The Cairo bulletin., 1904-11-09

HlylN1n&tS NO Wlin y one Wa wv IN
! other"
Here tie conversation ended aa
1.-The Captain vent below 70 his room
In the Texas and tirned In for IN
night.
hope he u eight though as
he'd the Jack staff on slar th0
twinkled ahead Just as was abou
to turn the wheel over TO my partne
the first mate came into the pilot
house to get light for his cigar.
Hello, Bill" said he 10 me. "DiC
you see the cat that boy had that go
on up at the Point2''
Yes"
what do you think of it?"
II don't know; what of it?" ! asked
with little laugh that was half de
brisive, half jocular.
IN tell you what think of Il
mighty durn'd quick think this boa
will never have no good luck. That's
what | think, and don't care who
knows 1t. And never like to be on a
boat that has preacher and white
horse aboard, neither. | knew a boat
that took on board an old Methodist
preacher; and his old gray mare
down at Neblett's Landing, and when
she got just little above Memphis
she busted her boilers and out Of 3G5
persons On board only twenty-five
lived to tell the tale, and some of them
were lying on cots In hospital at
Memphis scalded almost to death as
they told their experience TO the news
paper fellows. And cat the first
trip is worse than all; but the captain
Is one OF your schoolish chaps and
don't pay no heed to signs that we
know is true as gospel; but he'll see
his mistake some day when this boat
gees down in sixty foot of water or
them underwriters get their writs so
tangled about her that she can't get
loose from the levee down at Orleans
and no rouster darsn't let loose the
head line. Now have often heard ii
said that you had better not ship on
a boat when the rats leave her, and |
know that some folks laugh at that
and say faint nothing in it; but
know better and can prove it. You
remember the burning OF the Unicorn
On the Yazoo River Capt Gwartael
" New Orleans was in command ant
She burned about 3 o'cioeh ia me
4yening just below Satartia She was
oaded with cotton They run aql
ashore and no lives were lost, bun
;omc turkeys We're tied on the hur
'icane deck, and when the flames were
about to reach them one of the pilots
vent aboard cut them loose and thon
lad to swim ashore. He got badly |
too, while saving them tur'
seys. Now the Unicorn had rats to
cave her Just before she started on
hat trip"
And thus he RECALLED me with stor |
es of superstition so prevalent among
he uneducated class OF rivermen un
II 1t was time for hin to 60 On the |
hurricane roof
Nothing OF importance occurred 0, |
he down trip but Il was gala rui
II the way. AT Cairo, Memphis. hicts
urg, Natchez ana New Orleans
real ngmbef OF people should say |
p in the thousands visited be boat
peeches of welcome we're made D1
rators at different cities. Champaign,
parked with the efferyeseence Of the
1T that flowed. and all together our
purse southwark was series OF
vations and bon voyages. When VIC
ad made fast at New Orleans the
aptain said TO me:
We'll. you see, nothing happened,
ill. after all We are here as safe
nd sound as the United States Gov
notwithstanding the fac
e brought a spotted cat all the way
ON Pecan Point to Pride's Point
nd saw the 10y give the cat tc
ohn Miller, who keeps that big stor,
ear the landing. So you see there IL
)thing in these signs, after ALL
81 didn't say that anything Woul(
appen the first trip, did II"
NO, you didn't, but you intims
d mighty strong that something
light happen"
Here the mate came up and said
Wen. captain, you may laugh at M
! much as you durn please, but ] |
III you this boat is just bound to
Ave misfortune | don't know whai
'rt 1t will be, and don't know when
1T she amt going to run in the sun
line all the time"
The Captain made no reply ans
rned on his heel and went ava! |
,ntly whistling, Listen to the Mock |
& Bird" The Phantom remained il |
,rt three days and then departed for
sr regular trade in the upper coast
Othing out of the usual occurred eN
pit we got caught in a fog which
lme up out of the marshes and iay
ross the river for several hours
using us TO run under SLOW bells
ID to sound the fog whistle al tac
mute intervals. The fourth tup the
.ad. steward died and the doctor
It out of fix. So We were delayed
ID missed a big freight pile" tia,
IT rival got The mate said to me
{ looks like we are getting il al
ady, Bill. don't liz"