The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-09-02
YANKEE COAL.

squire, and $500 is big sum of money
for pilot to get for taking pair of
boats from Pittsburg to New Orleans,
but, don't you see, there's heap o. risk
to run. amt Altered o. what the rivers
can do, for I've been down the Ohio and
Mississippi times enough to make their
acquaintance pretty well, but feelin's
are hot among the people along the
banks o. the lower waters, and
'twOuld be as much as mans
neck'd be worth to be caught with
broadhorn of Yankee coal anywhere
betwixt Cairo and the old Red Church"
(The place where the coalboats used to
tie up at New Orleans.)
'Pm well aware, Jack feathers, that
the risk is great" replied Squire
Thomas, the owner of the coal. But
we have the boats all loaded and want
them started, even though they don't
get farther than the mouth of the Ohio
So promise you $500 if you go through
to New Orleans all right, with 5000 in
advance, which will be yours if your
trip does not extend beyond Cairo"
Gas 1 said," returned Jack, who was
one of the oldest piloJs on the two rivers,
tits main temptin' offer. And if l
can pick up a crew of square men here in
Pittsburg I'll make start of it."
"That's right, Leather" answered the
the skipper. ''Offer them $3.50 apiece,
one-third in advance"
Every we'll, squire, and if any of the
boys are loafng around that's got the
bottom in 'em to go with me, I'll be
ready to cast Off at daylight tomorrow
morning"
Jack feathers did not meet with so
much difficulty in picking up crew as
he had anticipated, for although the war
clouds of civil strife had already begun
to lower over the country, the ignorant
boatman did not realize the bitter feel
ing with which the people of the South
were imbued, and consequently had not
the fears for their safety which the pilot,
more enlightened, possessed.
Its no more than right for me to tell
you, boys, that we're startin' on what
may be the hottest trip that any of us
have ever taken down stream. So if
there's one amoug you that feels scary,
he can jest chuck his plumber on the
bank and go ashore right here, for after
we swing out into the Ohio not a man shall
the boats till we get to New Orleans,
unless be's taken by officers or soldiers
along the way, or we strike snag and
have to swim for it"
"Ain't you going down, Jack?" asked
one of the crew significantly.
II should say was, was the grim
answer.
"Then l reckon we uns have got as
much sand as you uns, so there amt any
need of more talk about it,
| Though the reply was given in gruff,
almost surly tone, yet the pilot was well
pleased to receive it, as he knew the ma
ture of the material he had to deal with,
and accepted the keppie retort of the
rough boatman for what it was-uiz.: a
pledge of fidelity.
AS the pair of long, unwieldly coal
boats swung out into the stream and felt
the current of the river, they were
heartily cheered by the crowd of idle
spectators who were gathered upon the
shore.
81 wish we'd waited until night afore
maxim start" grumbled the pilot to
his assistant, Billy Brown. "Now the
news that Jack feathers with broad
horn of Pittsburg coal is headed down
the river will travel good sight faster'n
we will, and we make look for trouble
even afore we git to Cairo"
swell, my advice is, Jack, not to hug
that trouble before it comes aboard" re-
piled the youthful and light hearted
second as he gave vigorous sweep
with his long steering oar, as much to
emphasize his remark as to guide the
boat out into midstream.
II don't propose to. But, don't you
see, while we're up here among the
Union folks, if any one stops and asks
us what we've got we can say we've got
Yankee coal and tell the truth. But
when we get down into the MISSISSIPPI
and the other chaps hail us we can't say
we're loaded with secesh cargo, cause
that be lie, and Jack feathers hash t
told lie since he was boy"
WELL" replied his companion, "you
wouldn't catch Bill Brown hesitating
long between lie that would burn his
tongue and the moose of rope. If was
in charge of this broadhorn and any one
around here asked me what I'd got, /
should say Yankee coal. If was down
about Vicksburg way, and the chaps
should ask me the same question, 1 would
tell 'em secesh coal. If they took my
word for it and let me pass, I'd sleep a
heap sight sounder that night thinking
had squeezed through mighty narrow
hole"
The conscientious chief slowly shook
his head, but made no answer for several
minutes; finally he said:
perhaps there's some way we can gel
around it. Now Kentucky is as much
secesh as she is for the Union, so was
thinking if we could make trade for a
hundred bushels or so of hor coal, we'd
be all right"
Brown smiled at the novel manner in
which his pilot proposed to quiet his con
science, though he had to admit it was
not bad scheme.
But" he remarked, won't the rebi
capture us if we make a landing to try
that kind of barterP''
eyes, they would be likely to. But il
struck me that before we got out of the
Ohio we might meet steamer that d bC
willing to exchange. know most o. the
cap'ns, and wouldn't mind throwin' in g
few extra bushels for the sake O. the &C
commodation."
This idea seemed to greatly please
both men, although Brown observed thai
he would not go to so much trouble, anC
volunteered to do all the lying in CASE
they were stopped and questioned.
To this feathers would not consent
so the matter was dropped.
Day and night the broadhorn floatec
TRANQUILITY down the Ohio, One aftel
another the large towns and cities wert
passed, and our friends could see thai
everywhere on shore great excitement
prevailed.
They were now journeying through
what might be termed neutral country