A House-Boat on the Styx | Page 4

up to the side of the craft, and, standing up in the
middle of his boat, cried out,
"Ship ahoy!"
There was no answer, and the Ferryman hailed her again. Receiving no
response to his second call, he resolved to investigate for himself; so,
fastening his own boat to the stern-post of the stranger, he clambered
on board. If he was astonished as he sat in his ferry- boat, he was
paralyzed when he cast his eye over the unwelcome vessel he had
boarded. He stood for at least two minutes rooted to the spot. His eye
swept over a long, broad deck, the polish of which resembled that of a

ball-room floor. Amidships, running from three- quarters aft to
three-quarters forward, stood a structure that in its lines resembled, as
Charon had intimated, a barn, designed by an architect enamoured of
Florentine simplicity; but in its construction the richest of woods had
been used, and in its interior arrangement and adornment nothing more
palatial could be conceived.
"What's the blooming thing for?" said Charon, more dismayed than
ever. "If they start another line with a craft like this, I'm very much
afraid I'm done for after all. I wouldn't take a boat like mine myself if
there was a floating palace like this going the same way. I'll have to see
the Commissioners about this, and find out what it all means. I suppose
it'll cost me a pretty penny, too, confound them!"
A prey to these unhappy reflections, Charon investigated further, and
the more he saw the less he liked it. He was about to encounter
opposition, and an opposition which was apparently backed by persons
of great wealth--perhaps the Commissioners themselves. It was a
consoling thought that he had saved enough money in the course of his
career to enable him to live in comfort all his days, but this was not
really what Charon was after. He wished to acquire enough to retire and
become one of the smart set. It had been done in that section of the
universe which lay on the bright side of the Styx, why not, therefore, on
the other, he asked.
"I'm pretty well connected even if I am a boatman," he had been known
to say. "With Chaos for a grandfather, and Erebus and Nox for parents,
I've just as good blood in my veins as anybody in Hades. The Noxes
are a mighty fine family, not as bright as the Days, but older; and we're
poor--that's it, poor--and it's money makes caste these days. If I had
millions, and owned a railroad, they'd call me a yacht-owner. As I
haven't, I'm only a boatman. Bah! Wait and see! I'll be giving swell
functions myself some day, and these upstarts will be on their knees
before me begging to be asked. Then I'll get up a little aristocracy of
my own, and I won't let a soul into it whose name isn't mentioned in the
Grecian mythologies. Mention in Burke's peerage and the Elite
directories of America won't admit anybody to Commodore Charon's

house unless there's some other mighty good reason for it."
Foreseeing an unhappy ending to all his hopes, the old man clambered
sadly back into his ancient vessel and paddled off into the darkness.
Some hours later, returning with a large company of new arrivals, while
counting up the profits of the day Charon again caught sight of the new
craft, and saw that it was brilliantly lighted and thronged with the most
famous citizens of the Erebean country. Up in the bow was a spirit
band discoursing music of the sweetest sort. Merry peals of laughter
rang out over the dark waters of the Styx. The clink of glasses and the
popping of corks punctuated the music with a frequency which would
have delighted the soul of the most ardent lover of commas, all of
which so overpowered the grand master boatman of the Stygian Ferry
Company that he dropped three oboli and an American dime, which he
carried as a pocket-piece, overboard. This, of course, added to his woe;
but it was forgotten in an instant, for some one on the new boat had
turned a search-light directly upon Charon himself, and simultaneously
hailed the master of the ferry- boat.
"Charon!" cried the shade in charge of the light. "Charon, ahoy!"
"Ahoy yourself!" returned the old man, paddling his craft close up to
the stranger. "What do you want?"
"You," said the shade. "The house committee want to see you right
away."
"What for?" asked Charon, cautiously.
"I'm sure I don't know. I'm only a member of the club, and house
committees never let mere members know anything about their plans.
All I know is that you are wanted," said the other.
"Who are the house