Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1905-08-18

Atmh ht AAAretu4Alp- Acnht DAAtNt
was the pilot. and we. Barnet and I,
were alone in the pilot house. Neither
had spoken a word for half an hour or
more when the captain OF the steamer
opened the door and said roughly:
Barnet. that cursed mate took to the
bank back there. The fool said he was
going TO get married. Tie up at La
Cross"
The old pilot did not answer. He did
not look at the captain. but remained
m~otiOnless. tipped back in his high
chair by the wheel. his eyes resting on
the far water line beyond the raft. The
captain slammed shut the door and
walked heavily over the hurricane deck
and down the steps to the deck below.
THAT mate a fOOl2' Barnet reflected.
'Vell, maybe, and maybe not"
Barnet leaned Over TO the window for
some tobacco. then began to ill his
pipe. There was no sound but the regu-
lar breathing Of the steamer and the
wash, wash, wash Of the big wheel at
the stern. BY and by the pipe was
lighted.
ITS n common, unlnteresting way
folks got nowadays OF getting mar
ried." the pilot began. Don't you
know 1t ISL Common old prose from
the beginning"
l made no answer.
do you know-well, II was back In
go. l was pulling an oar on IN old
floating raft. We didn't have steamers
to push 'em then. A young fellow, you
know-strong, good looking lie turn
ed to me with u grin and then watched
some smoke curl over the pilot wheel.
''Times are different now. Well, there
WINS only one town on the Mississippi
them days-that was where she lived
abe girl, YOU know. l reckoned the days
by coming to that town. Other
towns were just sort of landmarks to
tell pa how far Off we were. We went
SLOW Just 4efore we got to 1t. She was
ALVIN down on the sand to see us.
Well, sir, there was another fellow
on that raft sort Of Il clerk and mate
or steersman when the captain want
cd to be lazy-sort of a general boss
and important. You know, he figured
on the same girl. Poor devil, l don't
know what became OF him! We were
going down the river spring Of 60
May; no wind; easy floating. The wa
Ter was all like that out there" Barnet
pointed to a broken bar of crimson
and green in the water that ran from
khe boat to the bank. The sunset was
above the hill beyond.
'"The middle of the next morning We
were coming to that only town 1 wal
telling you about. You know, tina
night l didn't sleep-no work to do
either. / dropped down between TIVE
big logs comfortable and listened t
that raft pur. The waves, you know
ratified around soft between the logs
Hear that tree toad then, that chi
wa, chiwaT Well, / heard them tina
night.
Next morning the wind was blow
ing a gale to eastward across the chan
mel. Right, rightF the captain KEEP
calling In his deep voice. Right. right
you know. that way. Good, rough ole
fellow; he's dead now. I'd like to heal
him call them signals again. We were
all at the sweep oars working-tired
Young fellow. you don't know what II
is TO be tiredF'
The old pilot turned to me. then relit
his pipe.
"No breakfast that morning" he
went on. ~ don't know why-guess
the cook had to take n hand at the
oars. That happened sometimes. Well
there was that town coming in sight
and 1 was working to keep the wind
from blowing us right in on the banh
in front Of 1t. Pretty soon 1 sec the
girl--wore q white dress-no hat. Same
time 1 saw that clerk l was telling you
about. We had only n boat on the
feet, and there was that clerk, with q
white collar on, making for to shove
ashore in that boat
He had a commanding voice. l be
gan TO pull again with the other fel
lows, about twenty OF them. Pretty
soon 1 see the captain coming down 70
the bow where / was. lie was whit.
thing a stick. The clerk was Just about
10 shove OF. Well, that captain-he
was q good fellow-there amt any
more like him now ON the river-hG
came down to me and stood quiet a
minute, cutting that stick.
"Leslle,' he says what towns this
we're coming tor
"'Let me see,' l says, beginning q
look around.
"'Neyer mind he returned. I sec
you don't know. The winds getting
high. Wen lay In n mile below he
said soft. Leslie he says, don't be-
afraid Of getting wet
THAT captain didn't say another
word. he went off whiting that stick
SEQ the girl wave to W. I see the
clerk wave back and shove OF IN the
boat. I didn't have time to wave
Jumped In and swan for It. The Other
fellows didn't make a sound. / though
they hadn't noticed.
'Pretty soon l see the clerk and th'
girl shaking hands. Then she wa
booking at me; then the clerk was.
told you It was May and the watei
hadn't heated up yet for summer
Next thing / was on the bank. SILVER
ing too much 70 talk. That girl cam
over and extended her hand to me.
"No,' says 1. I'm too wet to toucl
you!
you're fool enough 20 half drowl
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