Arkansas true Democrat., 1858-05-04
II. E. W LLLDO WM. REFELD, Sec'y.

or We find the following story floating in our eastern exchanges, and as a specimen of what they think of us, we re- publish it:
 WHAT STUFF AN ARKANSAS MAN Is MADE OF-W hen early Tn the spring of 1849 the cholera made again her appearance in New Or leans, all visitors to that city, who were not un- avoldably detained, hastened to take their de- parture for home and one of the first steamboats going up the Mississippi happened to be the brlde," which we passengers afterwards re- baptized and called "The Coffin" She cer- tainly left with crowd but unfortunately before next morning we discovered that Madam Cho- lera had taken passage with us, as two deck passengers had died the first night out, and from that time until her arrival at Louisville, two and three amongst us fell every day victims to that dreadful disease. Unluckily strong head waters made the passage slow, and it was late in the evening of the second day, when we ar rived at Natchez, on the wharf boat of which we fouud lank, tall, genuine son of Arkansas, and no little the worse for hquor waiting, with two triggers in tow, for chance to get to Ma poieon. Our Captain--asil il duty bound-lrank- y told him the state of the boats sick and dv- ing passengers below and above, and too much crowded already. He advised him to delay. and take the next boat, in his then state of half lntoxcatlon he certainly was going to run a great risk. But our Arkansas friend would listen to no advice. and less 10 any delay. For the " first boat' he had watched and the first boat he would take. The liquor on the wharf boat was vllaihous bad stuff, and he would not drink 1t any longer, even to please General Jackson! So on board he came and having slowed away his niggers, gave us the pleasure of his company.
 Little pleasure, however, was to be found on board of our boat. Most of the passengers had shut themselves up in their rooms. Some were silently walking the cabin, and few spoke to- gether in whispers. Cards had been thrown overheard some time ago, when one, who had sat down to friendly game the night before, was buried fifty miles below that morning. The bar appeared but sparsely frequented, and its stock of lucious fruit found DO consumer.- On the other hand, in the clerks office, the medicine chest stood open, and walters crowded round to at end to the orders of the sick, who seldom, when even but slightly affected, recov- cred Further to continue the melancholy picture of our choera-ridden boat, would lead from the design of our story, and we therefore return to our friend, who was not slow to per- ceive the state of things they were in, and, not daunted by its mournlul aspect, went to pat ronize the barkeeper, who had found a steady customer at last lndiscrimately he changed and mixed his liquor ate sweatmeats, sardines and oranges and acted altogether ill opposition to the most common rules of prudence and dis creton to such degree, that every one put him down as "gone coon" within the next twenty four hours. To the utter astonshment of all observers, however, he carried this on for the next three days, unconcerned by the dead and dying near and around him, never getting quite sober, seldom taking regular meal, and much less any other berth than the cabin floor. On the fourth morning we safely deposited him upon the wharf boat at Napoleon, with his African twins, and looking alter us as we backed out. he hailed the deporting boat; Good bye, Cap tain. Don't tell the folks in Suckerdom that the cholera can scare man born and bred in Arkansas.'