Little Falls herald., 1900-11-23
In FIRE AND w ATER.
,. = : @sE = 1852 So : 5:55.5.r+ Z
BY #. HI. LANCASTER.

Il
passengers crowded upon her guards" |
waving farewells to the people upon the |
landing and taking one last look at the he |
roc city seated so proudly upon her hills. |
Soon, however, Vicksburg was lost behind |
a bend in the river and the crowd dispersed |
the pleasure seekers to the saloon; the |
sensible to their staterooms and the rest |
less ones to the hurricane deck. Only man |
and woman remained leaning upon the rails
of the guards"
Evidently continuing conversation on
shore, the man broke the silence: "f Co.'S
mopolitan means dirt, you are right in say
ing that New Orleans is cosmopolitan. 1t is
the dirtiest city was ever in
"Certainly," assented his companion.
"Cosmopolitanism presupposes contingent
cy of dirt But you have either visited very
few foreign cities or you are prejudiced
against New Orleans, if you dub it the
dirtiest city you ever saw"
*'Of course you will fight for it-all Lou
isianians do.'
~ am Mississippian," she returned, con-
cisey. Then, after a pause: '''How long
do YOU suppose it will take us to make the
trip:'
"Depends upon how many stops we make
,
I'm not
81 thought the boat was pretty we'll load
ed already" remarked the girl, evadnng his
question.
"She'l load to the hurricane deck" The
man spoke coldly, annoyed that his ques~
ton had been evaded, yet disdaining to push
! the point He looked hard at the gorgeous
southern sunset.
n u~7 ~ 41oo
she was peeling, dropping the bits of golden
rind into the muddy river and noting with
idle amusement that the oily side always
turned to the water. "Buttered side down."
; she murmured.
! He turned unwl]ingIy to remark her d.
version. Wonderful thing-nature," he
said, tersely.
"Yes-Is English Turn above or below
New Orleans?'
Don't you know that Beinville was ex-
ploring the river below New Orleans when
he met the English chaplain and told him
that the Mississippi was leagues to the
west?'
| ''Do you suppose the Eng]ishman believed
! him.
'He turned around and cut"
eyes, I know. There is very pretty oak
tree at the place.
'*Is there: | never noticed"
"What are you in such an awful bad
! humor about? Try some of my orange"
THANK you. I'd rather have cigar.'
"Well, have one, then, by all means"
"You don't object?''
'I? Haven't I been compelled to inhale
! tobacco smoke for the last five years? It's
the best business training woman can ac-
quire these days."
*'Deuce take the business training! Let
me stand below you. The wind will carry
off the smoke
| The girl gave place silently.
| "Helloa, / see we are going to make an
other landing" said the man. Mice work,
this loading cotton at night. What I can't
, understand is why more of these river
boats are not burned. Look at the cotton
they are rolling up the gangplank. You
! can see the loose fiber sticking out all
| over it."
! "Were you ever on board boat when
! it caught on fre?''
<<No, but should like to be-with you"
i Good gracious! You'd be in bad fix if
you were. I don't know how to SWIM"
"Then permit me to say that you have no
business travelling on the Mississippi river"
/ Nonsense! Death is written down by
destiny. Strong swimmers are drowned
every day.
II don't believe in Destiny" He spoke
with a fresh cigar between his teeth.
; "Don't you? Well, good night"
"Why, it's early yet, ism t it? Well, wait,
then. Don't let's part like this We may
never see"
/ ''But you don't believe in destiny" And
she closed the door.
? The man, left alone, leaned his elbow ON
! the rail and stared modify down at the
murky waters in the pale and~uncertain
light How long he stood there wrapped in
bitter reverie he never knew. When he
aroused himself at last the steamboat was
creeping through dense fog and the
smoke from her stack fell to the deck,
penetrating every place with it's smell. He
, shrugged his strong, straight shoulders and
! then almost Immediately sighed wearily.
! 'It's all over with, I guess. She's woman
enough to want to keep me from making
fool of myself. Pity haven't the nerve to
help her on with the good work"
He smiled with the savageness of pain.
"Please Heaven, where this boat makes her
next landing there. she leaves me-" Then
| ne WeHC W Ills stdleIOOlu, tule" ullAecll
! down upon the bed, not expecting to sleep,
! and yet he did so-slept heavily until
aroused by blood d-curdling uproar. There
was no need to question. The glare and
I smoke told their own tale Where was she?
With white face and quivering nostrils he
made his way through the frantic crowd.
She was not there. The fire had broken out
in dozen places. Men and women were
leaping wildly overheard. Where was she?
Had she, pan nic-stricken, leaped with the
rest? ri don't know how to swim," the
words laughingly uttered a few hours be-
fore, rang in his ears with maddening mean
ing. He rushed to the hurricane deck and
peered across the murky waters. Dawn was
! drawing the curtain from the cruel scene.
! "Dead men float on their faces, dead women
float on their backs" The words of the
old stewardess came to him with hideous
meaning as he gazed upon the mass of strug-
Cling creatures. The thought forced Il cry
from his lips and he called her name hoarse-
! ly. A horrible fear was gaining upon him,
! clutching at his throat with pitiless hand.
! H. #sf,1mh1o1 ho a0ain ran nm IN fhA