Sam Simple's first trip to New Orleans
page: (TitlePage) [View Page (TitlePage) ]i' 0 S, iY; 1/a THEI }: LAN( i FIRST TRIP TO A UTHHOR OF "BOB SNOBS," '"MASONf F.MI. ",&C AMERICtTS, (GEORGIA : Qoh , GRAHAM & REILLY, BOOK AND JOB PIWITEJ& 18.70,. 0 :j page: 0[View Page 0] i Y l t ' ' r i a Entered, according to Ag of Congrees, in the year 1870, by GI. T. WILBURN, In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. V[Y FIRST TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS: w you e the; ght it ibout comes to sob thun e old ''e river, iing] y roui other, soon i nin, al Ijust -er of some sure ere." Ad to: her v BY Sa.I SIIPLE. . CHAPTER I. see I was raised away up in thejmountains of Alabama, live on deer meat and turkeys, and somehow or other was one of the greatest places in the world. When I t".1 years old, there was a, tremendous st rring among the .e. I couldn't for my life think what waste to pay. But home ine night and says:: "Sam, Thn gwine; to send ool to that man you seed here to-day." Thipks I to my- [or and Ton Walker! and what does he mean? IAwonder coon has hired me out to that ugly varmint! ,"But"; says are going to build house to-morrow." Old Nick and and what are they goin to do with a 11ouse! The, next was up bright and early to seewhat :all this to-do, meant. d the Wolf's Bend, down in the hollow,the peopleall got nd such another cutting, of sappl'ns you neverdid see. hrowed up a log hut, and covered 't over. Next Monday ter we finished the house, I gete mummy's old blueepocket crammed down into it a big piece of deer meat anda bread, and starts down the branch to the new house. I eighty tremendous ideas, goin along. Well, I go there, enough there was;the school man.. Says he, "Bys, come Oh, you chills and agues, how itgives ne the4 d1- oversI iave dropped right there. We all marched up, not knowing should live a minute. He first findssout all our names N rou as ood ad ou elf, i ad, ar aor \a Ve ior nd un ad nd p1l lik the page: 4-5[View Page 4-5] VMY FIRST TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS, 1 ,{ a; and scratches.them down onl a piece of paper, aid he then gives books toall of us. He- give me a kind of picture book, and says he. "Sam, you learn these letters." Off I went, and down I sat, and I tell you it was mighty interestin for a little while. After awhile he says, "The class in geography, come recite." Up they went, and commenced tellin about the big towns in this country. After awhile they come.to New Orleans. Now the school ma had been down to New:Orleans, and he gin the class the great things he seed down there. Now this kind of excited me, and I just nade up my mind to go to see New Orleans. I goes home and says to dad, I believes I'll go to New Orleans. C"Go whar ?" says dad. Why, says I, to New Orleans. "If you dont bundle up and get of to school to-mor- row morning, I'll show you how to come here talking your out- landish' nonsense." So I went on to school; but now and the n the school man had'something say about the queen of cities, and the "Crescent City." I thoughtI would begin to pi k up dimes and save them for a trip. I went on to school a little more than three years, and-then I left him. I then hires myself to a man to get money to go to New. Orleans I. served him for several years, and laid up my- little money. I let him keep it for me, and when I thought I had enough to make a start I calls on him for it. He pays me $200 down, in the pure stuff. - I soon fixes up, and off I puts for New Orleans. I takes along dad's old sadklle bags, stuffed like a sassinger, withclean sl irts, trowsers, &c. I goesdown to Mr. Work's, where the folks take supper when they take the stage on the plank-roads I never had mueh appetite, and when I went in to supper I takes a bite or two, 'and up I jumps. As I wa.s about to go out the door the boss ketches me by the sleeve, trnd says, "Gentle- men always pay their bills bWfore leaving the dini lg room.'.' Now. being{as how I was on a trip tothe Crescent City, was right in for anything that looked like a nan of information, so I just hawls out my money purse-one that n ammy made me out of checked home- spun--and hands the old customer a half dollar,'and says I, boss, just give me thechange. "This is the amount, exactly," says he, and puts it in his pocket. -Splprgeration and wild pats ! says I; and I didn't eat as much as a baby, and you charge a half dollar'? "C thi get ke wh toi tor pai tle ar live ni on bar ;re aid md no tior ny l :o g ier iav urn ton na rae To, iin linm vor ike hin ole 3rtaiu y," says he; we charge as much for three mouthfuls as for ec hu dred." Good! says I; and back I welt, and at it I went tg my h If dollar's worth. I eat until I was as tight'as a, whiskey .I ets up with a kind of independence like a nianvwho knowsL it he is about; and when I gets to the door the greedy puppy says ce, "Mister, your fare if you please."''Earthquakes and alliga- ;, says I, didn't I gin you half a dollar? -"yes," says he, "you I me or the first supper and went back and took another. Gen- nen w o eat two suppers pay' for two." I seed it was nouse to be uin w th him, for he seemed to be up to his business; so Ijust forks r the alf. Now, says 'I, Sam, if'you don't'"'keep your eyes ' kin- you'l not see the "Queen of Cities" yet"; so I just 'made up=ny d to eep imy eyes open. After a'little while I heardthe etage ing. Flutter-mills and weather-cocks, says I, I believe. my giz- will jump right out of-my mouth. But up she "'onie, with a t lig whiskered fellow drivin four of the prettiest grays you ever- your eyes on; they were charmin creatures, andI walked found was 1 oking first on this side and then on that, and first:thiig I wed the driver hollowed out, "All aboard, gentlemen; for Mont- ery." Says I, I'm gwine there myself. "Well,.Why inthe na don' you get in ?" I runs around quicker than' a 'minute, with ld sa dle-bags a swinging to myjarm. Just as I got"to the'dbor et in, ne 'little sickly-face fellow says, like a woman; "All 'full in. r." Toll, get out, says I, for I am gwine; certain. "You will to ri elwith me," says the driver. .Any where, says I, so up I ps, and pits as strait as if Ilhad a shingle in iiy back. Away) the es we t; down a long slant. I waited aminute dr twb to see the take therm up, but bein as how he didn't, quick as you can say Rob nson, I grabbed the reins and hollowed 'as'iud }ms I#'ould, wo. "Wihat ar you about," says the driver . Aint thOfitun- away ? says 1\ "No, you fool," says he, "they aint -h f trav- Don't you put your hands on these lines." And away ie went se than ever. I could see the blue streaks and'theings around, when you've been turned' 'around and got ' drdik, and' the first g I knowed a co-whallup I come right flat of my baCk inI a mud The horses run about fifty yards before the-driver couldfake BY S NI INIPLE. 4 %5 page: 6-7[View Page 6-7] MY FIRST TRIP TO NEW ORLIFANS, umup. I jumped up qneker than you could pop your finger and took right.afterthe stage--I knowed they were after leavin me, but I'd see -um.about it. "Npu'd better get on t e inside," says the driver. I guess I hd, says I, that place up the e is rather high for e, it kinderakeamy head syin. My littlegan gets out and I getsyin. The gals were al mighty tickler, frai4 my muddy britches would tuckb their fine coats; so I gets as small as possible. The old seage wegta swingin and a juniii worse than mamy's cradle, and the frst thing I knowed it kind a struck something and I pitched slap dab into a.gals/s'lap, wi l my arm right around her neck, ketchin at somethin to kcp me from fallen. She ho owed worse than a wildeat, and:two great whappinsllows grabbed me and set me back ina my seat so hard.I like to knocked the ottom out. "Keep your, seat,"said 'one and his face looked 1 ke a snappin turtle. Bhe41azes and Gen. Jackson, says I, and how do you think a man can keep in his seat when the old'thing is bolbin up and down in this kindof way. "Holdon," says he, and his eyes looking like they would.keteh fire; .so I ketches hold of the sides of the stage and I held tighter than any possum on a sin mon lim. After so long ar time we beginto enter the great city of Montgormery. Oh ! the, houses ! the houses ! I looked first on one hide then on tother. Thinks I, this must beNew Oileans. Says I, his is New Orleans, aint it? "No," says a great black whiskered fellow, "this is a chicken-coop to New Orleans." Butter nuts, says I, if this aint a tarnasion ofa gchickencoop. About this tide the driver bawls out=-"What .Hotelgentlemen ?" Some say, "Exchange;" some "adison ; soms "Montgomery Hall." Roanoke and Tar river, th* I, what d44'they mean by this kind of stuff ? But an idea pops into my head-they only tellin the shows they want to go to. o I leaned back a little, and kinder puts on a knowin look, and ing gut wie. a full understanding of what was sayin-says I, driver; just carry me to, all on um.i "gies, says he, "time you pay your bill at one of them you'll not wantto g to the others." I knowedwhat he meant right away,,for I had a lastin recollection of payin bijIs. About this time the driver cries out-" Exchange ,gentleman."' The door opened, S; i al WJ 81 ell be an ye ha el An -90 d .' bi~ rn ys rfi~ ir ~ga~ e- 3Y $AM SIMPLE. 