The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1893-12-21
CHAPTER TX.
AFLoAT ON THE MISSISSIPPI


life at the south that was to me as
novel as it was agreeable. When these
kind ladies learned that l had de-
termined to prosecute my journey to
Louisiana. they Joined their husband
and father in urging me to delay.
1--WE are hardly acquainted with you
yet" said the matron. 'I'd have you
know, sir, it's not at all the Mississippi
way for visitor to come one day, and
go the next"
my curiosity isn't half satisfied"
laughed Miss Celeste. 81 supposed,
from what had heard, that your New
England people were a kind of
kangaroo. We see so little company
here that an interesting young man
like you is positive godsend."
"And then" added a mischievous
younger sister, Simon Basnet doesn't
come over more than once week"
Perhaps can furnish you with
good reason for stopping with us
awhile You want to see slave life
down here; you can't half see it unless
you witness the cotton picking. We
shall begin in less than month and
the sight will be well worth seeing
I'm southerner born and reared; yet
this is something that is always new
to me and always grand. The section
Of Louisiana where you are going is all
sugar: you'll see no cotton there, only
what is piled up in bales at New Or
leans. Don't ! tempt you now?" Thus
Mr.. Dorion talked.
He assuredly did; so greatly that !
realized that my only safety was to
firmly decline. To remain here even a
week would attach me so to these peo-
pie and to this home that the thought
of Mr.. Bostocll would cease to trouble
me. If would go TO him, ! must go at
once. There is nothing of the fatalist
in me; Notwithstanding the strange
events of my early life which have
been and are to be recorded, ] am
plain. matter-of-fact kind of person.;
had at twenty-one no more than the av-
erage sentiment that belongs to young
people. When, therefore, ! say that
felt urged, impelled to travel on, it
will probably appear to others, as it
does to me, that had destiny to ac-
complish.
] tried to say all this to ny kind
friends in a way that would not seem
ungracious.
"Well, my lad, so be it," said Mr..
Dorion. 81 have forebodings about
you, and you must promise to write to
me all about Bostock. / have heard
something of northern pluck and obsti-
macy; reckon you've got both. If you
will go, wait till the cool of the day,
and I'll drive over with you to Barrels.
It's only four miles across, and it will
be much handler than to go up to
Vicksburg. The Cotton Queen stops
there to wood up on her way down the
river
Very little passed between us as we
rode over to the river that evening.
Mr.. Dorion was serious and thought
full; and, while I anticipated new
scenes and adventures, l could not but
be sad with the parting.
Il hope we shall meet again, Dorr,"
he said, as glimpse of the river ap-
peared through the trees.
"IknOW we ShdH," was my answer, de-
livered with fervor that startled my
self
1t was like the voice of prophecy.
We did meet again, in situation and
under circumstances which romance
would vainly attempt to rival.
"Barre's" was a place on the low
riverbank where stood a solitary store
house, and some thousands of cords of
dry wood, ready for use. Two white
men of the class which had never
been two miles away from the river
sat and dangled their rusty boots in
the water, and with some profanity
and a vast eXpectoration of tobacco
juice, hotly argued the unsettled
question as to which was the fastest
boat, the Cotton Queen, or the S. S.
Prentiss
Thar comes the Queen now," said
the champion of that craft. "Ah, but
she's beauty! If she ever kitches the
S. S. on this water she'll walk right
off'n her.
"Shell never cotch her."
"Much You know bout boats"
so, yoU talk! was sailin' the Mis-
sissippi when you couldn't tell pint
o. water from hogshead o. lasses."
The discussion was in fair way to
''go on forever" but the near ap-
proach of the stately Queen put an end
to it. Heralded by great volumes of
smoke beyond the point, and by that
peculiar, deep-drawn coughing of the
pipes that accompanies one of these
river monsters, she burst into view like
a splendid apparition, reminding one
of the genii of the Arabian Nights.
Her great paddles churned the river
into foam Twilight still prevailed,
but the signal colored lanterns were
hung out fore and aft and aloft, and
lamps were lift in tha salnops ctota
rooms and cabins. Tier upon tier the
great height of the steamer rose from
the water, the light flashing out from
every opening. Surmounting the
whole was the Texas" or pilots
cabin, with the gilded figure of a queen
displayed in front of it, seated on
gilt-corded bale of cotton. The lofty
smoke-pipes lowered from the decks.
Everywhere the boat was crowded
with people.