Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1850-11-14
A Thrilling Scene on the mississippi.
By NJ. G. lewis.

"A AmAlhlsmS CSCMC vi tmC MACCISSlYpls
ssd ny NJ. G. LEWIS. Esd
Where's the man residing in any Of
the United States that has not heard of
Ossian e. Dodge, the joker, vocalist, and
dslin Gator of character Echo answers
rhar Awe will therefore give dodge
of Dodge's.
Some few years since, when the de-
moralizing habit of gambling was still
greater than at the present day, the in
veterate punster and Yankee vocalist
found it for his professional and pecunia-
ry interest to remain for some time in the
furnishing. villages TO be found along the
banks Of the muddy, though world-re-
nowned Mississippi-on whose waters
men are done, overdone and UNDERGONE
waters only taken by the INDECENT deck
passengers and divers into eternity, and
where the papers, documents, pock-
et-companion, hymn-books, lin vulgar
parlance called cards, and all games per-
tanning thereto, are as plenty as brass
buttons and bogus pennies in a contribu-
Ition box.
II being fine field for studying hui
man nature, and enjoying an occasional
bit of private fun, the vocalist travelled
incog., that he might, like the wise man
in the parable, double his talents and pick
up all the per centages that an overruling
Providence might please to foreordain
for his especial benefit.
His travelling apparel had once UNI
doubtedly belonged to the ton, but alas
it now looked more like the last remain-
ing stock of an old woman's curiosity
shop, his bell-crowncd tile, judging from
the size, must have been the. measure
alluded to when our fore-fathers were
SO affectionately spoken to, concerning
their valuable light being hidden under a
bushel. s,f8a
His faxen hair, Cor rather that Of his
wig fell in rich profusion over huge
stock-enclosing dickey doubly starch
ed, and standing erect, like the sail Of :
sloop in fog, and apparently conscious
Of its power in operating ON the ear like
the teeth Of an old wood-saw, so that, in
front, the comical looking face had the
appearance Of being enclosed in pen,
or of peaking at the beholder through
the interstices of a worn out cotton car
pet. The short-waisted, long-skirted,
swallow-tailed blue coat, with large brass
buttons and high greasy collar, sat on the
square-shouldered and sinewy frame of
the wearer like door mat on a pitch
fork; while dingy cotton shirt, cover
ed in front with ruffled frill, gave a
finishing touch to a pair of bottle-green
pants, with narrow flap, and still mar
rover bottoms, ornamented with large
golden watch-seal hanging pendant on
leather string from the watch pocket, in
manner that would have made grayer
men than travellers on the Mississippi
roar with laughter. In fact it was too big
. man for SO little cloth, and what little
there was seemed to have a strong ten
dency to meet midway, and discuss
whether il would be better to stand the
strain, or stretch feet or feet and
half further, and reach the insect killers,
now visible below the pants in pair of
boots that would have answered very
well for lumber and coal river boats for
a wholesale dealer. eiH
Our hero came on board of the fine
(and at that time very popular steamer
c. W, bound down to New Or
leans, Gas she was wooding up at one of
the many wood-yards ever to be found on
the banks Of the Mississippi, and COM
ing up to the Captains Office with his
valisc and guitar-box in hand, he ex-
claimed
"Heow de dew, Cap'n-heow de dew !?
Wall I've cum aboard"
"Yes, sir" sg.sts4s
Thought Is heow l might let you
know I'd arrived, 50 yer could make cal
kerlations about fodderin' me-"
Fare, sir!" cs1s 81.
"Ohl shan't be pertikelar abeout
that, even if faint fust chop-coz l s'pose
YOU didn't know was comm; but kin
eat what any body kin, and eff we only
have anuff ont, shall be as happy as a
clam at high tide-but say, yeou! il
the vitsles gets little short, I'll whisper
in your ear"
& Passage, sir!' said the Captain, look
| ing up for The first time, and holding out
his hand for the fare.
"Heow dew yer dew Z" (grasping
and shaking the Captains hand =" you
H. l. L.