Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-05-14
DUEL AND WILD GOOSE HUNT
One Of the Most Unusual Incidents
in Western Waters.

One Of the Most Unusual Incident,
in Western Waters.
| A trim, clean-cut, side-wheel steam
boat, the most popular in the Missou
ri river trade, went out Of commission
so long ago that not many river folks
Of the present generation remember
whether she was snagged or wrecked
burned to the waters edge or pulled
to pieces in the boneyard.
"She was not one Of the floating
palaces so often written about in that
day, but she was always on time as
nearly as 1t was possible for any craf'
in the Big Muddy to run with the
clock, and was the best captained OF
anything that carried jackstaff and
rudder. Her head officer was prince
and a diplomat to boot. When he
stood on the forward deck giving his
pilot signals he looked as IL he had
been constructed on the spic and span
lines of the white packet. He was
short and alert. His family was one
of that ante-bellum cult that gave
st. Louis its famous social prestige.
When river travel was an event a
steamer seldom left port without hav-
ing at least one fair passenger who
became the queen Of the voyage. She
became such by reason Of the atten-
ton bestowed by the captain. She
had to be fair of face, but the chief
requisite was personal grace. When
she appeared at the captains right at
the table the question was settled. The
distinction carried with II as many ex-
tras as could be given without slight
ing the rights of the others. Actual
rivalry with dramatic incidents some
times occurred on the same trip.
Before the steamer turned her
wheels in the water on one Of her
trips the doughty captain heard that
two queens" were on his hands. 1t
did not simplify the situation that the
queens were antithetical. The diplo-
matte training Of the captain came
INTO play at the start. The beauties
were alternated at the table. She who
sat at his right one evening was at his
left at the next dinner. One was peer
less In song. The other was mis-
tress in the art of recitation. 1t was
at the little commanders request that
each in her speciality entertained all
who could be crowded into the Ia
dies cabin later in the evening. The
skiIlful arrangement was not noticed
by the travellers, but the crew that had
the privilege Of the cabins not only
saw, but understood, for never before
had they seen the gallant head ot the
trip. All was going well. Even the
deckhand who sounded the stage OF
the water when called to that duty
steamer with two rivals on the same
by the pilots bell cried out his quar-
ter less twain" in a melodious key.
When the steamer backed out on
the second day Of the voyage from
her landing at Herman-one of the
earliest Of the distinctly German set
Elements in the west, and 1t remains
so to this day in customs and archi-
tecture-there was new passenger on
board He was young Prussian. His
bearing quickly indicated that he was
in the service Of his emperor. A for
eign uniform in that part Of the coun-
try at that time was so unusual that
It caused a f1utter. He was given,
quarters in the texas, the uppermost
structure Of the steamboats, Of west
ern rivers The captain satisfied with
the rank and the standing OF the
Prussian, presented him to the two
queens. The count Immediately show
ed his preference for the fair-haired
girl of the north, at the same time
paying marked Difference to the dark
browed beauty of the southland. The
captain was pleased to be relieved In
part Of playing cavalier to his double
charge.
The tie-up at Boonville brought on
board another passenger. He was OF
the Indian type. His commanding
manner caused the hands on the bow
and even the bluff mate to stand aside
until he passed up the grand stairway,
and the mulatto who followed with
his masters baggage, stepped with an
air of consequence that showed he was
the servant Of a man who demanded
I,n
He also was given quarters In the tex
as. The captain knew him and in his
case no credentials were necessary.
That night TIidalgo and Heidelberg,
so named by the clerk, met after din
ner in the ladies' cabin, and the as
semblage looked on as the four types,
two of fascinating womanhood, two
representatives Of manliness and cul-
ture, met under the prismatic chande-
liers that played tinkling music to the
vibrations Of the natty little steamer.
The fine old captain stood with fold
ed hands on the dividing line Of the
two cabins and remarked to his clerk.
There will be trouble before we get
to our destination"
The next night was starlit. The
sparks from the steamers black
smokestacks flew backward like a
swarm Of fireflies and fell into the wa
ters that were upturned to foam from
the revolutions Of the wheels and glis-
tened in the simmer Of a new moon.
The captain piped his musicians aloft
and there the minuet was danced on
the hurricane deck. 1t must be ad-
mitted that in the early times the
southerner excelled in the movements
that make the minuet the dance of the
court. On this night the tropical
types were the favorites. The Prus-
sian, unaccustomed to the convention
alities OF the new country, showed re-
sentiment when his partner failed to
receive the same admiration that was
Enthusiastically given to the Queen OF
the South There was no attempt to
soothe the Prussian's irritation, and
he sent a challenge to the Hidalgo.
The watchful captain kept pace with
oil tbot uos TRANSMITTING His SleeD-