The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1895-06-22
a SINGULAR COINCIDENCE.
Ono OF Its Elements IL . Familiar Super.
gtltiOD.

stltlOn.
Talking of fatalities" said the
raconteur of the club, "if you will go
back to the '70's / will tell you OF
curious incident that happened, in
which the number thirteen had a
prominent part. 1t was thought moth
ing OF at the time, but long after
wards those who were witnesses OF
the event recalled it as singular
coincidence, to say the least. /, for
nv part. admit that / am supersti-
tious, and regard trifies light as air in
the way Of combinations strong"
"Story. story com manded the presi-
dent of the club.
STORY? God bless you, l have none
to give you," said the reconteur; 1t
was more than a story. for tragedies
followed in its wake. You remember
the yacht Cora, which was owned by q
genial Detroit man, no longer with us.
The Cora had carried many merry
party safely ON q voyage of pleasure,
and it is to ono of those joyous occa-
sions am about to refer. There was
a party going for an afternoon sail in
the summer of IA jolly party OF
prominent citizens, their wives and
several guests, among whom were two
ladies, the wives of soldiers-Mrs. Gen.
Custer and Mrs. Custer Calhoun, wife
and sister of Gen. George A. Custer,
who was then fighting Indians in the
northwest.
TT was Just before the Cora was
starting from her dock at crosse lie
on her way up the river with her laugh
ing. happy crowd of pleasure-seekers,
that the party noticed number of
small, black objects fluttering aboutin
the water. The attention of their host,
the owner of the boat, was called to
| them. and he made the discovery that
they were quails, part of covey OF
birds that in trying to cross from one
marsh to another, had lost their bear
ings, became frightened and were now
fluttering in the water. All went to
the rescue with buckets, hats and any
thing else that came handy, the birds
were caught, landed on the deck, and
turned over to the cook with orders
| that they be served up for supper. Old
| Billy. the cook, was somewhat troubled
1
ployer into the galley.
'Yoh seen dem birds, Mr.. B
Eyes, Billy"
"Yoh done count 'em, sah?"
mo, didn't count them"
Don't hab 'em cooked, sah," said
old Billy earnestly. Else done count
em, and dere's jest thirteen"
His employ er laughed heartily as he
said:
I'm afraid you'll feel worse, Billy,
old fellow. There are just thirteen in
the company. That means one quail
for each guest. There won't be even
the bones of one left for you, old man.
"Lordy," said Billy, rolling his
eyes, II jest wouldn't eat one fob do
hull universe-no, sah."
..But the birds were deliciously
cooked, served in fine style, and eater
with many jest concerning their ia
tai number, while the fortunate thir
teen specialized as to what the cours'
of events would have been had ther'
been one less or one more.
"In all that gay company there wa
no thought of coming trouble, and |
) would have excited laugh of derisiol
to have predicted the maledictions o
fate. Yet in few years five OF thos
happy wives were desolaCe widows
two of them through the tragedy o
the battle of the Little Big Horn
while the genial host met the closin
tragedy of his life in the waters tina
, had SO often been his sport and pleas
, ure."
II remember the casualty to whic
5 YOU refer" said the president; "bu
1 yorr number thirteen is the merest o.
D incident in the event"
THAT is what called it," said tn
raconteur, ''but you must admit ths
> sometimes condolences are quee
things" Free Press.