The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-08-30

got them at a lower figure than he had
offered the original owner, the latter also
having had to sell at lower figures than
he had demanded in Jeffersonville. When
the Indiana butcher had paid a drover
$1.25 and 10 cents per head ferry toll on the
cattle, he had still a pleasant little bal
ance of s26 saved by not buying the cattle
at his own shopdoor.
Sunrise on the Ohio river in late August
breathes all the leisure of golden Septem-
Der. Already has the sun lost it's summer
fever and melts away the shadows around
the island and the mists over land and
river with a gentle, unnsistent persuasion.
All pink and golden now. beneath pink
and azure sky, the water lies-dimpling
brightly, east and west, under the yet slum-
boring breezes of yesterday. Fishermen
are out early, their little black craft dot
ting the stream, but a long line of big
boats at Louisville and along Towards
shipyards at Jeffersonville, lie dreaming
still. with quiet paddle wheels. The dream
end of Louisville has faded in the night,
and with an awakening air ''shps. towers,
dcmes. theaters and temples greet the glo-
rious East. ''The city now doth like gar
ment wear the beauty of the morning"
yet asleep, but church towers and spires
at their prisons, and with high-lifted,
glittering ball and cross, salute and adore
the day. The old black levee-mender is
early abroad at his work with pick and
wheelbarrow. but does not lave his face in
the stream until hour more awake.
Jeffersonville is earliest alert, and girls.
girls. girls, bright mosaic of blue, pink,
green. white and red shirtwaisted girls
stream down the hill path TO the ferry.
against a waiting background OF five loads
of Indiana hay. Even with such early ris-
ing the girls make merry; they chatter
and laugh the upper deck of the "Hite''
Men thus early up. however. seem less en-
lvened, and sit i'm yawning. silent groups
from shore to shore. \ skiff laden with
laborers puts off for the Kentucky bank,
its blue and yellow oars glancing brightly
over the water. Gay-colored grocery
wagons--red. brown, yellow and green
still rattle on aud off the ferry-boat. The
levee-pgeon and the sparrow on both
shores. seeking their breakfast food
A noticeable character is the ferry-boat
sparrow of these round trips. He lies in
wait at the rivers, edge and often flies
aboard before the ferry lands. Swiftly he
scours the upper deck for bits OF peanut
or cake and cracker crumbs which passen-
ger children drop all day long. When the
bell taps he flies ashore again to busy him
self on land till-~the boat returns Now
and again the arrow gets carried far
out OH the river While he is absorbed in
feeding: then he xims to the rail. scans
the wide water with a Mustered air, but
decides, as the safer proceeding. to stay oil
the boat. Swallows and martins fly far
out on the river. swooping to the surface
with lively cries
BY O'Clock fiocks OF ornamental girls
trip down TO the ferry-boat: girls wearing
roses and head chains, and girls carrying
punches of nastuTtiums. The o'clock men
are "a brisker lot than their earlier awak-
ened brothers; they laugh and chat, knock
the chairs over, slap catch other in friend
~ fashion. and make "A cheerful social din
With the passing hours the ferry-boat
pilot gets wider awake, and his methods
with the warning bell unmask him as an
expert humerist. Peradventure. the bell
may seem 10 tap by the pilots watch. but.
IN sooth he taps IL his sense OF humor
prompts. Fat men are his special temp
tation. lie loves to make them hustle and