7 ut I juamed. White-oak mountains, what a house? Why it's as all o dad's yard and house-lot put together. I just opened outh a just looked at the tarnal thing. A great black ugly nt com oltin up agin me and says he, "Your baggage."- [, take y wallet, is that what you want ? Ijust pulled back t nd do n I drapped him. Now, says I, leave here, I'll yo how to take folk's clothes when they are travelin a long from home. About, this -time somebody watched me #by the and says he, "What are you about, what did yon hit that r ?" Volcanoes and Cotopaxi, says I, and do you suppose I inc to let a black niggerntake my- clothes right before my, face? le, "The boy "only wanted to show you a room, he don't want Clothes. He only wanted to"wait ondyou, and to carry your ;e for yoiy." Ager.-uend gimblet holes, thinks I, any kind of a lace to get out of this scrape; and so I follows the man around round and around again, and says he, "Here's your room, No. page: 8-9[View Page 8-9] _ ;",,. _ r 4 1 1 t" i r s i i Y i ' y'r a' i' r r i rv } 1 r t ;I a 1 j 1 S MY FIRST TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS, CHAPTER II. I walks into my room, No. 90, and just At nds my old saadi- 1as up 4n one corner. The room was about!as big as dad's fobr- mernered hog-pen, with one bed, two chairs an asomethin or no4 ar up in the corner with a bowl and a pitcher onmit. I, takes a seat by the window to see what was going on the outside. - I kinder fel liesome. Here and there, and everywhere, went~ somebody-amil everybodyy in such a tarnation hurry. Here comesone on a bobiai gray as hard as he can come it. There goes a man walking like he thought the sheriff would get him next minute., Well, thinks, :,l these people just cone to town and haint got lng to stay, and they have to be in a hurry to see everything in one day. I was setting there mnusin on these things and wishing for dinner, when, before 1 knowed it, such a noise right - t my door you never heard. Sho t- els, tongs, pine-poker, walkin-stick, shot-gun-kint there nothin iti the room for a man to fite with ? Blue bIazes thought I, Injuns in the camp, and nothin for aman to git hold on. I just grabbed upr my old hat and run out the doer, and hollered as loud as I could, Hurrah for General Jackson ! for I knowed the Injuns couln't stana OMd Hickory. "What's the matter ?" says a dandy sort of a fellow. Why, says I, didn't you hear the Injuns be tin up thar forces -* 'Nonsense," says little tight-britches, "that wis the gong for din- ner." Thinks I to myself, kong for dinner, what in the duce is that? But I was in for dinner, let it come kong fashion or any other kind of fashion, and so Ijust paddled right after my customer, ftr Iknowed I'd never find, the way to the table in the round world. He went first this way and then went that and twisted and turned, and after a while we popped into a great big room full of folks, andl glory-to-gravy, how they was eatin. There were three or four great Mg tables, as long as from dad's house to horse-lot, and every one ori the bee cou abo in loo 1110 carr abo tabl per may new fello his in a eoa and medi thou break ague, and t the r barre looke come Abo to do one I pluri a goo a felk thing and a again a c: e IC dn' tr ys d t th tf nd Cp fr is ee ail oi tel ht en of s, a lib out the aol ag e's C goc ay rit1 BY SAM SIMPLE. ock full. Thinks I; this is a big day here.thfota bar- ortain, nd as beiu how I was mighty fond/of barbecue, I help smacking nif mouth when,,J:tuck my seat-auntd;ought asted. mutton and shoat. y the time I was cleverly settled eat, somebody put a little piece of paper right in iy plate. I 'ound te see who it was, but I. couldn't tell,. for there was an a dozen going up and down the table as fast as legs could em. Just brushed the thing put of my plate and looked. r something to eat. I couldn't see one bite .of neat on the About this time the man next to my right picked' up my pa- went to readin like'it was mighty interestin. Thinks I, that ome secret that some friend, wanted to tell ie, or it; may be m home, or it may be anything r nothing about me, and this no business knowin it, and so I just reached my handafore and took the paper. ,. tell you what, he flew off the handle ute. H jumped right up, and,. runnin his hand ,into his behind be dragged outdonee of your everlastin shootin pistols ted it right in my face-says he, demandd satisfaction n- I looked right down about a handful of barrels and I smelt the powder getting hot. I could; kinder feel my me and go, a sort of shakin all over like a man with a mighty y jaws ere fastened worse, theu if I'd had the:lock-jaws, I understood for thg first time about the tongue cleavin to f my nouth. My'eyea were sot like, a dyin man's, on the, d they ot bigger and bigger uOne of the barrels. 'ow e one e of these everlastin stgam-bilers. The cold sweat all over 4re, and I thought the bour of disolution had, come.. s'time I e takes down the pistol, and says he, "You everdare a thin agin and I will blow your.,brains out.": I eanght reath, or I tell you I needed it. worse than a"man with _he When he scare sorter passed offof me like water runn o ff back, I elt myself hollow, bout the stomach. Just in, time imes to my back and says, "Whatwill you have?" ,Any- d to ca,, says I, ands no sooner said=than he took my plate h my pla e full to the brim with the best sort of eatips.- y page: 10-11[View Page 10-11] 10 MY FIRST TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS,. Now I just 'tell you I eat right along and didn't pester nobody certain. I got through, the balance peacably,' and ptid my half dollar, and out I went. When I got out of'the eatin room into that long alley, or'whatever they"call it, 'right before the eatin door, I forgot which way my rooi was.- Some went to the right and some to the left. I looked around for my manwl o come with me, but I couldn't see him. And there I stood just ike a fool, not knowin which way to o. 'And IT'didn't want to be'skin every body, just like a greenhorn da hisifrst out from home. SoI thought I would decide myself, and just keep walking till I come to No. 90. I walked around where a man Was staidin in a little pen of a place, with a goose quill stuck behind his 'ears. 'That's a schoolnastet aays I to myself. I'din't more than get' the idea'through "my mind efore he says, "Mister, you will please seiteryour ime," And pushed me a great big book, and handed me the pen: What do you want me to do ? says I. "Write you name, where joilsare from and where you a e going. I Was monstrous willin to let people know I was gwine to Ne Orleans, soI takes hold of the man's quill and scratches down on tle book in as strait a line as possible : 'San & pifrom the Mountains guhine t9 New Orleans. There i§ no teilin how big and good'aI felt when I got through the line and handed the man his pen. I just felt ike New Orleans tacked on) to the end of my name madei me a man ,f no small consequence. And so it was, for the man ve y politely asced me if I would take a oigar. Bein as he was so kind and accommodatin I told him I would take two. He handed me a light, and it would have done yon good to see me take'the regular 'gentleman step, with my head flung back and xhy cigar stickiu so strait up that! the ashes would nearly fall in my nose. There is no mistake about it, I felt a heap better with a cigar in my mouth than I did wit the everlasting pistol in myface. It gives me the a l-overs to think about it. Well now, thinks I, it is tiie to'begin to think about ittin offto Mobile. ' Just as I