The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-07-08
A BOat-Hand's Adventures.

Leaning over the g,1ard-rail of the
steamer Rob Roy, posed. copper-col-
ored African. His general build was of
that peculiarly reckless type which re-
veals the average negro river hand. He
was addressing a single auditor.
Yes, sah,' he said fefectively,
slightly changing his position and dis
playing hugh set of molars; ''dat dar
a1ident to the Gol'en Eagle reminds me
Of de fust boat was blowed up on" &.
ii "What boat was that said the single
listener, betraying d feeble interest.
ssDat daf boat was de Henry Vofnpool
what burned up between Slackament and
Johnsonville going TO New Orleans wild
cotton
- "When was that?" ...... -....
"Dat warz twelve or thirteen years
ago. ;e'a Ia '.4
"Were you hurt?'' ,e@ se-
~ "No, sab, she caught afre afore we
could roun' her to, to git ashore. I got
ashore on a bale of cotton"
Did you ever save yourself form
another boat?'
Ode mex boat war de Fashion, I got
saved on her on a bale nv cotton. She
cawt afire an the alarm vas made dis
side Nv Baton Rouge, and she. Was
going to New Orleans loaded wild cotton.
Dere wuz O man on her wuz courtin' a.
gal" he continued, confidently, "an' he
wuz courtin' her fur five yeahs and she
never wud give hel wurd to have i'm, an
dey wuz a takin' a pleasure trip from
Vicksburg to New Orleans at dat time.
When de boat wuz afire he went up to
her and sez he wud save her life ef she
would say she'd marry him rite off, and
she said: You save me, and I'll marry
you rite off. He tole her when he jump
overheard you jump over, and when
he jumped over and he riz she Jumped
ofn nine ier of cotton up on the guards.
He 'meditly swum to her when she riz
an tole her to ketch hold Wv him by de
waist an he carried her ashore on his
back. And when he cum out after he
wuz dun caught his breath, he said,
Well, I've bin a courtin' you for five
yeahs and could never git you to say
you'd marry me till I ketched you in dis
tress, and then he sez, Tn not agoin' 70
wait till you git dry He went rite off an
saught fur de minister and married her
in de wet close. He sed he couldn't let
no sich putty gurl ez that go no longer
while he'd chance 70 marry her."
els this all you noticed while escap-
ing on the cotton bale?" was asked
"Dere wuz anodder man dar who'd
bin married long enuf to have heir, but
dey wuz considered to bea young couple
just f'rinstance you'd bin married
bout a year" turning his eyes moment
in the direction of the loiterer. can
dey wtlz standin' on de guards on de
cotton an de blaze was SO distressin' un-
til she replied to her husband an sez,
Husband, I'd ruther do anything il de
wurld than to see my che-ild burnt up.
Den de husband sez, sHeave him over
board an Tom will ketch TIA big dawg
he had-a Newfoundland dog-and when
she had chucked de chile overheard she
sez, Go, Tom, an save yer mistres'
baby, only six months old Tom jumped
overheard an caught de chile an hilt de
head up out Nv de water and sw,lmt
ashore wild it. A few minutes after he
hove de chile over he said: wife, II
jump over an heave bale O. cotton
over an ketch it, an you jump over
She jumped over an he stretched out on
his stomach an cawt her by de hair an
kept her up on the bale Nv cotton, an
swumpt ashore an saved her life. Dis
dawg had dun saved dat chile, draggedit
bout twenty yards from the waters edge,
layin' down by it a-nussin' it, till its
NASSAU and mistress cum. Dere wuz a
gemmelman went to dis chile an aimed
to pick it up. Dis dawg jumpt fur his
shirt collar an tore his shirt buzzum out
An aftea all got ashore, he was offered a
salary of money, an dat is 81, 900, for dis
dawg, which wuz walable dawg. He
could be sent an deliver a note an re-
turn az sensible an ekallize to any pus-
son. An he wuz a whisky -drinker an a
gambler. st. Louis Republican.