side several OF their numerous nocks of
chi idren, soothing them and snatching
disconnected sentences from some peri
+, odicai in their lap A few, of the coarser
and masculine type. lolled around like the
tobacco.
The mules were tethered along the bank
In groups OF four. They contentedly grazed
on the rank growth of weeds all about and
seemed to ask nothing more than to be left
to their own asinne thoughts and pro-
clivties.
SUNDAY AIR OVER ALL.
II was varied scere and yet t seemed
to lie pervadcd by the quiet which else
where distinguishes Sunday from tie other
days OF the week. And, pray, why shouldn't
there be n similarity? 1t was n scene where
man was the chief figure, and snot ma IN the
same in gcneraiities the world over?
A small SQUARE, one-storied brick struc.
tire. which used to do service in years gone
by storage house Tor the cannon balls
nioltied In the old, half-ruined mill in the
rear and which stands on the left hank of
the canal. about 800 yards west Of the
Aque,iuce Bridge. play an important part
in the religious life of the canal chill
dren and incidentally the lives OF the
fathers and the mothers.
Above the door is a small white wooden
cross and underneath is a strip OF white
wood bearing the Scriptural verse. Come
unto me all We that labor and are heavy
laden nj will give you rest
Inside the HnpaPered walls are hung
tions from the Scriptures and colored
char, s like tlsose,in vogue in the infant
departments of church Sunday schools.