The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1875-02-06

some OF my clothes on anu the rest III my
arms. Mr.. b was close behind, CON-
menting. Here was something fresh-this
thing OF gettiRg up I'm the middle OF the
night To 90 to work. IL was detail In
plotting that had never occurred 10 me al
all. | knew that boats ran all night. but
somehow had never happened TO redect
that somebody had TO get up out OF warm
bed to run them. | began 10 fear that
plotting was not quite se romantic rs
had imagined IL was: there was something
very real and work-like about this new
phase Of IL.
II was rather dingy night, although a
/ fair number OF stars were out. The big
mate was at the wheel. ard he had the old
rub pointed az star and was holding her
straight up the middle OF the river. The
shores on either side were not much more
than a mile apart, but they seemed won
derfully far away and ever so vague and
indistinct. The mate said
We've got to land al Jones' plan
tation, sir"
The vcngcfm spirit in me exulted. |
said to myself. wish you joy OF your job,
Mr.. b; you'llhave a good time finding
Mr.. Jones plantation such night as this,
and hope you never will findit as long
rs you live.
MIR. B. said 20 the mate:
Upper end of the plantation, or the
lower?r
Upper"
81 can't do II. The stumps there are
out Of water at this stage. It's no great
distance 10 the lower, and you'll have to
get along with that"
''All right, sir. Ii Jones don't like il
he'll have to lump Ii, / reckon
nd he. LII a..
began TO cool and my wonder TO come up.
10 find this plantation on such night. but
TO find either end of il Won preferred.
dreadtnllv wanted 70 ask question, but
was CARRYING about Is many short answers
"a my largo room would admit of, so
held M peace. AN desired to ask Mr..
b Wa The simple question whether he
was ass enough TO really imagine he was
going to find that plantation ON night
when all plantations were exactly alike and
all the same color. But held in. used
to have fine inspirations of prudence in
those days.
Mr.. g. maze for the shore and soon
was scraping IL, just the same as if il had
been daylight. And not only that, but
singing
FEATHER in Heaven, the day is declining, etc.
II seemed to me that had put my life in
the keeping OF peculiarly reckless out
cast. Presently he turned on me and
said:
What's the name of the first point
above New 0rleans:''
was gratified TO be able TO answer
promptly, and did. / said didn't know.
Don't kn0tcP'
This manner jolted me. / was down at
the foot again. in a moment. But had TO
say just what had said before.
Well. you're smart one" said Mr..
Il -. What's the name OF the merit
point?-
Once more didn't know.
:" Wen this beats any thing. Tell me
the name of any point or place 1 told
you.-
studied a while and decided that
couldn't
"Look-a.here What do you start out
from. above Twelve-Mile Point, to cross
oyery'
"I-I-don't know
"You you-don't know?' mimicking
my drawling manner of speech. what
do you knowi''
"I-I-nothing. for certain.-
by the great Casar's ghost, | believe
you. You're the stupidest dunderhead
ever saw or ever heard of, so help me
Moses The idea of you being pilot
yoHi Why, you don't know enough TO
pilot COW down lane"
Oh, but his wrath was up! He was a
nervous man, and he shufiled from one
side OF his wheel TO the other, as IL the
floor was hot. He would boil a while to
himself, and then overflow and scald me
again.
"Look-a-bere, What do you suppose
/ told you the names of those points for?''
tremblingly considered a moment, and
then the devil Of temptation provoked me
to say:
"weIl : to = to - be entertaining,
thought"
This was red rag TO the bull. He
ragged and stormed so (he was crossing the
river at the time) that Judge il made him
blind, because he ran over the steering-oar
of a trading-scow. OF course the traders
set up volley of red hot profanity. Never
was man so grateful as Mr.. B. was
because he was brim full, and here Were
subjects who would talk back. He
threw open aw'ndow, thrust his head out.
and such an Eruption followed as |
farther away the sc0wmen's curses drifted.
the higher Mr.. B. lifted his voice and
the weightier his adjectives grew. When
he closed the window he was empty. You
could nave drawn q seine through his
system and not caught curses enough to
disturb your mother with. Presently he |
said to me, in the gentlest way:
My boy, you must get amemorandum- |
book and every time i tell you a thing
putt down right away. There's only one |
way to be pilot, and that is to get this
entire river by heart. You have TO know
Il justlike A c."
That was ismalrevelation TO me; for
my memory was never loaded with any |
thing but blank cartridges. However. / |
lid not feel discouraged long. Judged |
hat II was best TO make some allowance.
for doubtless Mr.. B was .sstrefching.-