The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1908-10-29
HOW HAPPY-oo-LUcKY RIVER
FOLKS" MAKE A LIVING.
HUNTER AND FORTUNE TELLER
A Man and His Wife, who Are
Making Trip From Kansas City
to New Orleans TO Spend
the Winter.

~ lNlu'lls NJ "a" b'is ~ ANii'
on the Mississippi river Is 9racti
cally at snndstill. save Tor a few
government boats and the regular
packet lines running up the river
from Memphis and an occasional
hobo on q country road One of
shanty boat drifting down the rivei
as aimlessly as any tomato caunou
these nomads Of the river blew I'm
against the Arkansas shore few
nights ago and tied mp for the night
about mile above us. There was
a strong wind blowing mp the rive,
the next day. and In the Afternoon
I sailed mp the river to make IA
neighborly call. after the custom OF
the shanty boat folk As made
fast my small craft and stepped mp
the gang plank | was greeted by
the growing Of rooster, which
perched on an inverted washtub
on the deck. and two small but
very noisy dogs.
Down damn yo' trifln soul. 10
stranger; come right in" was the
greeting from within. 4 part OF this
was for the dogs. and took the
invitation in the hospitable spirit
In whc' II was evidently given
and entered. | was met by a rather
fine loking athletic man of some
30 or 30 years. He had lost one
arm at the shoulder. wore his hair
long and curly and closely crop
ped full beard The interior OF the
cabin was scrupulously clean. A
sewing machine sat in ono corner.
and above II hung several guns ano
half dozen or more traps. A
partially completed fish net hung
In a corner and a half grown. tame
raccoon shifted at me from the bars
of his cage. On the outside had
seen the announcement, Fortunes
Told Tere." but I could not fancy
this strapping big fellow with the
laughing eyes In the role of The
seventh son of seventh son. MY
perplexity was not to last long.
had just finished introducing myself
when an outburst from the dogs
and cackling among the chickens
on the bank announced another ar.
rival. and up the gangplank. and
IN the door bounced middle aged.
hut extremely youthful looking and
well preserved woman. fat and buy
ON. She was dressed I'm n fur
bloomer costume OF blue jeans. and
on her head boys canvas cap
perched jauntily on her glossy black
hair. She carried n small repeating
shotgun and a cottontail gave evl.
dence OF her prowess.
This IS my wife Ma, this gentle.
man sailed up the river from his
boat down on the sandbar." said
the man all In one breath by way
OF Introduction.
Excuse my hunting costume" she
said as she hung up her cap and
gun and stepped before the mirror
10 pat her hair into shape "When
saw your boat thought II was
n customer. 7 tell fortunes. YOU
know, an daresn't he away from the
boat long. They Just don't give me
no rest. Two women came here last
night an 7 had 10 give 'em n read
In. Thought I'd get some rest down
here in the woods. comm unah.
nounced, but Tor Niger In COT
ton pickn' time Is Just bound 10
have her fortune told"
All this she told without stoppine
for breath, as she hustled around
M various household duties and the
man looked on with evident pride
u tell 'em I'm three ways" she
went on, "by tho kairds. by IN.
palms OF their hands. an by signs.
an can always get 'em right. We
river folks has got TO live. Now
my old man there hunts an, trap
an runs the boat, an 7 tell for.
tunes, that's nv business, but can
make nets and seines. an prepare
birds feathers for the market. On.
we always eat three times a day.
and sometimes four"
Yes, and she Is pretty nearly as
good a fisherman as am. an Il
is part OF my trade" broke I'm the
man. She caught a catfish weigh.
Ing four pounds an soft-shelled
turtle last night. The cat went 70,
our breakfast and the turtle win
make our supper. Besides picke.
up these yesterday and opening
an ice box he showed me a tur
key and three ducks.