The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1875-12-14
Jim Whalen's Death.

at makes me feel kinder sad," said
tho pilot, pointing to the bank as the
boat was plowing the current near Lake
Providence, seventy.fve miles above
vicksburg, "When they buried him,
twenty years ago, the grave was a dozen
rods from the water, but the treacherous
current has eaten and eaten at the bank
till another week will float poor Jim
away"
The passengers saw the end of coffin
sticking out of the bank, six or eight
inches above water. 1t is a lonely spot
on the river, with no sound to break the
desolation except the beat of the paddle.
wheels as the steamers hurry along.
alt was Jim Whalen," continued the
pilot, as the passengers turned to him for
an explanation. "He had wife and
babe In Orleans. and was straight man.
lie knew every snag and bar in the river.
and he could put his boat through apy
shute in the darkest night you ever saw.
Jim didn't brag, and some of the pilots
called him chicken Chicken He
was the biggest eagle that ever few up or
down this creek, and that ar coffin proves
il !" ~
lie showed the boat out a little, ans
wcred signal from an ascending steam.
er, and continued -
was a cub then-just learning the
business of jim. You never seed a man
who'd do his level best for boy as kindly
as Jim would. No swearing or cussine
or cutting, but as quiet and soft spoken
as born lady, When they laid him
away down there | couldn't have felt
worse if the old man himself had been
pitched into heaven"
He asked for a chew of tobacco. and
having settled it against his left che elk he
said -
Over there by that gloomy cauebrake
at midnight, nigh on to twenty years ago.
the Gen. Taylor took fire. l was asleep
In the texas. Jim at the wheel, and a
hundred passengers we're asleep. How
the fire started no one knew. The whole
boat blazed right up iu a minute, scorch.
ing and roasting people afore they had
heard the alarm. Whew but wasn't it
awful L went overheard with nothing
on but my cotton, and my heels blistering,
and passengers and crew tumbled after.''
The pilot rolled up his sleeve to exhibit
the marks of the flames and then contin.
ued -
Not all of 'em, Thirty or forty ran
ior'ard wild-like, and afraid to jump
The texas was afre before l jumped, and
as floated in the river l saw the red
tongues of flames leaping around the
pilot.house Jim was thar, and thar he
staid. The water was up, the current
heavy, and the wind blowing agin us
keeping the fire back. film went over
board it was good-by to fifty human souls
he saw it, and that's where glory covered
him from head to toot. He held hel
dead level up-sho ran till the en-
gines stopped-till half the boat was
burned-till the devilish flames burned
"""-y hair nH his hoad and roasted hin
as the women serve a piece of meat
When the engines stopped the boat drift
Cd down, and at last help came from
other steamers. Jim was picked up il
the river, swimming like duck, but dice
in five minutes"
There was long pause and then HI
added
"Jim Whalen's backbone saved al
them folks. He died afore they coulc
thank him. There wasn't passenger O.
deck hand hand who didn't cry like
child: but all they could do was to bur,
the poor roasted body and press the sod
down lightly. Year by year the rive
has been eating its way to the grave an,
while we shall miss it, we'll all feel as
the big river had more right to the cofiI
OF brave Jim Whalen than the shore
It's only his bones lying there-only hi
dust which will float away for thougl
the gate of Heaven Is narrow it wa
opened plenty wide enough for jim
Whalen to 60 in with all steam on
| UirLoI,,.~ U~-~7I