Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1899-08-19
CHAPTER TX.
AFLcAr ON TIE MISSISSIPPI

lie at the south that was TO me as
novel as il was agreeable. When these
kind ladies learned that had de-
termined TO prosecute my journey to
Louisiana. they joined their husband
and father in urging me TO delay.
I'VE are hardly acquainted with you
vet" 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. Il 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 n mischievous |
younger sister. ''>imon Basnet doesn't |
come over more than once a week"
Perhaps can furnish you with a
good reason for stopping with us
awhile You want to sec slave life
down here; you can't half see it unless
you witness the cotton picking. We
shall begin in less than a month. aud
the sight will be weH worth seeing.
I'm a southerner born and reared; yet
this is something that Is always new
20 me and always grand. The section
CT Louisiana where you are going is all
s1gar; you'll see no cotton there. only
what is piled up in bales at New Or
leans Don't tempt you now2" Thus
Mr.. Dorion talked.
He assuredly did; so greatly that
realized that my only safety was TO
firmly decline. To remain here even =
week would attach me so to these peo-
pie and to this home that the thought
of Mr.. Bostock would cease to trouble
me II would go to him, I 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-
eraRe sentiment that belongs TO young
people. When. therefore, say that
felt urged impelled to travel on, IL
will probably appear to others, as IL
does to me. that had destiny to ac-
eomplish.
tried 60 say all this to my kind
friends In way that would not seem
ungracious-
well. my lad, so be IT," said Mr..
Dorion- AZ have forebodings about
You, and you must promise 20 write to
me all about Bostock. have heard
something of northern pluck and obsti-
macy; I reckon you've got both If you
will go, wait till the cool of the day,
and IN drive over with you to Barrels
It's only four miles across, and IL will
be much handler than to go up 10
Viclxsburg. 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.
al hope we shall meet again, Dorr, -
he said, as a glimpse of the river ap-
peared through the trees
"IkROsc we SHAH" 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 q place on the Low
riverban< where stood a solitary store
house, and some thousands of cords o.
dry wood, ready for use. Two whit.
been two miles away from the rive
sat and dangled their rusty boots IL
the water, and with some profanit,
and n vast expectoration of Tobacco,
juice, hotly argued the unsettled
question as TO which was the tastes
boat, the Cotton Queen, or the s. S
Prentiss
THAR comes the Queen now" sal
the champion of that craft. "Ah, blu
she's beautyl II she ever kitches tn
s. S. on this water she'll walk RICH
Of7n her"
-'SheA never cotch her"
! ,'Much you know bout boats"
30, you talki ! was sailin' the Nj:
sissippi when you couldn't tell = pin
% water from n hogshead o. lasses-"
The discussion was in a fair way {
'.go on forever" but the near al
proach of the stately Qneen put an en-
10 it. Heralded by great volumes {
smoke beyond the point, and by tina
peculiar, deep-drawn coughing Of tn
pipes that accompanies one of thes
river monsters, she burst into view Xix
q splendid apparition, reminding on
of the genii of the Arabian Night
Her great paddles churned the rive
into foam Twilight still prevaile,
but the signal colored lanterns wei
hung out fore and aft and a1oft, an
lamps were lit in the saloons, stat
rooms and cabins. Tier upon tier IL
great height of the steamer rose fro
the water, the light flashing out fro
every opening. Surmounting Il
whole was the Texas" or pilot
cabin, with the gilded figure of a ques
displayed in front of it. seated on
Rilt-corded bale of cotton. The lof
smoke-pipes lowered from the deck
Everywhere the boat was crowd'
with people.
had long ere now recovered fro
the amazement with which l learn'
that wharves and docks were unlxnov