thought 'of this I happened to see stickin upon a post--Magnolia will leave this evening at 4' o'clock." I knowed it couldn't be long' 'before the boat wotild'start, and so I cut out to find my room to get my saddle-'bags. I didn't know which way to start; I knowed I come down the steps, and so I went right up the first steps I found and count if I e now I 'Bout how , and r could, other I'll be coming couldn would and hd if I ha them t I didn't old lad so ?" got my to the r right u struck says I; to goi who's t or I'll never ~s anybody munin door. thing r another Nothin he, "Y says I, .i om kill mi wa thiE di go. ol eft on t se oj loll be rri ho 'S I No' sad ght ff i I a at ho id m dnc an ttl roo all, Pd BY SAM SIMPLE. I1 nenecd tbo count. The first door was 60, so I went on ,to the rgoril give out,'and the I poked on other side to see find o. 90. But the Nos. were all backward. And I bothered to 'know where the next figures commenced. time I ead the boat whistle jeminy and black-snakes d git about o find 90. Irun firt this way and then that. ng all the Nos.'They didn't -read regular no way you It w0ld bie first'40, 4d then on'tother side 70; or some figure fhat didn't suit. '.What shall I do, thinks I, either or I mast leave my saddle-bag. I could feel the sweat my f head and'I Was gitten mighty agitated. 1 3 a livi4foul no where to'ask for No. 90. So I thought I ist like I ' do when "I git lost ossum hunting, sit' doWit till somebody1 comes.' 'So down I dropped quicker than en shot and I List opened my month and let out one of ble holly s which I am capable ofmakin-iurrahfor 90.' low many tines before a deer flenopen, and out popped an cad, a d, saidshe, -" What the nation makes you hollow hin tal , says I, only I want to find room No. 90,.what's dle-bags in it. "Go round th re," says she, "then turn and the i turn to the left, and you'll find it." I jumped d given he old lady one of my politest kind of bows I a trot. It wasn't long fore I found No. 90. Hey, hey! n glad t4 seefou' old friend. I took hold on the knob rutt both ration 'the door was locked. 'hello! says .I, in my room?' Open this doot quicker than a minute, v you which side of your bread's buttered. Nobody a word. I stood right Still to see if I could hear wve. There Wasn't the first sound. You needn't be er the bed, says 'I, come 'out from there and open this g; bang, I rapped the door, and I tell you what, the old d like i pile otboards: A man come rnnnin out from n, and says' he, "Mister what in the world is to pay ?" says I, only I wants to get in my room, No. 90. Says find your key in the bar-room." Who carried it there? here is the bar-room? " Down at the entrance," says page: 12-13[View Page 12-13] 12 MY FIRST TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS, he, and into his room he went. Now what shall I do? If I go down there, I'll never git back here again. I feels in my pocket for a string, and finds a spool muammy put in there just before I left home. I tics one end to the knob, and started backward, unwindin as I went, and now and then looking behind me to see which way I was goin. IL went around the corilers just like I come up, and IL hadn't gone round more than two before I, felt something strike my line. Now I, always was the best hand a fisher you ever seed, and I've thought I could come as near tellin what kind of a fish was. at, the end of the hook as the next .man living or dead. So quicker. than thought I made up my mind that some sap-headed, high-mimdedl sort of a fellow, not.lookin where he wus gwine to, had rna up, against my line. So I just puts down my spool and runs right back on the line,.so as to get there before he could git off; for I was de- termined to open his eyes and make him mind where he was ,wal- kin. I was goin in a thunderation of a trot, when I went around the first corner-and come slap dab against one of the biggest women,, e-whilikin. She fell one way and I fell tother. No quicker' than down I was up agin, She was just kind of getting up her, things to get up. After a while, she sorter stood on her feet, with her hand on her stomach. Says I, reckon, I must sorter. butt yeui in the stomach, for when I runs I leans a little forward, and squats my head a little. But never mind, says I, it will get well bimeby. She never 'peared to _see me, but.walked right by me like I was no body, a swingin this way and a swingin that. I just turns myself around, and putting my hands a kind of kinmbo on my hips and took one good look at the creature. Her coat reached from this side of the wall clean over to the other side, and it went sweeping in string, spool and everything else before it. She put me in, md of one of those great, bush treelaps turned upside dow , with the. butt-cut stickin up above and a coat fitted over it. I reckon she., heard me coming, for before she turned the next corner, she left it. I picks it up and looks at it, all tangled up and dirty, d I was. lookin out for the end to go back and tie it to the brokerend of the string, when I heard the boat whistle agin. I dropped the spool like a hot potatoes, for I knowed it was no time for tyin trying, and runs ba like a w corner v round tl were wi arm, and corner, t the eatin I just tr( was 'just a"Look Ii Says he, fare," sa. says he, " arrested." the boat's just a dol paying wi here on ti you don't That was I run with the boat a bile." Tb through th around, I j so the capt went to to Jackets. I no shirt in *ed hold oE The folks a was a bsni out "stop tl nothing. kt( irl her er 're aw en ro tec goi re, it] an e 'b van not all wi re or in kin pul ieri( on 1 cc ter eb BY SAM SIMPLE .1 SNo. 9t with all my might I just run against the door ind, ark I tell you the pieces, flew. I run up into the e I put my saddle-bags, and they want there. I run all om in a.ainute; I looked under the bed, and there the somebo y had put them. I 'swung them across my ty I wen to find the bar-room. I went around this around that, till first thing I knowed I was right in in, but nobody want eatin. I knowed the way now, so across the room and I was soon in the bar-room. I ng dowifn the steps when a man squalled out to me. Mister,a you goin off on the boat ?" "Yes, sir," said I. ou'll please' pay your fare." "No time to talk-about "and the boat whistlin." " Don't you leave here," 1out paying what you owe; if you do, I will ha Well," aays I, 'how much do I owe you ? bevquick, histlin. ' Says he, "You took dinner and a room; Says I, "I paid for my dinner at the door." "Such ver make a settlement in this house. Yournm is ooks, and you are not Credited. And," sra " to be left by the boat, you had better be in a hurry."" gh for ie; I handed him a dollar and left in a trot. ny might to the river; and just as I got in sight I saw ae off. " Hallo!". says I, "hallo! Pm wine to Mo- was lot of folks down on the bank;, I run right 3wd, an right down the river; I swung my old hat ed and hollowed. I wanted something white to shake, ight s -e me. I put down my old saddle-bags and for a hirt. All my clothes turned to coats and ed out, and pulled, and, thinks I, didn't mammy put ? After a while I found a pair of drawers; I grab- leg of :them and swung them round and round. me out of the" boat, and stood around where there and shook their handkerchiefs ,at me. I bawled at," bijt they went right on like nobody had said a page: 14-15[View Page 14-15] 14 MY FiRST TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS, CHAPTER III. Well, L saw it was no use to run after i steam-boat, and down. stream at that, so I turns round to go back, after I had packed my- clothes back in my saddle-bags. And here I was, left by the steam- boat on account of that No. 90. One minute I would be mad enough to fight the whole steamboat, and the next minute I would cry. So I went walkin along up the river, studyin what to do. I oes back to where the boat started, and tells a man there, who was pilin up some boxes, that I had been, left by the steam boat.