Smyrna times., 1918-02-20
On the
Old Mississippi
By EDWARD T. STEWART

can well remember the ladies' cabin
curtained off from the mems. l can
see the captain now, few minutes
before the sound of the dinner bell,
push aside these curtains, enter the
ladies cabin and escort them to the
table, where the men stood waiting,
each behind a chair he intended to /
occupy, till all the women were seated |
at the end reserved for them. Then |
at the first tap of the bell every man |
Sprang into his seat and began to eat |
whatever was nearest to him.
l made several trips when a boy |
with my mother from st. Louis for my |
health. My best friend and constant
companion was Job. cOlOred man,
the property Of a Colonel Ashley Of
New Orleans.
One day | was with job when he
was brushing his masters clothes and
noticed that he was troubled. Several
times he went into the cabin, whore
his master was playing poker. The
game had been played by a number
Of men, but all had dropped out ex-
cept Colonel Ashley and one other. On
one of Jobs returns he was talking to
himself.
"MarS' s the biggest fool. Wha' he
want to glib dat nigga trader, Skinner,
chance to fleece him fO'? He's done
toOken all de cunnel's money and now
Is de stakes. Don keer! amt gwine
to lebe mars if dat nigga trader win
me one hundred and fifty times"
He went back TO the table. The
colonel ordered him away. but he
wouldn't go. Presently the game was
finished. Skinner had won Job. At
the same time Job said:
"Cunnel dat nigga trader been
| Cheatin'."
Skinner looked at Job with an ex-
preston that frightened me, for was
standing by, and said:
"YOu Internal niggcr, I own you and
when get you ashore I'll fog you"
Ashley had been depressed at losing
his favorite slave. The proposed fog
| ging filled him with horror.
81 have means at home" said the
colonel. "PH give you one thousand
dollars for job in my note of hand"
81 won't sell him."
"What have you to say to his
charger"
'Tve nothing to say to the charge
of n niger"
every well. 1 will assume Jobs
insult l have no doubt he has told the
truth"
That was all that was required tC
insure a mortal combat. There cOult
be no duel till the boat stopped agair
afternoon.
Meanwhile l was tagging about aftel
Job, who was too much preOccupieC
to pay any attention to me. He wa
continually muttering to himself. "E
dat mis'able Skinner kill de cunne
he got t. fight me shO'. Nigga can
stan up and fight with white man lal
gentlemen, but he kin git white ma
in a corner an max him fight. So h
kim"
The boat did not stop till after darl
l when 1 saw a crowd going over tn
gangplank, headed by Colonel Ashle
1 and Skinner. All the sympathy wa
4 with the colonel, and Skinner found
difficult to secure a second. l was O
the ground watching the deck hanC
carry in wood when l heard two shot
I did not know what they meant, bl
n few minutes later 1 saw a sight thi
is as vivid to me today as it was the
Colonel Ashley was being carried to Il
Y hOat. his face a whitish blue, his We
covered with blood. He had been ki
ed instantly. Job was helping to car
him.
Later l was with Job in the stat
room the colonel had occupied.
was packing the cOlOners belonging
saw him take a revolver from
trunk and conceal 1t under his shi
Job had shadOwed Skinner at d
tance. Skinner, who was Stunned
every person aboard, went up on
hurricane deck as far aft as he cot
90 and was smoking alone. Sever
shots were heard, and officers of
boat on going aft found Skinner ST
dead. Job was standing over hi
Job owned to the deed and gave hi
: self up. On Skinner was found a
volver with two chambers exploded
That's the last saw of Job for yea
When I was nearly grown l receiN
call at nv home in st. Louis from
negro. who proved to be Job. He t
q me such was the detestatiOn of SIX
ner aboard the boat that the pers'
set to guard his slayer cOnnived at
escape. They put him in a skitf
before daylight in the morning {
turned him adrift, reporting afterw
that he had jumped overheard.
had worked his way north and sp
a number of years at Cincinnati.
coming to st. Louis he had hunted
up. He entered the service OF
family and remained there till he d