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Article THE BOATMAN'S RESCUE.* ← Page 3 of 3
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The Boatman's Rescue.*
which seemed to be awaiting them , —a death which they now did not doubt their companions hacl met with under the weltering billows of the storm-agitated Mississippi . But whence comes that wreath of smoke behind yon distant point , driving before the wind ? It is—a steamboat ! and our despairing ones are saved ! Nearer and nearer , she breasts the storm and current ,
flinging the white-caps from her prow as she approaches : "She walks the waters like a tiling of life . And seems to ilaro the elements to strife !" Nearer and- nearer , she urges her foaming way—she is around tlie point—she is abreast the stranded " broadhorn '"—her pilot hears the shout on shore—but he does not heed it ! Let us charitably hope he deems it but the customary salute with which the men of the flat boat ,
hail the passing by of the proud steamer , and that he is all unconscious of the agony his inattention is causing to his brother man ! He lays his course for the next " point "—the tempest howls , but his good river-steed is stout and strong—the freezing sleet eddies around the " wheelhouse , " but he defies its cutting breath to penetrate his coat of * ' dreadnought . " Against wind and storm , and stream , the gallant steamer clashes on her way;—she is passing—SHE HAS PASSED ! GOD pity that father and son perishing with cold in the desolate wilderness !
"Round-to and take these men on board ! " thundered the voice of olcl Capt . T— , who hacl been looking through the stern windows of the ladies' cabin at the eddying snow , but who now rushed bare-headed on deck like one possessed . " Round-to , I say !—quick ! quick ! AND BE D—D TO YOU ! " lie thundered , with startling energy . " Ay , ay , sir ! " responded the man at the wheel , while the spokes flew round in his hands , —and the noble vessel , obedient to her helm , swept in a rapid circuit up to the shore in less time than I have related the occurrence .
It ' s confounded strange ! " exclaimed the whole crew , some clays after —( when Capt . H—n and his son after being thawed and made comfortable with the requisite creature appliances , were landed at the next " settlement "—and provided with a yawl to go in search of tlieir broadhorns—ancl money besides , in case these should have been lost—and they had overtaken their companions , and learned from them that they had been compelled to land the runaway broadhorn on tbe opposite side of
the river—and that they had not returned because the storm would have " swamped" their little skiff—ancl young H—n had in his turn , given them the whole singular story of his own and his father ' s deliverance , and the still more singular generosity afterwards of that gruff olcl Capt . Tof the steamer *****)_ « it ' s confounded strange ! " said a young man ivhose petition had been presented to Loclge No . — , the last regular meeting , and who hacl already often wondered whether he should
find himself " black-balled , " on his return , or be admitted a member of an Order for which he hacl long entertained the most exalted respect ;—" It s confounded strange , " said he , " and so here I go to ask the olcTun there how it all come about !" "If you are found worthy , you shall know in due time ! " was all the reply the " old ' un " gave him .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Boatman's Rescue.*
which seemed to be awaiting them , —a death which they now did not doubt their companions hacl met with under the weltering billows of the storm-agitated Mississippi . But whence comes that wreath of smoke behind yon distant point , driving before the wind ? It is—a steamboat ! and our despairing ones are saved ! Nearer and nearer , she breasts the storm and current ,
flinging the white-caps from her prow as she approaches : "She walks the waters like a tiling of life . And seems to ilaro the elements to strife !" Nearer and- nearer , she urges her foaming way—she is around tlie point—she is abreast the stranded " broadhorn '"—her pilot hears the shout on shore—but he does not heed it ! Let us charitably hope he deems it but the customary salute with which the men of the flat boat ,
hail the passing by of the proud steamer , and that he is all unconscious of the agony his inattention is causing to his brother man ! He lays his course for the next " point "—the tempest howls , but his good river-steed is stout and strong—the freezing sleet eddies around the " wheelhouse , " but he defies its cutting breath to penetrate his coat of * ' dreadnought . " Against wind and storm , and stream , the gallant steamer clashes on her way;—she is passing—SHE HAS PASSED ! GOD pity that father and son perishing with cold in the desolate wilderness !
"Round-to and take these men on board ! " thundered the voice of olcl Capt . T— , who hacl been looking through the stern windows of the ladies' cabin at the eddying snow , but who now rushed bare-headed on deck like one possessed . " Round-to , I say !—quick ! quick ! AND BE D—D TO YOU ! " lie thundered , with startling energy . " Ay , ay , sir ! " responded the man at the wheel , while the spokes flew round in his hands , —and the noble vessel , obedient to her helm , swept in a rapid circuit up to the shore in less time than I have related the occurrence .
It ' s confounded strange ! " exclaimed the whole crew , some clays after —( when Capt . H—n and his son after being thawed and made comfortable with the requisite creature appliances , were landed at the next " settlement "—and provided with a yawl to go in search of tlieir broadhorns—ancl money besides , in case these should have been lost—and they had overtaken their companions , and learned from them that they had been compelled to land the runaway broadhorn on tbe opposite side of
the river—and that they had not returned because the storm would have " swamped" their little skiff—ancl young H—n had in his turn , given them the whole singular story of his own and his father ' s deliverance , and the still more singular generosity afterwards of that gruff olcl Capt . Tof the steamer *****)_ « it ' s confounded strange ! " said a young man ivhose petition had been presented to Loclge No . — , the last regular meeting , and who hacl already often wondered whether he should
find himself " black-balled , " on his return , or be admitted a member of an Order for which he hacl long entertained the most exalted respect ;—" It s confounded strange , " said he , " and so here I go to ask the olcTun there how it all come about !" "If you are found worthy , you shall know in due time ! " was all the reply the " old ' un " gave him .