- "Never mind," says h. ":You done mighty well not to spend your money," and he went n with his business ike he hadn't said nothn. But this kind of talked got all over me like lectricity, for was in no humor to be joked,.and if it hadn't been that I was Tfra d he had' some of them everlastin pistols, I'd let .him know what toes are made to shoes for. * Says I, I'm gwine to!New Orleans, am; and you suppose I aint got money,'nough to jay my way? He kmd straitened himself up, and says he, "You know who you talkm to?" And says I, do you knowwho you making fun of ?: He piked up a. little crooked hook what they rolls cotton bagswith, and, sayshe, "I'll put you afloat if you fool with me. I kn wed he had no istol, and, I want afraid of nobody who didn't have shootin fixins. I sorter rolled up my sleeves, and says I, old horse, if you are hurtin up for a difficulty, I'm the boy after your own heart. Says I, don't in tend to be imposed upon by you dirty dogs any longer. By this time we'd got tolerable close together, anseeing he had ade up his mind to fight, I thought I would take the advantage and ock him blind the first lick, so I just takes him side of the head ith one of your joe-cleavers. It sorter staggered him, but 'fore I could hit; 3'4 him ag in h and ble s na into the riv I got oitt t Says I,' his suppose yo [, when 1' w Ito use f rn Carry pistols another boat Battle' will I In about h rat, and I kn so I run roul river to put miy britches whistlin and o. : I wiah I luck happens a : liza Battle am and cant mustbe done I kicked and all sorts of sir 'd pull first both hands wi The more I pi see britches st wrong side out could not get t could hear the me, every thing some tall pulln and I fell flat o clean dry clothe which mammy a BY SAM SIMPLE. 1 e hitclid that tarnal hook into the seat of my britches, y old b ttos, if he didn't turn e heels over head right I one some tall scrambling, for, the bank and en ere le was pilin up things like he hadn't done nhn er, when is another boat, gwine to leave? Says the are cool enough now to behave yourself " Ye? sir, says Hsma ough to bite his "ears off~ but T. saw, there was. ountai folks to be fooling with these town f lksWh and ho ks, so I made out like I Want mad. Sa coming up to-night? "Yes," sdys hes, "the 'I;a e along torectly 'from Wetumpka.', How long? said I lf-an-hjur," says he. I was just as wet as a drowned wed they wouldnItlet me go on the boat in that fix and d that ig warehouse that stands up there close by the n dry clothes. I hadn't more than got off one le before I heard theboat comin.' ,There's the boat a a comm in a hurry. I'll b lft again with wet clothes, never htad seen this evorlasti, place where -alltio bad once. No. 90; then wet 'clothes, and. th Miss ha coin like all the world Was after hegand here it my bitches nor nothingn else off, and every, thing in a m ute or P11 be left, as certain as :there's. snakes. mulled; 'd sit down and then I'd stand up, I got into. pes, fashions and forms, to git my oldwet britches of ith one hand and then witi the tether, and, then with li all my might, but the britches wouldn't'come, lled ie more they wouildut come .off. I neenr did ek so ia{ my life. I sorter got:ny old trousers trned over my ankles, and with all the pullin I could do I wet hiags off. .I was in a powerful hurry; foxI boat a 9omin, and I was so skeered about its leaving. like it was left-handedI tell you I, dore of old clothes. :After awhile off come the britches mny hawk. And then whenI got ready to put gon s, I Cotldn't find no britches but the .blue jenes ones old me to save till I got to New Orleans. I do be% 1 page: 16-17[View Page 16-17] 16 - MY FiltSTC TRIP 1O NEW ORlLEANS, lieve when anybody is in a hurry his eyesight is double, for I couldn't. hardly telia pair of britches for a jacket.' I kept pullin and hawli over' the clothes until I found my coperas pants, , and no quicker than yoii oquld skin a.eel I was into them. I put on my shirt and slioes and took my coat and jacket in my hand, and the way I went for the steamboat, putting them -on as I: run. I was in such a hurry I forgot my saddle-bags, and after I got down to the boat I thought'of them. Mercy on me, says I, and I'll bet that them old saddle-bags will make the boat leave me agin. But I know d there was no time for foolin, and so I run back after my saddle-bags with all my might, hollowin every step, "I'm gwine to Mobile on the boat." I done some tall stepping up the hill to, where I left my saddle-bags. I just rammed my.clothes, wet ones and all, ri ht into my saddle-bags, swung them on my arm, and went down he hill so fast my heels like to have flew over my head. I run right into the boat like a house was afire. I was out of breath, but I felt mighty glad that I was on the boat. I just knowed it would take a man with a head.on to git me off agin. I just fell down i a chair and commenced to look about, and hang my skin if the ld boat .didn't look the nicest of anything I had ever seen. Dad 's house aint nothing compared to a boat. I never did see such fine fixins in my life,I but I never did see such little bitter, rooms smce I've ibeei born. I got up and went right iito one of these litt e rooms. and what do { you think ? they just had two shelves, so -ter like mammiy's shelves in the dairy, with short, narrow beds n them. Thinks I tio myself, 'folks don't sleep on shelves here, io they Every thing looked powerful fine but these little short beds. They kinder pestered me, but 'I thought I would wait till sleepin time come round, When I would see how they would do. it was now in the night, and I felt like I could eat something if 1 had a fain chance. 1 kept waitin for the old boat to start, but itl koked like it never would git off. They kept bringing down cotton, boxes and everything, till I began to get scared that the boat might sink. didn't want to git into the river any more, for I knowed I didn't have many dry clothes. I stood on the outside, lookin at the folks, .and the cotton boxes. till I got the all overs. So I just hlilows out I BY SAM SIMPLE. as loud as I could, 'Rough cotton on here, ain't gain' to take m A man steps~up to me, and; says.he, "Who told youtQ be.v a 4ers." Says I, "1'm fraid the boat'o gito pink. says he, "we haven't got half a load. IWas afraid to talk to murch, for I didn't like these hooks and shooting irons wh e lied along with them, so I nevkersaid no more to the a but gittin out of patience waiti. I had -un myself nearly to at git on the bolt in time, and now it looked like it wene Ar bout this time the boat .gave a whistle that like to mdde e into the river. I thought the eve:lastin thing wa bloi peould almost imagine myself a g in . p in the air, The chills over me as big as punkin seed, butI soon got over the ykeer h commenced to pull-in the plant and untie the eat holds the boat to the land, The old boat conun eed to.sivi around, and the big wheels made a powerful splurgratron e water, They just nade the white foam rise behind, The dIid feel proud where I knowed 'I was ri'in o. the boat. I just wid. ed dad and mam 'ould see me a floatin down the river, t stood up there and looked at the folks as we went a elippir of it.to wards Mobile. I never did feel so mie like somebody before all my born days. Sam Simple,'from near Wolf' ,end wa u athe mountains, othe steamboat Mips "Eliza dttle, "on'his wr to Mobile. Lasses and plum puddi , I didn't fel a If I had just got ou of a camp-meetin , and I straitene myslf non my important in as st ff and coequential manner s!! a post-oak board ru down the marrow f my b ck-2one jyin my situation fiely, fogettin eve y thing a oucat u t them begin to set the tables Whene er ti'e plates beu to r my stomach begun 1,o wake up to its duty, and I do -elieve I oeon have eaten anything from a possemi o a chicken pi.I wny every plate, and tho gh the niggers seemed in the bigg st kindo: burry, they looked like they got along mighty slow, I ws hun r for true, and when I gits in that fix Iwants to cat omethin. o*asn't much longer before that everlntin fussy kong or gong run -92 l' jt page: 18-19[View Page 18-19] 1$ MY FIRST TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS, .or supper. Bo rd piles, shinglestacks and half dozen nne frowed in, all fallin down at once, ain't nothin to one of things rattlin fo, supper. It would come as nigh wakin the d aything else that Yankees can make. They talk about a tr wakin the dead; if you'd just git one of these noisy creatures, dbe dead didn't wake up, it would be no use to be blowin your et there. I w nt on to supper, but I couldn't hear nothin fo a hour after. 