The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1826-11-27

homeless strangers of which there are
thousands up and down the Mississippi.
The owner OF the cabin was wood
cutter for the steamboats,, and had en-
ployed these men 10 aid him. They
had out wood, drunk whiskcy, gambled
and fought and gonged and the woman
told Us, that thcy had been charming
funny men, Bat use her words, they
took the ague, had the fevar and ague
cake, and grew snllcn, and would moi
eat, and dld not eare for their whishey.
-Wesent for an old French hunter, 10
bring them some rood herbs, but before
he came, they would not live any lon
ger, nd SO thry died.
The wife and mother in this family,
had once, ] dare say, been pretty. She
had the ague for years in succession,
and now had the swelling, the hlthiness.
the brilliant eye, .hs dippant tongue, "
ran on from story 10 story with more
than the garrulity ofan old French wo-
man. On an emergency, | presume
she could have handled the dirk with
| dexterlty. She informed me, that Tor
a month in the proceeding spring they
had been overlooked, and she was m The
MIDST OF a flooded swamp, thirty miles in
/ diameter. They built house on a rati
of loes fastened together, and secured
| from floating away with grape vines.
On tins raft VS. stationed the lamlY,
oxen, pigs, dogs, chickens, and all.
They had a barrel Of whiskey TO keep
up heir spaIts. Each OF these log,
were covered with red slime, and as
! slippery rs If creased. And she toll
Us thai die logs often brought Mp Inc b.
stomachs OF her clumsy children, and
that II was hard 10 keep their SHIRTS
clean, as they were the only article OF
dress they wore. She took me for a
coffin planter aud said Now you
| planters have bun ono house, and We
wood cutters have TWO. We have our
floating house on The raft, and whom the
river falls aud that grounds we build us
another on the bank. Look you there,
only three PAGES from my door, used TO
he Ola sunny morning couple of hun
dcrIng alligators, aud my Frankly thcle,
pointing 10 Il boy, vino seemed about
four years, who had ihc customary prom
mcnee in front, and was Otherwise as
msclleyous and asugly an urchn as you
wouldw to see, that there boy win
half SHIRT, would needs be playing some
of his rusty Shines the funny doc,
and 50 he crowded out, and cave one Of
| them rap on the snom with tie broom
stick. The monsirous devil o0flcd his
tail, and gave Frankly slap, which,
tossed hUn in the air like a bit-ball and
the beast would have hdd he eating of
/ Frankly in trcc. But heard Fran
/ Ky scream, rs the alligator struck him.
seized kettle Of boiling hot water,
and threw II on ire horrld creature, just
It, he showed his white teeth 90 oat
Frankly, and thi, drove my gentleman
into the water
The well remembered song Of my IN
fancy rang IN my ears.
No more shaIl the horn call me- on
in the morn ; aud chill, rs Of death,
came over me-, when | thought that ths
was the reality Of lbat picture, which 10
my imagination bad been 50 delightful.
| felt too the truth and application Of
the right New England proyerb, that
one half the world does not know how
the other half lives The comforting
prediction OF my friends fung in my cas-,
/ ( In that ttIIl 4,