n the previous year, but owing to a cholera scare
in the East it had been abandoned. Now the dream had become a fact--a
stupendous fact when we consider it. Such an important beginning as that
now would in all likelihood furnish the chief news story of the day.

But they had different ideas of news in those days. There were no
headlines announcing the departure of the Quaker City--only the barest
mention of the ship's sailing, though a prominent position was given
to an account of a senatorial excursion-party which set out that same
morning over the Union Pacific Railway, then under construction. Every
name in that political party was set dawn, and not one of them except
General Hancock will ever be heard of again. The New York Times,
however, had some one on its editorial staff who thought it worth while
to comment a little on the history-making Quaker City excursion. The
writer was pleasantly complimentary to officers and passengers. He
referred to Moses S. Beach, of the Sun, who was taking with him type and
press, whereby he would "skilfully utilize the brains of the company for
their mutual edification." Mr. Beecher and General Sherman would find
talent enough aboard to make the hours go pleasantly (evidently the
writer had not interested himself sufficiently to know that these
gentlemen were not along), and the paragraph closed by prophesying other
such excursions, and wishing the travelers "good speed, a happy voyage,
and a safe return."

That was handsome, especially for those days; only now, some fine day,
when an airship shall start with a band of happy argonauts to land
beyond the sunrise for the first time in history, we shall feature it
and emblazon it with pictures in the Sunday papers, and weeklies, and in
the magazines.--[The Quaker City idea was so unheard-of that in some
of the foreign ports visited, the officials could not believe that the
vessel was simply a pleasure-craft, and were suspicious of some dark,
ulterior purpose.]

That Henry Ward Beecher and General Sherman had concluded not to go
was a heavy disappointment at first; but it proved only a temporary
disaster. The inevitable amalgamation of all ship companies took place.
The sixty-seven travelers fell into congenial groups, or they mingled
and devised amusements, and gossiped and became a big family, as happy
and as free from contention as families of that size are likely to be.

The Quaker City was a good enough ship and sizable for her