The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1851-01-17

ingale and plays with the finish and per-
fec,ion ola professor.
The Captain being noled wag, and
the terror of all jokers on the Missis-
sippi river, here suddenly conceived
The idea of selling the Yankee, with a
joke, which should come high among the
New Englanders, In ages to come as a
model "sell."
That lady, my dca' fellow, isa.a-wi-
dow"
"You don't say SOL" says Dodge.
"Ics, but do though. and more than
that, she's rich, rich as mud, sir-rich
as mud! young and beautiful in the bar,
eoin-a good chance for Yankee boy,
just commencing III life, like you, slr!'
"shc's certainly very beautiful says
Dpdge
Beautiful as an angel" says the Cap
tain. .-.
"a very fine musician, ,oo,'' suggest
ed Dodge.
"Unequulled by any other on the river
-ejolned tie GOpIuin; "why, sir, she sings
Ike scrnph."
"llow long has SIZE been widow?"
inquired Dodge.
"a little over year now, since her
Captain was placed under the sod"
"Ah! then her husband was Cap
Tain. was ho?" says Dodge.
"Yes; he 'oas a Captain, but he got
bowcd up, pnor fellow. This stoamboa-
ling is a risky business for man that
cares any thing abor, life, sir! risky
business! but then if you get the widow,
and you can do il, sir. like knife, if you
MY court her ong enough, hr she likes
you ALREADY Il saw it in her eye-you
can retire on some large plantation and
spend the rest Of your days in indescriba-
bic ami uabolnd,d !uxury!"
SWELL, Captain, hang me, if | amt a
mind 10 spread myself for the young
widow, and try my hand at counting for
the first time in my lifem
"Go it, my boy. III back you with all
my influence; if wasn'. already mar
ried mar, I'd surely go in for that char
ming woman; but you'll win-young-
good-looking-"
"Don'i, don't, if you please, Captainf"
said Dodge.
SLANG ii, Dodge, you musn's be so
modest"
"Bu', Captain, gas, soap, putty think
of my feelings!''
"Then you sing and play like a book;
tho widow l3pes music, she loves music
10 ds,racuon; and now, my boy, slricke
while the iron /, ho Why, sir, if could
sing and lead the guitar equal to you"
"IIold on" Csp,ain, hold on; | un-
dersand all about that; but now tell
me all about the young and beautiful
widow; give me her name, age and
residence. >"
"Hcr name," replied the Captain, "is
Amarantha Bronson; age, about twenty
four; residence, New Orleans, and as
we shall probably be about ten days run
ming down, you'll have fine chance to
exert yourself; so take my advice, and
make the best of your Tine"
81 WILL" says Dodge, and he didn't do
any thing else; for always having an eye
open for "Ay-lraps''and "spring-guns," his
suspicious were aroused by the Captains
temp, at fattery and his seeming dsin'
leres,ed endeavors to bring about a hasty
avowal o: love for The young and accom-
plished ard really beautiful lady.
So setting his wires TO work, he lost
but lirIle time in discovering that the
Captain had been under the delightful
chains of Hymen but about two weeks,
and the pseudo widow was no more nor
less than the Identical, charming, and
doIized wife of The Captain.
"Now," says Dodge to himself, Gas the
Captain has planned a joke, he shan't be
disappointed: III only change or alter
the plot, and if l don't;n the end give
him a regular "eye-opener," then he may
have The pleasure of informing his friends
how he "dono the Yankee brown"
Dodge had, something like a week
previous, sent on his bills and advertise
ments to the editors at Na,chez, stating
that he would be at that stirring little
town during the races, and would, at
SO cents ticket, treat the inhabitants and
visitors with series Of mirthful, musical,
and srcnl entertainments.
Not letting any person on board know
al what place he Intended 70 stop, tell
;ng the Captain he would settle his fare
when he lett :he boat, he improved every
snare momen, with the widow over the
music portfolios and piano, until the old
steamer came pulling alongside Of the
levee, at Natchez.
Asccrtaining from the Captain that the
steamer would leave in about three.quar
ters Of an hour, he gave his baggage in
charge of resident in town, who was
just about leaving the boat. Then, watch
ing the Captain until he had entered The
counting room OF one of the large stores