The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-02-10
est. Louis Globe emocrat.)

A trim, clcan-cut Side-Wheel steam
boat. the most popular in the Missouri
river trade. wen out of commission
SO long ago that not many river folks
whether she was snagged and wreck
ed, burned to the waters edge or
pulled to pieces in the b%oneyard.
"She was not of the floating
places so often written about in that
days. but she was always on time as
nearly as it was possible for any craft
in the Big Muddy to run with the
clock. and Was the hest captained of
anything that carried Il jackstatf and
rudder. Her head officer was Il prince
and a diplomat to boot. When he
stood on the forward deck giving his
pilot signals he looked as If 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 a%ntebellum cult that gave st.
Louis its famous social prestige.
When river travel was an event Il
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 it as
many extras as could he given with
out sighting the rights of others. Ac-
tual rivalry with dramatic incidents
sometimes occurred on the same trip.
Before the steamer turned her
wheels in the waters 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 We're antithetical. Tho diplo-
matte training of the captain came in
to play at the start. The beauties
We're ~alternated at the table. She who
sat at his right IL evening was at his
left at the next dinner. One was peer
less in song. The other was a mistress
in the art of recitation. 1t was at the
little commanders request THAI each
in her speciality entertained all who
could be crowded into the ladies' cab
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 Of the
steamer with two rivals on the same
trip. All was going we'll. Even the
deckl1and who sounded the stage of
the water when called to that duty by
the pilots bell cried out his quarter
- "a NSNs
When the steamer backed out on
the second day of the voyage from
her landing at Hermnn-onc of the
earliest distinctly German settlements
in h west. and it remains so to this
day in customs and architecture
there was a new passenger on board.
He was a young Prussian. His bear
ing quickly indicated that he was in
the service of his emperor. \ foreign
uniform in that part of The country
at that time was so unusual that ii
caused a f1utter. He WAS given quar-
tiers In the Texas. the uppermost struc-
ture Of the steamboats, of western
rivers. The captain satisfied with the
rank n the standing of the Prussian,
presented him to the two queens. The
count Immediately showed his prefer
ence for the f%air-haired girl of the
north. at h same time paying mark
ca 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.
l., The tie-up at Boonville brought on
a another passenger. Hc was of
the Indian type. His commanding
and even the bluff mate to stand aside
until he passed up the grand stairway,
n 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
attention. and knew how to accept ii.
He also was given quarters in the
Texas. The captain knew him, and in
his case no credentials were necessary.
That night Hidalgo and Heidelberg, so
named by the first 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 Gull
ture. met under the %prismatic chan
deliers that played tinkling music to
the vibrations of the nattv- little
steamer. The first old captain stood
with folded hands on the dividing line
OF the two cabins and remarked to his
clerk. There will he trouble before
we get to u destination"
The next night was starlit. The
sparks from the steamers black
smokestacks flew backward like a
swarm of firefies and fell into the wa
tiers hat We're upturned to foam from
the revolutions Of the wheels and glis-
tened in the simmer Of a new moon.
>R9Hn r1n - -ONI- :.