News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1892-09-15

81 don't propose to. But, dom
you see, while we're up here among
the Union folks, if any one stops anC
asks us what we've got we can say
we've got Yankee coal and tell the
truth. But when we get down into
Mississip' and the other chaps hal
us we can't say we're loaded with a
secesh cargo, cause that'd be a lie
and Jack Leathers hasn't told a lie
since he was a boy"
"Well, replied his companion, ''you
wouldn't catch Bill Brown hesitatino
between a lie that would burn his
tongue and the moose of a rope. If
was in charge of this brOadhOrn and
any one around here asked me what
Ia got, | should say Yankee coal. If
L was down about Vicksburg way,
and the chaps should ask me the
same question, 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 a mighty narrow
hcle."
The conscientious schiefslowly shook
his head, but made no answer for
several minutes; finally he said:
g Perhaps there's some way we can
get around it. Now Kentucky is as
much secesh as she is for the Union.
so | was thinking if we could make a
trade for q hundred bushels of her
coal we'd be all right"
Brown smiled at the novel manner
in which his pilot proposed to quiet
his conscience, though he had to ad-
NIT it was not a bad scheme.
But" he remarked, "won't the
rebs capture us if we make a landing
to try that kind of barter?"
Yes, they would be likely to. But
it struck me that before we got out of
the Ohio we might meet a steamer
that'd be willing to exchange.
know most O the cap'ns and wouldn't
mind throwin' in IL few extra bushels
for the sake O. the accommodation"
This idea seemed to please both
men, although Brown observed that
he would not 90 to so much trouble,
and volunteered to do all the lying
in case they were stopped and ques-
toned.
Day and night the broadhorn float
ed TRANQUILITY down the Ohio. One
after another the large towns and
cities were passed, and our friends
could see that everywhere on shore
great excitement prevt lied.
They were now jOurneying through
what might be called a neutral coun-
try, for the people at this time had
not openly espOused the cause of the
other side
Nearly week they had been absent
from Pittsburg when they arrived at
Louisville. Here they were obliged to
haul up and await their turn in pass
ing through the canal.
''You uns won't get very far with
that Yankee coal" observed a loafer
on the levee.
"The boats from down river say
that they uns are lookin' for such |
chaps as you uns.'
"ReckOn they be-" replied Brown,
to whom the remark was addressed. |
':And they won't have to look hard |
to find us, for a brOaGhOrn amt so
small an object that it can't be seen
from one bank to another"
That was the only comment made !
which would tend to cause the boat
man to fear for their safety farther
along"
When again well on their way, leav-
ing the city behind them, the pilot |
said:
I've fixed it Billy. I've fixed it all |
right You know Hub SHELTON, the |
cap'n O. the Sandusky? Well he's |
coming out O Louisville sometime |
tonight and'll overhaul us a long |
way this side O. Cairo. He's agreed to
slow down and make fast, an give |
us 120 bushels O. secesh coal for 100 |
O ourn. What do you think O that
my boy?'
cts a right pert scheme" was the
reply, "seen' it amt agoin' to delay
us any, anvil be a heap of relief
to your mind
That's just it, my lad"
Some hours after midnight the
heavy putting of high pressure boat |
was heard approaching from up the
river.
There's the Sandusky!" exclaimed |
Leathers. "NOw light another Ian
tern, Bill, and swing it so Skelton'll |
know it's us"
AS soon as the signal was dis
played, the experienced boatman
could tell by the sounds that reached |
them that the steamer was slowing |
down.
Its all right" said the pilot.
SESfnn1 hty fnT hon. limos nd
fellows get ready to roust 120 |
bushels aboard of her lively"
Gurus, a boat just out of Louis
vile wantin' ter buy COAL" grumbled |
one of the men.
"P'raps she's secesh an the Yanks |
wouldn't sell it to her, or p'raps |
she's a Yank and the secesh wouldn't |
sell it to her" remarked another of |
the crew. You can't tell how it is
in these times"
1t did not take long to secure the
hawsers, and the big steamer and the
broadhorn floated on down the river
side by side.
When the bOatman saw the negro
crew of the Sandusky pass them with
filled baskets and dump them on
their own pile, they came to the con-
clusion that either Leathers, the
pilot, or the captain of the steamer,
or both, were crazy, but they con-
tinued their labor until ordered to
cease.
Then the big boat drew ahead, and
soon her red hot smokestacks disap-
peared around the bend farther
down.
Leathers fairly danced with delight
when the exchange had been complet-
ed and he was again alone with his
little band. Calling his crew to him,
he said:
"Now, boys, if we're hauled up be-
fore we reach the Mississippi, orleast-
wise afore we pass Island Number
Ten, and any one asks what we've
got aboard, tell 'em Pittsburg coal,
but after that, mind you, it's Ken
lucky, for we've just taken some out
o the Sandusky."
As the cleverness of the pilots
scheme dawned upon the none Too
brilliant minds of the boatmen, they
burst into a hearty laugh and con-