1 ut I know'd if I couldn't hear, I could find th 4b my mouth, and I'm not jokin when I declare I made the u sy-I always did love these clean, white, warm flower bi .T never took time to count how many I did eat. I'd take about Mieg at a bistit, and then take a big swaller of coffee. I felt Ito the man who loved a dram, I wanted my neck to be as lo a rne's, bce use it felt so good a goin down. All the folks 1 ' git up before I got half enough, but I know'd how to travel experience had taught me a mighty good lesson ; for I didn't hat it didn't cost no more to eat three hundred mouthfuls ti di to eat two, so I know'd I wasn't inereasin the expens n't care if the folks did git up, they hadn't paid for two su adl smelt.the patehin like I had. When they got along as fa, lad been, they'd know how to eat a half a dollar's worth. I gin in tili a nigger comes up behind me, and says he, M yallkill yourself.' "Not I," says I, "I feel like I was gittin says he, "we'll have breakfast-in the mornin." "I'm glad t4 iU says 1, and doyou have good biskits for breakfast?" "Oh, she} "the cook let the biskits git smoked to-night--we'll them all right to-morrow niornin." "These are good enough,' and I kept hiding the good things. But after I saWthen boiody eatin but me, I thought I wouldn't be impolite, and t just for manner's sake. Whea I got up, I just thought t 1f I'll be bound I'l never be too late for the steam-boat an due. If I'd k 'owed what fine eatm they had on the boats lashed No. O0 nto a koked-hat before I'd been left. After su was over, I begun to feel sleepy, so I goes o the man what the books, and says 1, "where-an I gwine to sleep ." ' In N says he. "In where ?" says I; for I thought it was No. 90 hing these. ad a aid if arum- Shalf c way iski skits t two orter ci a egna mow ; an - ppore as I kep ~ster- fat.'" lher- yes,". have- so I o. m ind I'd fight,: ship load of alligators tl 90. "In No 9," says he. I didn't lik ain't you got no other number besides occupied." Says I, "I'se got no use luck, Says he, "it's 9 or none." So 1, totin my saddle bags. When we got n the lower shelf. says I, "Mister, "Walk in sir, two of us can stay in . Ic seemed so polite, I thought I'd let to the top shelf. Ingun rubber, says bouncin. It was just about long ens the very thing for sleepin. It beats out of all hollow. Those folks what ti to fix up things. I was lyin there th folks, and afore I knowed it I was fas to dreamin about the big cities and a joyin myself finely in, my sleep, whe right in my room--'Thief ! thief!"-a skeered me like the nation, and I jum1 was, and fell clean down from the top the bottom shelf was standin there hollow l, what m8 '- xi tou isthe matter? than xer,. "Thie i thid In poppe -What's to pay ? My man made out and says he, "Somebody's stole my monm home without a cent," and he began to h re? "Nobody," says he, "but you. it I didn't feel like making daylight thr :I'd die the death of a dog first. Don says I. "Stop," says the Captain, "I Scys the Captain, "how much money di dollars," says my man." Says I,, I' e g a , but I never got it from you. I wo }e ns on. Says the Captain to my ma bi Is on, and how many bills did you h the th Banks, but they were all ten dolar I V efore I'd go into another No. e No. 9 nuther, and, says I, No 9 ?" "No," says he, "all ar these 9's, they are all bad puts out for No. 9, a nigger to ,No. 9, a man was in there this is my room. Says he: erO-you can sleep above." him alone, and crawls up on I, if it don't feel just like )ugh and wide enough. It's mammy's old shuck mattress avels on the water know how inkin about home and honw asleep. I went right strait ll such things, and I was en- n I heard somebody hollowir, I don't know what all. It ed up, not thinkin where I helf. My man what was on win with all his might. Says But he kept hollowin more I the Captain, and says he, like he was powerfui bad off y, and I am here away from cry. Says I, whose been hi Old Nick and Tar river, ugh him. Me steal, says I, 't you accuse me of stealing. nast look into this matter." d you lose ?" "A hundred t more than a hundred dol- ked for it to go to New Or- n, "What Banks were your " 8pys he, "I don't know ille." Now I had mest all BY" 8A'.IM ldLF page: 20-21[View Page 20-21] s MY FIRST TRIP TO NEW 0 LEANS, ly money in ten dollar bills, but I just kn wed I didn' git them rom him. Says the captain, "You two will lease to com out here in the entrance, and I will have to search yo1, and if poss ble settle this matter.' Says he, "I've had such cases before, and I think I know something about such matters. It is ve y common f r men to lose their n ney going down this river, but when I find the man who .teals, I n certain to teach him a lesson he don't so.n forget. Walk out gentlemen and take a seat." I ( I I ; MY FIRST TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS, CHAPTER V. I saw there was no use arguin the qu stion with the Captain, for I e looked just like he meant what h said; so my man and I just. talked out and took a seat. I never id feel. so comical in all my born days. I want no lawyer, I kno ed, and if they commenced piishin the law pint, I knowed I was a one inner. I didn't know abthin but straight along talking, and it ould be a gone case if they mmenced to examin bills, and arin thousand questions about B nks. But I thought I would risk i and there I sot for all the w rld just like a fool, not knowing what t say or which way to look. e captain took a chair and set right before us, and looked right in our eyes for more ,than a minute without aword. Says he, hat's your name, and where are yo from?" Says I, mighty gl d to tell you, Mr. Captain; my na 's Sam Simple from the Mountains, gwine to New Orleans. " hat Mountains ?" says the Captain. Alabam Mountains: Why e tain, didn't you never see thg Mountains ? "Oh yes," says he. "And what's your name?" sa the Captain to my man. Now you gee I wanted to know that, ver thing myself. He seemed mightyy othered. He turned first. to ne side the chair and crossed his left 1 g over his right, and there, qui ker than a minute he turned to tother side and crossed his right leg ver the left, a kinder holdinhis le d down and lookin on the floo all the time. He looked just like so ethin was the matter with him Thinks I to myself you's the bigger t fool in the nation, why don t you tell your name ? The Capai had to ax him agin for his ame. And he put up his mouth just hke a two year old child be in for taters, and says, "I's tgn awa from Daddy because he trea. d me so mean, and if I tell you my' ame he'll git hold of ne and early kill me----I want to go West so I can make a living." 1 couldn't help feeling sorry for the fello , he looked so pitiful. page: 22-23[View Page 22-23] BY SAM 8IMPLR °; Never mind about that," says the Captain, me youi name." "Well, Captain, you m Simple, go away." No, sir, says I, you've g have ydurn. Mr. Captain, it won't be fai "You ale right," says the Captain. "Syn l and yoi must give yours." "I don't thin man. The Captain got a kind of wrath dont give your name, I'll have you put quick time." I tell you what, the name ca, er," ss- he. I golly, says I, Mr. Captain the reason he didn't want to tell his name. tmountains. And you talk about havin a' jou knows that's a lie, you never had hall Why ete I knows you just as well-wh down hire on the Alabama river? You' Never ,,aid a word, but tried to make o "Well' says thpe Captain, "I must fnow s' Says I, Pete, do you say I took your money had ay money' to'save your life, and thai ll the time a beaten him. ie's been goi three months, and nobody didn't know whe rocket book, says T, for' I know'd he didn his name. "Yes," sayi the Captain, " hawled min right out, and says I, Mr. C the ldt, I had just 42O0 and two quarters when I started, and I'se spent just seven can sei how much is in my money purse. says the Captain, "103 t 5.' All right, ready to hand him my tioney purse, who noes, thc whole bottom of the boat went li The Ca ptain jumped 'up, and says he, "Ru like to got clear out of my throat. ' Anoth bound I git all my cInthes wet before I g right after ny saddle'bags, and then I r place osee what was gdin to come-of us. ap is hoir night clothes, and :t hollowiz "all will be st make thi at my name, to make r imple has tc k I can do , and says into this riv me then. " I knows I He use to l hundred do] that much ich way you lost, pin't t he didn't ttle this m ? You kn t's the reason nc from hio re he was. 