New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-06-13

The South is Weeried and thoroughly dis
gusted with all such selfish and utterl,
heartless intermeddling; and. for myself, a
native Southern Republican. who ha
never aimed at nor desired anything bu
the common good of my whole country,
| frankly say l would rather trust the mean
est ku-klux Democrat of the South tina
| ever throttled q poor, helpless negro il
| masked darkness. than the proprietor of tn,
| New York Herald or any of his servile cor
respondents.
Editor Homer (Louisianaj lliad.
OLD TIMES ON THE MISSISSIPPI.
An Anecdote that M rn Twain Neglected
a ST. Louis correspondent contributes thu
following to the Milwaukee Sentinel:
While sitting in front Of the Southern
Hotel, talking to a future great citizen
about the old steamboat days of st Louis
when captains. clerks and pilots ran the
town and ran it under full head of steam
an ancient III ariner let up on ~hittling the
arm Of the next chair, turned toward US
and remarked: "1Ou was speaking OF the
old river days!' I'VE was" | replied
perhaps, now. you have been reading
some OF Sam Clemens yarns = held up
a copy o! the atlantic. open at Mark Twain &
article, which had really brought about the
conversation. "les, thought so: well, be
don't tell ali he knows" said this social
riverman. reaching over for tobacco pouch
which gentleman was passing to a friend.
There's one little affair he amt worked
into print yet. and it amt likely he will"
The social quit OF on his "reminiscences at
this point and talked generally about the
bad outlook of the crops and the universal
disadv antage OF drynrss. Seeing that moth
ing bnt gin and sugar would start him
anew, he was persuaded into the convenient
bar room, and after hoisting in three fingers
(held vertically, handful OF crackers and
several chunks OF cheese. he proceeded with
his anecdote. interruptipg himself a number
OF times to remark to the barkeeper. 1.-THE
same. pard.'
IL was first engineer of the Alexander
Scott when sam Clemens MARX Twain
was a cub in her pilot house. He was ID
chopper young chap with legs no bigger'n
casting line. and fuller of tricks than y mule
colt. He worked Oft Jokes on every body
aboard from the skipper down to the roos-
ters [da,key deck. hands!. but they was all
taken in good part. only lay by two or
three to pay back. About the time Sam got
the run of the river enough to stand alone
at the wheel. the Scott went into the lower
river trade, carrying cotton from Memphis
to Orleans. Perhaps. now. you never see a
boat in the cotton trade burn! Well, you
may cover your cotton from stem to stern
with tarpaulins. and keep your donkey.
engine steamed up, but if spark OF fire
touches cotton, enough to fill tooth, your
boats a corpse. Its quicker'n gun 30 WIDER
to burn, and no pilot can reach the lower
deck from the texas in time tu save himself,
let alone his Saratoga. So, you see. every.
body in that trade is on the watch, and an
alarm of fire in a boat loaded with cotton
will turn mans hair gray quicker'n an al
ligator can swaller a niger. Sam. being
young pilot and new 20 the cotton trade,
was told over and over again how the pro.
fession would lose promising cub if ever a
fire broke out on the Scott. and the boy got
nervous.
my striker and me always managed TO
be in the lunch-rOom when Sam came of
watch, and as he came 10 would talk about
the number of cOttOn.bOats that burnt in
such a year, and how such cub would
have made lightning pilot if he hadn't got
burnt up in the cotton trade. and we always
noticed that Sans appetite failed him after
thai. and instead of going to bed he would
go prowling around The lower deck and
peering about the hatchways, smelling at
every opening like pup that mad lost its
master. One day when we backed out OF
Memphis, with big cargo Of cotton, l com.
plaiIed, in Sans hearing, that the Hlate
had loaded the boat too near the engines
The boy followed me into the engin. room.
aud. without seemin. to notice him, told
my striker would do my level best to keep
hat cotton from catching fire. bnt that it
was slim chance with bales piled up right
before the furnace doors. Sam got whi.e.'n
4 bulkhead. and went up to the texas where
le packed bis Saratoga ready for any bns:
hess that might come before the meeting.
When he went on watch posted the second
,lerk TO keep an eve on him He hid behind |
smokestack. and saw Sam alone in the
his hair on end, his face like
,orpse's and his eyes. sticking out So far
you could have knocked them off with |
tick. He danced around the pilothouse.
urned up his nose like he was smelling for |
,oats nose for the bank and yelled fire. |
ike a Cherokee Indian on the warpath. |
That yell brought everybody on deck. We |
lad big cargo Of passengers. and the |
women screeched. the men rushed for cork |
pillows, and the crew yanked the doors off /
heir hinges and rushed to the guards.
eady to go overheard at the first mOdera.
ion of weather. The skipper had hard
york to make the crazy passengers believe
hat there wasn't any fire, but he brought
hem to reason finally. paid no attention
un her nozzle against the bank he aimed
Or. The captain and first pilot, and lot
{ passengers. after hunting all over the
oat. couldn't find sign OF fire anywhere
utside the furnaces, and then they went tor
am. H. -wore up and down that he smelt
OttOn b.. ming: y" nse talking to him--he
new III smell vi earning cotton. and. nv
hunder: g had smell II. The first pilot said
ind of E { and pityingly to Sm: "My boy,
m Ia l fnl1 H.
M jams ID have stood double watch for
on. Ne you 90 and soak your head II. a
uc1et o: water and take good sleep. and
QUILL be I'll right by Tomorrow Sam just
lied Oves At this. and when pretty young
oman y 'senger said to the skipper loud
Dough f.. Sam TO hear. $50 young and nice
,oking '"n--how sad it would make his
DOR mott! feel to hear how he drinks he
urls fro 'ed at the mouth. You never see
fellow g. toned down as Sam was after
lat. and 'hOugh the boys never quit run
ing him g never talked back, but looked
ind of T.. Zzled, as though he was trying to
count !! >. that smell of cotton smoke
"And " nat was the cause Of the smeil." !
sked min Ancient.
He chuc Sled full minute and then said:
"Iou See, there's a speaking tube running
ON the engine room to the pilotheus.. !
sd in mind the tricks Sam had played ga
e, and having worked him to acrvoi.
ate about lire. waited till he was alone
the vilothouse and then set fire to a IL.
;. wad ot cotton. stuffed il into the speak
9 tube. and the smell! came on: right
s!eT his nose. a little sugar on il. rayd.'
Forrest. Lust Appearance.
His last Ell Engagement was IN Boston. he
IL an attack OF pneumonia which affected:
.e OF hi. lungs. Mr.. caaes. hi. lifelong
lend, 'mplorea HIM not to 90 on the stage !
ain. He was il! al! the aitecn.0n-sc
,srse that he coIlI scarcely sneak IA.
ny was 'Kich.l.u." All .he en.rpa.,es
his :,h, sicians and friends could 40.