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

81 kaow it's aSight smart offer
square, and $500 is a big sum o
money for pilot to get for taking {
pair of boots from Pittsburg to New
Orleans, but don't you see, there's g
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 acquaint.
ance pretty well, but feelin S are hot
among the people along the banks O.
of the lower waters. and 'twould be
as much as q mans neck'd be worth
| to be caught with a broadhorn OF
| Yankee coal anywhere betwiXt Cairo
and the old Red Church." (The place
where the coalboats used to tie up at
New Orleans.
"I'm well aware, Jack Leathers,
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 l 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 ex-
tend beyond Cairo
GAS | said," returned Jack, who
was one of the oldest pilots on the
two rivers, Its a making temptin'
offer. And if l can pick up a crew of
square men here in Pittsburg I'll
make a start of it,
"That's right, Leather" answered
the skipper. "Offer them $3.50 apiece,
one-third in advance"
every well squire, and if any of the
boys are loafing around that's got
the bottom in 'em to go with me,
I'll be ready to cast off at daylight
tomorrow morning."
Jack Leathers did not meet with so
much difficulty in picking up crew
as he had anticipated, for although
the war clouds of civil strife had al
ready begun to lower over the coun-
try, the ignorant boatmen did not
realize the bitter feeling 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 among you
that feels scary, he can just chuck his
plunder on the bank and go ashore
right here, for after we swing out in
to the Ohio not man shall see the
boats till we get to New Orleans, un-
less he's taken by officers or soldiers
along the way, or we strike a snag
and have to swim for it..
"Ain't you going down, Jack?"
asked one of the crew significantly.
81 should say was" was the grim
answer.
''Then | 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 a
gruff, almost surly tone, yet thepilOt
was well pleased to receive it, as he
knew the nature of the material he
had TO deal with, and accepted the
retort of the rough boatman for what
it was-viz; 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 up
on the shore.
81 wish we'd waited until night
afore maxim a start grumbled the
pilot to his assistant, Billy Brown.
"Now the news that Jack Leath-
ers with a broadhorn of ofPittsburg coal
is headed down the river will travel
good sight faster N we will, and we
may look for trouble even afore we
git to Cairo"
"Well, my advice is, Jack, not to
hug that trouble before it comes
aboard, replied the youthful and
light hearted "secon" as he gave a
vigorous sweep with his long steering
oar, as much to emphasize his remark
as to guide the boat out into mid
stream.