't have a p ull out your agtain I'll te and a dim dollars exact "That wol] says I, an( 1, earthqual ,e it had be a on a snag, ir ducker, sc t to New() in right out Eyerybod; what's theo right; giv man, San and I. muss e go away Idhis name; t," says mi h e, "If yo 'r in doubl. Peter Slash- im. That'. ye up in th lars! Pets, in your lif . 1gwine wa you ? Pet, know ie. mey affair.$ w you never his daddy's e more tha WVhere's gou' eket book o purse." I 11 you what 's and a thrip, ly; now you d leave you" I wad getto i cs and volka- iu pulled out. My he rt ys 1. ' I'll e leans. I r im in that, front i was jumin nutt' r.Te MY FIRST TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS 28 41 boat rocked first one side an then tether, and she looked just like she was gwine to turnover. , The waterjust poured in and ,she bgan to sink. The woin was a hollowin, the children a cry4 aad nobody knowed what ho was oin, They'd first run to this si~s the boat, then to tother, and ax about a thousand questions., I saw the cotton bags a floatin ofp, and, knowed if I could get on One f ihese creatures I'd land safe, for I'd rode many a cotton bag down the Coosa. So I picked 1 y chance and made.a4jump for a cottL bag what come a floatin along. I jumped a lebtle too strong and it the further edge, and into the rive I went. Whew ! says I, for the water was a leetle cold when I first dipped under., When I shot up to the top I looked for my bag-it was just ahead with my saddle bags ridin as grand as ifthey yas somebody. You ase wheai struck too far over on the bag, I was thinkin %o much about catching that I forgot mny saddle bags, and they fell on the bag. Another bag came floatin along and i just crawldd on to it like a tarapin one log. I run my hand in my pocket to see if my money was wet fa hang my buttons, there wasn't r o money purse in there. Ndw X was in a fix. . Wet clothes on, npt a cent of mney, and yonde g my saddle-bags .a elippin oft it to Mobile,, What would mam and daddy say ifthey could. seeme a ,ettin down here 'on a cotton big just as wet as I can be, a runninafter my snaddle-bags, with ,ll g money gone. I felt mighty low downy but now and then I wow try and pick up courage, and keep my eye on mysaddle)ags. Af- ter awhile I seed a great sand bar just ahead and I tell you, I done some tall prayin for both codon bagto hit the sand. Wut whmun, saddle bags got towards the sand.it just turned towards;thee a when I got there I went to the, right. I kicked, and screwedagd shoved, but the old, bag would g) to the right. , ew 1 ,sad4 bags, says I, for I thought the ri er* forked here. I begin t1. the hippo gittin all over oe. S adle bags gone, money gone, here I am with wet clothes on, and akin the right fogik of the rfrc iad no tellin where I'n gwine to;, I just be this fork don't go te Mobile. The water was mighty s ift, and I had to hold on like, teach to a rotten log, or my cotton bag would have runfrom uyn tee, and left me there just setting on the water.. But this wasn't the page: 24-25[View Page 24-25] BY SAM SIMPLE. rst time, 1 had rode on a cotton bag before, ax hold on, and I kinder consoled myself that if I nver, my passage was free ; I didn't have no m Pete to- drag me before the Captain, for stealin b knowed he ever had a dollar to save his life. I give the money to Pete as to lose it in the rive he didn't h ve sense enough to take care of it. money, but was gwine to hold on to my cotton could sell it for something whenever I struck ti I was goim along a thinking in this way when I the 'sand brnk was, and behold! there, want n 4one passed the bank, and the two forks was ce there soe my saddle bags looking like they wer n1{ gloryT says I, by way of an accident I yet. They kept coming till they got in about six tere wie wee goin down the river even and eve a4down on my hunkers to make a jump over te aid every time'I'd 'get about ready to jump, ti ictle further apart., And I knowed I'd have t ar, for if Irstruck on one edge I'd throw my ri'ei-, and thsa agin I knowed 'water was mighty eke(d like six feet might be nine, and that would jymxpin on a dead level. But I jes set there re kg to Come ' leetle closer. After a while it got made one of our strongest kind of jumps, the cot ni'under ue likesa cob on "a plank, and I come d haid ighxt on my'face.' I didn't jump a foot and gt'strangled to death. I didn't go deep in the ie- ug bot cotton bags had left me. Now ioney, gaddl bags and ,otton bags all lost.. But £f f had go behind, and I thought I could catel wi all xybnight. 'I could get most to it, and kani to patoxton the bag, it would slip away front' .ighty tired and. Iseed:if I didn't git hold pro Idid4out-muh longer: I'was about the middle m missed the big, I couldn't swim to nether banl d I knowed vas takin th mey to lose, is money, y% 3ut I might though I k I didn't I bag, for I e land. looked ove bank there nuing togeth going to m nay get my feet from n i. I kinder tether cott e bags woul jump migi saddle bags [eceiven, an d be might ady, waitin about right ton bag sho own as flat a half, and rater, but [was in a the bag I j .it: so I'i when I urai Ie. I wa: Aty soon I co f the river,, Ifelt ju how t wrong nor no hen le as well nowed ave no knowe'd where e. I'd or, and eet me. clothes c, and squat- on bag , d git a. ty tic- in the I what good for the and I tright- your like tor hen I pickle, umped ut out ed nm gittii uldn't and if it like f ! S .s 4i g 24 MY FIRST TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS, I was bound to drown if I missed the bag next time. So I made one desperate struggle, and got up close behind the bag, but with all I could do, I couldn't git niy hand on the bag. I began tothink the jig was all up with me, when all at once I thought of a plan, that was to swim by the side of the bag instead of against the end, for I was makin the bag go faster by the wave I made in swimmin, and so I turned a leetle to one side, and it' want long before I laid one hand on the glorious old cotton ba..You can't tell me nothing about the worth of a cotton bag ; and! I thought if I ever did git home, Inever would raise nothin but cotton bags. Hurrah for -cotton bags ! I just set down in the same lace where I was -ettin before ; and I'd made up my mind not to junp after another tton big. My saddle bags was just ahead, but I was contented, an I want goin to jump. after theni any more.' It was now gittin late in the evenin, and I knowed I'd feel cold when it was night. If I'd had somethin dry to throw over me, I. could git along pretty we'll? but I didn't have it. And I couldn't move about on' the bag to keep 'me Warm, but I had to set right still in the middle. I was goin down close to one bank .and my saddle bags was way over on tothj side; I'd done quit greavin about my saddle bags, and was watchzn for a lim to catch hold of. But after- a little while the current carried' me a way out in theyiriver agin, end I cane co-slap up against 1he tother cotton bag. 'I jerked off my gallosses and soon lashed them together. Old Zip Coon and Old Dan Tucker, if I just had somebody to do the pattin, if I couldn't knock the very bottom out o an old Yirginnyinock-down-saddle bags and two bags of cotton, gwine to market. hurrah for Mobile t I felt just likehuggin my old saddle baos but I thought I wouldn't be actin the fool here by'myself, and so I didn't hug that time. It was now high time to look"up' some more dry clothes, and is there was no Miss Eliza Battle" to make"me brake may neck, I just made up my mind to take 'my tiin4. And so I very cooly rut my hand into my saddle bags---.hallaluynh ! says I; here's my money purse. Yes, sir!' I was in such a hurry'when the old boat tore up, I never noticed what I was dbin, and I put my inoney purse into mny saddle bags,instead of my pocket. Yes, here it is; bless your old sodl; if I page: 26-27[View Page 26-27] BY SA M SIMPLE. don't love youa better than ever. Money a pleni two bags oftotton, and aint paying a cent for ridir Albanma river ! If I didn't feel about as good as gress. It want long-before I had dry clothes or ones out to dry. I reckon some folks would think mighty poor dressin room, but you know the ol -essity is the mother of invention, and beggars ou and its all as true as preaching. But there was one. thing .lackin-I didn't ;; ready. It was now gittin dark, and I hadn't ec aight at supper; and if it hadn't been for that ni to last me to Mobile. I'lFbe bound I'll know ho I git on the lboat. They just give you one good o a stinag, and make you go the balance of the way thing. But it was no use to be thinkin about eat forget it. 1ut then I didn't have nothing else -knowed it wouldn't do to go to sleep, for I might jump in the river; and just to set up there on a about, when it way just as dark as my old hat,.a see what he jas-lookin at, was the poorest kind of sot a floatin along and a saying nothin to nobody. 