The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1921-01-20
HAD LIVED III CABIN;
ASKED 10 RIDE DECK

Ole river mea recall the Cincin-
natl and New Orleans packet Charles
Morgan. Sac was considered one of
the finest sidewheel boats travelling
from the upper river country ii the
Sos She was fast, had a capacity
for carrying an unusually heap4
cargo and her cabin could aecommo-
date 280 passengers without becom-
ing crowded.
Every spring it was the Charles
Morgan that carried the Mardi Gras
excursion from Cincinnati. Her
commander was Capt. Charles Stein,
a gruff, nervous man, who had made
q reputation for running his boat on
time as near as it was possible, and
he did this BY refusing to land UNI
less he had orders from the general
manager of the line or there was a
big freight pile in sight.
On one Of these Mardi Gras trims
the Morgan had lost several hours in
Cairo. She was bowling down the
river at her best speed. She was in
the bends below Natchez one after
noon, when there came a vigorous
hale from the Louisiana side Of the
river.
The pilot on watch called the can
tain's attention to the hale. Cant.
Stein got out his field glasses and
fixing them on the spot where the
haling was from, saw a negro man
waving part Of bed sheet.
"de must have considerable freight.
Better run as close to him as YOU can
and we win see what he wants. .
ordered the captain
The pilot gave the engineer a slow
bell signal and pretty soon the Nor
gan began to sheer in toward the
place where the negro was standing
When in speaking distance Can't
Stein called through a speaking
trumpet:
''WPat you want?"
"Ah wants to go to New Orleans, j"
answered the NEGRO.
"Pll be w suffered out the
captain. "Let he come in slowly. I"
he said to the pilot.
Got anv freight?' he asked the
man on shore.
"Nuthin' 'ceptin' mase'f and dis
heah dawg, answered the black man.
Again Capt. Stein almost swore.
How much is de fare?" asked the
negro, walking as close to the water
as he could.
deck or cabin?" called back the
captain.
Deck, please, sab. I'se bin liyin' in
a cabin all nah life. | done got
some money and wants to cit out de
cabin by ridin' on de deck"
did you ever hear the like 2" said
the captain to the pilot. Let her come
on in. I'll take that niger on to
Orleans and if he hasn't any money
we'll make rouster out Of him"
The Morgan eased up to the shore,
the stage plank was lowered and Che
negro, carrying an old-fashioned car
pet bag, started on board, dragging
q dog by rope he had tied around
its neck.
"That dog can't come on this
boat" ordered Capt. Stein. "The
last time ] carried dog it was ac-
companied by a white mule. We had
a preacher on and the boat sank in
20 feet of water"
"Can't 90 without de dwag, capin',n
answered the negro. "Him an me
done been frien's sence we's lef'
Arkansas He been moughty good
to me, sab, and All hain't got de
hwart to leave him."
"Come on board and stop that lab
bering," ordered the captain, as the
biz steamer started backing away
with the negro and his doc scramb-
ing down the stage plank.
River men who knew Capt Stein
say this was the anlv time they could
recall that he ever landed the boat
10 near New Orleans for single
Fl. Curtis. in Memphis
Appeal.