OR HOW TO RELISH A JULEP.

———

BY C. F. HOFFMAN.

———

“Are you sure that’s The Flame over by the shore?”

“Certing, manny! I could tell her pipes acrost the Mazoura.”[[1]]

“And you will overhaul her?”

“Won’t we though! I tell ye, Stranger, so sure as my name’s Ben Blower, that that last tar bar’l I hove in the furnace has put jist the smart chance of go-ahead into us to cut off The Flame from yonder pint, or send our boat to kingdom come.”

“The devil!” exclaimed a bystander who, intensely interested in the race, was leaning the while against the partitions of the boiler-room, “I’ve chosen a nice place to see the fun near this infernal powder barrel!”

“Not so bad as if you were in it!” coolly observed Ben, as the other walked rapidly away.