American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1876-01-08
Tho Story or Mississippi Engineer.

at makes me feel kinder sad, ;" said the
pilot, pointing to the bank as the boat
was blowing the current near Lake
Providence, seventy five miles above Vicks-
burg. When they buried him, twenty
years ago, the grave was a dozen rods
from the water, but the treacherous cur
rent has eaten at the bank till another
week will float poor Jim away" The
passengers saw the end of q coffin sticking
out of the bank six or eight inches above
water. 1t is q lonely spot on the river,
with no sound to break the desolation ex-
cept the paddle whecls as the steamers
hurry along. at was Jim Whalen, "
said the pilot, as the passengers turned to
him for an explanation. He had a wife
and babe in New Orleans and was a
straight man. He knew every snag and
bar in the river, and he could put his boat
through any chute in the darkest night
you ever saw. Jim didn't brag, and some
of his pilots called him q chicken.
Chicken! He was the biggest eagle that
ever flew up or down this creek, and that
ar coffin proves it," He showed the boat
out little, answered . signal from an as
cending steamer and continued: was a
cub then-just learning the business Of
Jim. You never seed . man who'd do
his level best for boy as kindly as Jim
would. No swearing or cussing or cuff
ing, but Is quiet and soft-spoken as a
born lady. When they laid him away
down there l 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
cheek, he said: "Over there by that
gloomy canebrake at midnight nigh on to
twenty years ago, the Gen. Taylor took
fire. I was asleep in the texas, Jim at the
wheel, and hundred passengers were
asleep. How the fire started mp no one
knew. The whole boat blazed right up
in q minute. scorching and roasting
people afore they heard the alarm.
Whewl but wasn't ii awful.
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 flame and then contin-
ued: Not all on 'em. Thirty or forty
ran or'ard, wild like and afraid to jump.
The texas was afire before I jumped, and
as floated in the river 1 saw the red
tongues Of fame leaping around the
piloth Jim was thar, and thar he
stayed. The water was up, the current
heavy and the wind blowing agin us,
keeping tho fire back. If Jim went over
board il was good-by 70 fifty human souls.
He saw II, and that's where glory covered
him from head TO foot. He held her
dcad-level up ;sshe ran till her engines
stopped-till half the boat was burned
till the devilish flames burned every hair
of his head and roasted him as the women
serve piece Of meat When the engines
stopped the boat drifted down and, at last,
help came from other steamers. Jim was
picked up in the river, swimming like q
duck, but died in five minutes" There
was a pause and then he added: "Jim
Whalen's backbone saved all them folks.
He died afore they could thank him.
There wasn't . passenger or deck hand
who didn't cry like child; but all they
could do was to bury the poor, roasted
body and press the sods down lightly.
Year by year the river has been eating its
way to the grave, and, while we shall
miss it, well all feel as If the big river
had more right to the coffin of brave Jim
Whalen than the shore. It's only his
bones lying there; only his dust which
will float away; for though the gate OF
heaven is narrow, it was opened plenty
wide enough for Jim Whalen to 60 in
with all steam on. - H5cksburg Herald.