, 1878-01-11
Jacks Speculation.

One of the best steamboat engineers
on the Mississippi is Jack Bragg. Jack
Bragg is as black as the ace Of spades,
and his face about as broad, and before
the war was chattel planter on the riv-
er. Said planter had an interest in sew
eral steamboats,, and as Jack was a
trusty fellow he allowed him to run oc-
casionally to aud from New Orleans, and
finally allowed him to be employed on
the boats most of the time.
On one of the boats-the May Queen
the engineer discovered that Jack was
intelligent and faithful, and employed
him in his department. This was glory
for the chattel. The roar and the sweep,
and the majestic pulsations of the
mighty engine, were to him revelation.
They brought out in him all that was
grand aud aspiring, To be able to con-
troll that wondrous array of mechanism
to be himself the man whom that stu
pendous power should obey-was a
thought that crept into his mind, and
possessed him entirely.
The engineer of the May Queen was a
good-hearted man, thorough in his pro-
tession, and given to be lazy, and slightly
addicted to drink. When he found Jack
was eager to learn how to run the engine
he gave him help; and in this he was
entirely selfish, for he had made sure
that the negro would very soon surpass
his own assistants. And SO it proved.
Never was a repair made upon any part
of the machinery that Jack was not
watchful of the way and manner in
which that part was fashioned ,and when
ever there was anything to be done
which he could do, he did it.
His owner, at the request of the cap
tain of the May Queen, put him on
board to clean the engiue-to scrub,
scour, polish, and dust and clean the
bright work, and to oil the running parts
and bearings. In six months from that
time the engineer could lie off at pleas
ure, feeling perfectly safe to leave Jack
in charge of his engine; and occasional,
ly, when Jack would lay him away out
of sight, and do his duty for him while
he was overcome with liquor, he would
do the generous thing. In this way
Jack saved up money. But change
was coming
Jacks owner died, and his widow, pre-
paratory to selling out, called in all the
chattels, to have them in hand, and
Jack went in with the rest. Oh, it was
hard for him. The chances were that he
would be sold off down the river. What
should he dol He went to his old friend,
the engineer of the May Queen, and
asked him for help.
"But what can dol" the man asked
in return.
Promise, fuSt, Mas'r Linkum, dat
you'll keep my secret"
Mr.. Lincoln promised.
And then Jack asked the engineer to
go to a physician whom he could
trust, and get some safe and simple med
ication by means of which lie could
make himself sick at pleasure, but
which should produce no lasting effects.
Lincoln understood and entered into
the spirit of the thing at once. In fact,
Jack had been so kind to him. had taken
care of him so many times when he had
been too far gone with drink to take care
of himself and at the same time run.
ming his engine for him-that he felt
bound to give all the assistance in hi,
power. He knew physician at Natchez
whom he could trust with the exact
business as it was--a New York man
whose heart was just in the right place.
The doctor heard the story, and COM
pounded the required article. 1t was
simply a nauseatiDg mixture, which
would keep the stomach completely up
set while being taken, without produc-
ing any effect that would endure beyond
the dosing.
Armed with this drug Jack went
home.
my soul an body, Missus, l feel
kind OBJ Gurus! Golly! hope to marcy
haint got none oh dem ribb,r fe' ers!"