St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1875-12-10
Jim Whalen's Death.
From the Vicksbnrg Herald !

From the Nicksburg IIerald.l
at makes me feel kinder sad" said
the pilot, pointing To the bank us the
boat was plowing the current near Lake
Prov idrncr - miles above Nicksburr.
"Whcn they buried him, 20 ye,tls ago,
the grave was il dozen rods from the
water, but the treaehcrOuS current has
eaten and eaten at the bank till another
week will float poor Jim away"
The passengers saw the end of Il coffin
sticking ont of the bank, six or eight
inches above water. 1t is Il lonely spot
on the river, with no sound to break
the deSolation except tho beat of pad
wheels as the steamers hurry along.
at was Jim Whalen," continued the
pilot, as the passengers turned to him
for an explanation. ale had Il wife
and babe in Orleans. and WAS IA straight
man. He knew every snag and bar in
'hc river, and he could put his boat
through any Shntc in the darkest night
.uu ever saw. Jim didn't brag. and
-omc of the pilots called him Il chicken
i'hicken He WAS the biggest eagle
that ever flew up or down this creek
and that ar coffin proves il ~
He showed the boat out a little, an
~wcred Il signal from an ascending
steamer. and continued
Il WAS Il cub then uSt learning the
business of Jim. You never seed :,
uIan who'd do his level best for Il boy
or cussing or cutting. but as quiet and
soft spoken as il born lady. When they
llid him away down there could't
have felt worse if the old man himself
had been pitched into heaven"
He asked for Il chew of tobacco. and
having settled it against his left cheek
he said
cover there by that gloomy cane
brake. at midnight. nigh on to % years
ago. the Gen. Taylor took fire. | was
asleep i'll the texas. jim at the wheel.
and Il hundred passengers were asleep.
How the fire started no one knew. The
whole boat hlazcd right up in Il minute.
sc"rching and roasting people afore they
lld heard the alarm. Whew , but
wasn't it awful / went overheard
with nothing on but my cotton, and my
heels hIi>trrimg. and passengers and
crew tumhlrd after"
The pilot rolled up his sleeve to cX-
hihir the marks of the flame. and then
continued
Not all of 'em. Thirty or forty ran
fnr';ird wild-l and afraid to Jump.
The Texan was aire before | jumped.
and I> | fioatcd in the river SAW the
led tongues of flames lraping around
the pilot house Jim WAS thar. and
thar he Staid. The water WAS up. the
cuIrcmt heavy. and the wind BLOWN
agiu lis. keeping the fire back. If Jim
went over board it WAS goodhy to III
human souls. He saw it. and that's
where glory covered him from head to
foot. He held her dead level up Sh,
ran till the engines stopped till ball
the boat was burned till the dcvilisl
flames burned every hair off his head
and roasted him as the women serve Il
piece oi meat. When the engines
>topI,rh. the boat dritted down. and ut
last help came from other steamers
Jim WAS picked up III the river. swim
hihg like Il duck, but died in five min
ut'>.
There WAS ii long pause. and then h,
added
Jim Whalcm'S back bone saved al
them folks. He died atorc they could
| thank him. There wasn't passenger
or deck hand Who didn't cry like achild
/ lut all they could do WAS to bury tn,
poor roasted body and press the sod,
/ down lightly. Year 10y wear the river
has been eating its WAY to the grave
/ and. while We shall miss it. we'll al
/ feel aS if the bic river had more right
! to he coffin of brave Jim Whalcu than
/ the shore. It's only his bones lying
| thcrr only his dust which will float
away : for though the gate of Heavier
Is narrow il WAS opened plenty wild,
enough for Jim Whalrn to 80 in Will
/ all steam on.