The Van Buren press., 1898-03-19
THE END OF -.
-. THE EUROPA.
%s&s~e>ee~e&e~e~

4
ping from its mouth to far beyond
the swinging bridge. Barges and
schooners, lumber hoolzers and Whale.
backs were crowded along the docks,
leaving but a narrow channel in the
middle. A tug towing a brigantine,
with masts as bare as fagpoles, came in
from the bay, crying: make room
make room for me-" A freight steamer
followed looking Ikea giant at the heels
of dwarf.
In a dingy slip between two coal
wharres an old steamer lay close by
stone barge. Here the water was COW
cred by scum of sawdust and floating
debris, over which rats picked their
way. The steamer was sids-whee,er,
of an old-time build, her once white
paint changed to a muddy gray, her
paddle-boxes split and broken. On her
bow she bore the name of Happy Day"
in new, black letters.
The barge lay beside her good while
before it ventured to speak. "Youare
stranger about here, aren't you? I'm
here every week or two, and l never
saw you, though there's something
familiar about your build"
you've seen me before, many q
time," the steamer answered, grimly.
"My names been changed-I was the
Europa"
What" the barge exclaimed, mot
the famous Europa? The one they used
to call Pride Of the Lnkes?'"
Eyes; that one"
81 hadn't heard of her-or you, l
mean" the barge said, "for such a long
time that supposed you'd been sunk
or broken up for your old iron"
1--WE been running between two bay
ports" the steamer said, 'for several
years. Last month I was bought by a
company to be used as an excursion
boat between here and Miller's Point.
They changed my name to Happy
Day" 1t spoke in a voice Of sullen de-
spair.
Dear me-" said the coal barge, "you
have come down. I've often seen you
going into a port as if you owned the
five lakes. Who would ever have
thought that | would be talking with
the Europa" The coal and stone barges
are the lowest caste on the lakes-even
the canalboats look down on them-and
they seldom dare speak to a schooner or
steamer.
"Never having been high you can't
realize my feelings" the side-wheeler
said. "They say that when l was
launched / was as beautiful as dream.
You should have seen my saloon-all
white and gold and my furniture COW
cred in blue brocade-a grand piano
silver services at every table-a carpet
like bed of pink roses. Once a great
senator took a trip aboard me-that
was a time-such inners-such scurry-
ing waiters-sueh a popping of corlls!
There was band to meet us at every
port and fireworks every evening. was
decorated from my wheelhouse TO my
stern and had whole row of flags
strung up on my masts like washing
hung out to dry. All, those were days"
the old steamer sighed.
"Hullo-there comes the City Of
Chiwalkee," the barge cried. its atten-
ton having wandered while its COM
panion talked of her past greatness.
1t had grown dark in the river and the
red and green lights were twinkling
and winking at their reflections in the
water. but outside they could see the
stately bulk of the Chiwalkee as she
swung into the rivers mouth. She came
slowly and maiestically upstream, her
mast lights burning and every window
on her main deck showing as a yellow
square; her band was playing dance
Music and her passengers hung over
the rail as she passed the slip where the
Europa lay.
That boat groaned and strained al her
in the swell that came from
the others side. "To think that / was
once like that ard now lie here i'm the
dark like a thief" II moaned. "Many
time I've come up this river in just that
way and swung up TO the dock, while
everybody cheered me. Now I'm only
good enough TO haul a lot Of greasy
cxcursionists TO the point and back.
Taught how ] hate 'em. always eating
and drinking until they turn sick i'm the
smallest sea. I'm going 10 toss and roll
tomorrow so that they'll wish they had
never left their dooryarde."
care you going out Tomorrow ?" the
barge asked. ats bound TO ne rough;
the sky was covered In maekerel scales
before rundown"