Ste. Genevieve Herald
Ste. Genevieve, Mo.
Saturday, Aug. 11, 1883

WHAT OUR "DEVIL" SAYS OF THE EXCURSION

The Nick Sauer was to start at 8 o'clock last Sunday morning, but owing
to the reluctance or fear of the people of Ste. Genevieve to trust their
precious little souls or bodies to the care of Captain NEWVILLE - who
by-the-by, is the finest gentleman, I believe, that ever walked a deck - the
sign for our departure was not given until half past nine o'clock. When the
boat shoved off, the band gave the crowd that wouldn't risk it, for a
parting tune, that tenderest, meltingest piece "Limburger" - you can hear a
limburger if it smells loud enough. The little craft kept on the Mo. side
till she came to the cottonwoods when she headed for the Illinois shore. We
entered the Okaw at about 10, and the attention of all was attracted by old
"Kaskia," which is now an island and will doubtless be seimming down to the
gulf, some of these fine days. The Okaw is a nice river, enclosed by
thickly wooded banks, with here and there a dwelling house, and a clearing
occupied by cornfields which seemed to be rather neglected, to judge by the
way they were overgrown with weeds. The water is clear and heavily stocked
with fine fish of which some of the party caught quite a number of large
specimens. Suddenly the whistle sounded and the passengers looked eagerly
forward, expecting to see Evansville heave into sight, but it was only a
warning signal given to the rope ferry some distance ahead. Presently we
saw a number of people, expectingly looking for the boat, on the bank, the
whistle sounded, the band commenced to play, and we were in sight of
Evansville. The good people of the town were there to greet us, the band
had turned out and exchanged greeting with ours. Everybody rushed for the
stage plank; in a twinkling the Nick Sauer was deserted, and the whole crowd
scattered over the town to amuse themselves.
We went nto the hotels to get our dinners and here I might as well say
that the people of Evansville received and treated us nobly, which is of
greater significance when one recalls the shameful way some of our older
boys treated the Evansville excursion to Ste. Genevieve last year.
Our printer boss had all this time an eye to business and, when we came
away, he had secured 24 subscribers for the Herald. Hurrah for the Herald.
The whole party was so well entertained by the townspeople and their stay
had been made so pleasant that it required repeated sharp tootings of the
Nick Sauer to dispell their dream of delight and remind them that time was
up. After many hearty farewells and invitations to come again from the
inhabitants, we went on board and steamed down the Okaw. After having gone
a half mile down the river some one suddenly shouted: "Hello! Frank GEILER
isn't here," and "where are John SCHMAHLE and Joe BURGERT?" Sure enough
they were not on board and some evil minded wag was suggesting that they
might have got "mashed" on some of the nice girls in Evansville who had
bewitched them so that they didn't hear the whistle. But he was laughed at
for his foolishness; for two of our truants were married men and Frank is
too bashful to fall in love, as they say. Well, there was nothing left for
us but to go back and get them and so we did. We were lucky enough to find
the trio who were on the point of crossing the Okaw and taking a rig to
carry them over by land. It was a good thing they didn't, as they would
have certainly have had the laugh on us for arriving at Ste. Genevieve
sooner than the boat did, which they might have done easily. We reached the
city landing at about 7 o'clock, having left Evansville at half past four.
It was a pleasant trip and I hope the people of Ste. Genevieve will be
able to furnish a larger crowd for the next trip to Evansville which, they
say, is to take place tomorrow in a week. The DEVIL

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