'ome,. all there by myself, away down on the wouldn't minded it so much, but I couldn't see wl didn't know ut I might run over. some shoals orl fhe nation knows what else might happen. there gin to feel mighty sleepy, and; it looked like my anyhow;-I felt just like some folks in the mee holdin their yes open and then a kiagler shutting one word an missen two. 'd pull first one eye, .r, and rub. y face with my hand, and try to w no go, for i less than a minute my head would down worse ,tbau a.ork when you're fishin. I sv be fighting against nature and so I just sprawled both cotton lags, and I was asleep in bout the seed a feller.1 I'd worked mighty hard all day at :ut rockin. I'd just about got into the subject y, dry clothes and Hurrah or the if I'd been n Con- and hung :ny wet a cotton bag was a I saying is, that no- htnt todbe choosers, e no supper gittin t nothin since last gger I'd eat enough w to eat next time neal and then run without eaten any- in, and so I tried to to think about. I get to dreemin and cotton bag a looking d nobody couldn't fun. But there I I felt kinder lone- Alabama river. I erc I was goin. I run .on a. snag, or i the dark. I be- yes would shut up tin house, a kinder them up, a hearen pen and then toth.. ke up, but it was be bobbin up and w it was no use to myself out across quickest you ever d I just slept with- ood, when I heard MY FIRST TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS, -.4 .i it Y i4 i one ofyour keenest squeals. I jumped up and come as near as peas a gittin in the water. Hallo! says I; what's that? It squealed agin, and I knowed right away a steamboat was comm. Rattle, snakes and tigers, he'll run right over inc and never know I'm here. What shall I do? He'll never hear me hollow in the world, and 1 might shake a shirt here in the dark until I shook all the film out of it, and he'd never see it. The old boat kept comin, and every wheel and everything else looked like it was makin all the noise it could. I'll catch it now. I've worked .hard all day and done pretty well, and now I've got to be run over by the boat at last, away down here, nobody knows where. I thought I'd pray one more time be. fore I went. I kinder got on my knees, but I couldn't think of one single word, but the boat is a coming. Who can pray and the boat right there ready to run over him ? The boat run up tolerable close, and the big waves came dashin along,. and my cotton bags went a jumpin; and a waddlin about worse than a young colt the first time you git on him. I had to hold mighty tight, and once or twice I thought I was gone. And I knowed if I got out in the riv- er, I'd never know which way the bank was. And I didn't have timo to hollow for holdn on. But after awhile, I got out one big hollow, and just kp( a hollowin. It want long before they had t light out in the front part a looking all over the water. Here I am, says I, what are you lookin for? .Somebody axed me if I was in the water.' No, says .I; a ridin on two cotton bags, with dry clothes on. Says I, what boat is that ? "Sallie Spann," hollows somebody. Another gal boat, says IL; I don't like these gal boats much; they are a little too delicate for me. They let down a battoe, and I got into it, and they soon had me up in the boat. The very first man I meets is that same Pete. Here he was a standin like he was waiting for his money. Now I'll have another scrape, says I. If I'd know- ed this I'd staid on my cotton bags. But I never let on to Pete like I knowed him. I felt mighty like eating something; and I told the folks I was hungry as a wolfe. They soon had me something to eat, and I tell you I done the subject justice. After I eat enough. I was mighty careful which way I went for fear I might meet that same old Captain. Here Pete was and no doubt he had the Captain page: 28-29[View Page 28-29] MY FIRST TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS 28 . 1W SAM SIMPLE. along, a lookin or me, and there was no tellin how many lies Pete had told him, fo he was a monstrous liar. I just f It like they hat me fast and Peta would get that hundred dollars ye CHAPTER V. As I said I was mighty particular how I walked about the bout het I might stumble on the same old Captain. So after I got my erqiper, I crawled into one of them little rooms, and took oni f your aeundest kind of naps. I got up just time enough for breakfast; fr.I'm not gwine to be too late for eating time. I was a lectie afraid a go to the first table, as the Captain might be there and see me. -S I just -kinder pokes my headout of my room, and takes a survey 1,p and down the table, to see who was there. I saw Pete doing his best, but I couldn't see the Captain. So out I walks and takes a e t. I looked agin for -the Captain; but he want there. Takin care Rf his owa boat, I spects, says I; he's a sensible man, says I, better doe care of his own affairs than to be running about after Pete's hesiness. I felt good enough now, for I want afraid of Pete. So af s gre' I got over the skeer of the Captain, Icat with a comingstomach. After breakfast was over a good looking man asked me if I want t man they picked up last night. Yes, sir, says I; I was clippin l it to Mobile, with two cotton bags; and I told him all about it. He took a powerful liking to me-says he, "Old fel, you'll make a nior-walk up," says he, "I want to give you a treat." So we Ses u p to where they keep the best of the good stuff and I fills my tumbler brimniin full. It did look so nice I thought I'd take a gd one. I felt it kinder lift me up wheh it got down into my 4 smack. It was a mighty curious kind of stuff. It would begin 4Ea burn about my stomach, and go to the very end of my toes. Then a would take tether direction, and run up into my head and made me feel like I was turning round in a swing. Everything ooked like it was bobbin up and down, and everybody else seemed for all the world like they were drunk. The old boat itself got crazy- " ne side was higher than tether. and the chairs looked like they Y i' I Ili i II f 0 page: 30-31[View Page 30-31] BY SANM SIMPLE. would slide dotwn all on one side. Every way Lr I kept stepping up like I was trying to git on to felt mighty comical; but nevertheless, I felt mi as a Jew-Po ket full of money-money no.more who enres for money ?-1Tm the best man in A throw down, ut jump, jump higher, jump furth jump stronger, than any man from Gen. Jackson Who cares for spenses ! Hurrah for hurrah! But after this good feelin kinder cooled off, t sicknin, rollin, tumplin sort of turnin up about thun ipecac and lobely.. All the biskite, and ni and wafers ajd butter, and fish, which I eat fo like they had 'all gone to turnin sumnmersets, and s ed so high, tIey almost turned clear out of my me in mind o the horses when they first come ou all would go r und and.round, then kinder cross c altogetl er, so that nobody could tell which horse something like an old clown, a bobbin up here a there, in everybody's way, and all the time a sti else. The big drops of sweat just come out all ov en, and I: felt just like I could drink Dad's Mighty tuff f elin about this time. .After awhile railins of the boat, and just made one strong ho water, liquor, breakfast and no telling how much together; enoughto;make a dog sick. It helped.: little while I begin to feel smartly better. WI missed twenty dollars, Says 1---" Whose got my lost it playin cards," says Pete Playing card nothin about playin cards, Says, Pete, "After drunk he soon had you playin, and if it hadn't had the last pent you've got; but I took you aw bed." "Why, Pete, that was mighty clever. good fellow after all." "'Well," says Pete, "I sa' but that twenty dollars, and now how much yoi it ?" "How nuch 'do you say, Pete ?" says I. I reckon " says Pete. So I pulls a)it te doll: went was up hill; p of something. I ;hty good. Rich han newspaper- labama-out run, ier, jump longer, to Billy Bowlegs' here was a nasty, ny stomach, worse eat, and sassages, e breakfiist looked me of them jump- outli. They put t in a cireus; they ver, then 1Mix up 1i was ridin with' ad a prankin over -rin up everything er without squeez- pring branch dry. I got hold of the igh, and out come nore, all mixed up no mightly. In a en I got over it I money ?" "You ? says I--I know, lhat fellow got you been for me, he'd ay and put you to I believe Pete's a ed all your money swine to give for About five dollars, r d a give it to c M1 FIRST TRIP TO NEW 0IJANS, Pet1. We was now come into Mobile, and I made up my mind, when I got off the boat, to give that felbw,who got my money a sharp talk. So just as we all got off, and I got a chance at him, y just laid my hand on his shoulders, and looked him right in the eyes, and says I, " My good fellow; what.did you mean, to make me drunk and then get twenty dollars oit o me ?" "What do Yobs mean ?" says he, sorter bristlin up. P stols and cotton hooks, thinks I; first thing I know I'll be in a pond of water, reachin for the cotton bank. "Why,' says I, "Pete told me you played cards with me when I was drunk, and got twen y dollars out of me, and if it hadn't beeni for him, the said Pete, y u'd had all my money" 4 A triflin puppy," says he, " I thought at the time there was some rascal in that fellow you call Pete. He go your money. He came to you and told you that you owed him one hundred dollars, and that if you would give him twenty, he'd let you f. You pulled out two tens and handed them to him. I thought it was all right and said nothin." A rogue-and made me give h m five ore for stealing twenty. Where is Pete?° I felt just about like I could whip the haIf of Mobile. Twenty- live dollars gone for nothing : and Pete has )t some of my money ai last. If I lay my eyes on him I'll make hi see blue blazes. Pete. a low-bred, dirty dog, get twenty-five dollar. of my money and then rnke -out like he's a friend. Tried to get a hundred and couldna't- get it, and now he must. have twenty-five. And then to think I give him five dollars for being a clever fellow. I'm niad.enough to whip myself, that I was ever such as fool e o believe one word that he said. Let him put his foot on the bhoat that goes to New Orleans, and if' I don't teach him a lesson he won't forget till he gets back to hi4 malmmy's house. I'll show him how to b playin his pranks on a mountain gentleman, gwine to New Orleans. I was so mad I didr'. hardly know what to do- with myself, and no I just made up my mind to hunt him up. I put my saddle bags on my left arm, ana the way, I went somewhere up town. I went first along one street and then I'd go along another. The houses! the houses ! the houses I'l ut he eonflummieke1l if thie ain't some own itself. ' walked page: 32-33[View Page 32-33] BY SAM SIMPLE. and walked and I couldn't see tother side. I and the twenty-five dollars. I would read the the doors, first on one side of the street, and and read on tother side. And if you believe great big letters clear across the street. Why I, don't schoolmasters have big.letters like th _see, instead of these little crooked things in the more whip ins about them everlasting A, 13 C spellin book than would take all the hair off a had some o' these. big letters what I could se have studie:1 and played ball, and jumped rope Teachers always do have the, hardest way of gitt of anybody else in the world. They don't kn .but just sitcross-legged in a school-house, c how smart they were when they: went to school, the creatur s. I was just am using away in this kind of style pin fellow s'iys to me "Mr., have you lost anytlt but I'm loo-in for somebody. "Who ara you For Pete, says I; and when I lay my eyes on hi ticular )avr. Have ydu seen Pete, Mister ? says he, aPete went along there not many mi way ? says i. " Just around the corner," say. says I, I'll 4ateh him yet. I put out in a hurry couldn't help thinkin how that nian could know time I rai ed my eyes and I seed Pete walk right across the street, a leetle ahead. I holl but lie never: noticed m'. I put right after hi to stop all tlhe time. The folks run out on all s the matter. 1 never paid no attention to no after him. I come up to himas he was about and down I fetched him. Where's my money givin' it to im, f rst under the ribs, then in th le hollowed like a clever fellow, but that did' to have n money, 'ai d so I kept a knockin' agreedd to 'ive me all ie had. lie give mefill ust clean forgot Pete Treat big letters over hen I'd turn around me I could read the n the carnation, says 'se, what boys could spellin book. I got s in old Webster's dry cowhide. If I'd 1 anywhere, I could all at the same time, in anything anyhow, )w how to do nothing haw tobacco, and tell I'se got no use for when a great strap- lg ?" No, says I; okin for ' says he. m I'll give him par- ays I. " Oh, yes," utes ago." Which he. On his track. to find Pete, but I Pete. About this n with all his might wed to hin to stop. a hollowin to himn des to see what was ody, but kept right o round the corner: says I; and I kept face and all over.- do me; I was gwine, . , After awhile he teen dollars and said MV FIRST TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS, he'd spent the balance. Where's the thi gs you bought, says I., and I was about to jump on him again, hen a, man put his. hand upon my shoulder, and says he, "Gentleme go with me to the Guard House, we don't allow fighting in the.street .', Go where? says L-- "Come along," says he, "I'll show yot he way. You can't miss the place." I knowed from his looks-that he rant jokin, and he looked like one of these shooting fellows, and it wouldn't do to fool with him. So Iete and I followed right after 'him. Then4I was gwine along I couldn't help thinking, and I didn't-feel eactly right. Says I, Mis- ter, you aint wine to put us in jail, you aimt ? "Oh! na," said he- and he never said any more. Well, where in the tarnation is he go- ing to carry us ? thinks I. To the Guard ouse! and I wonder what sort of a place that is, and what they will o with us. I know I do have the most bad luck of anybody .i th world. Got left by the boat, drawed up before the Captain for stealin Pete's money, missed 'the cotton bag and got into 'the river, go drunk and let Pete get my money, and now, I'm gwine along her with Pete, away to the 'Guard House. I wonder what mammy ani daddy would say to see 'their son in company with Pete, agwine to the Guard House. I could hardly keep from crying. I thought I would turn my eyes to one side to see what Pete was doing. Bless you ! Pete looked like he was proud of his company. ie want gri vin about gwine to the duard House. No, not him 1 He didn't care where he went so he got something to cat, and 'he knowed he didn't have no money, and this was about as good a chance as any, I felt like kickin Pete for looking so happy. About this time we come to the Guard House ; and we went i to see what was goin to come on us. I couldn't help feeling a little skeered when I went in- to the Guard House. It aint nothing but jail, says I, called by an- other name. And ['se got in jail at last and there's no tellin what will come of me. When they git folks in jail they just work them =to their notion. The man who brought us to the Guard House said the Marshall was not in and we must ait till he comes; so he just 'put us up in a room and locked the door. Cold chills and Texas agues, never did have the all-overs so in my born days. Locked in a lit- il room in a jail house in Mobile. If this paint gwine to New Or- 3 page: 34-35[View Page 34-35] f MY FIRST TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS. 04 BY SAM SIMPLE. teans with a vengeance. 1'd rather ride cotton be shut up Lere. This is what I git by quittin gton the' allie span.' I tell you these gal b aint gwine te ride on any more of them. Well, I tented, and I'll sit do*n and wait for the Mari 1 CHAPTER VI. I just sit down in one corner to make myself as easy as possible, for I didn't know what was wine to become of me. I had mighty curious kind of feelins. I would have gin-every cent Iliad to be at home. If I could just get back once more, you'll never ketch me wine through'all- that kind of trouble just to see New Orleans, be- cause a schoolmaster had been down there. It is no pleasure to travel if one has to go through all the difficulties I've been through. And now after I've suffered so much and worked so hard to get this far, here I am stopped and locked up in a Guard House, and that with Pete, a triflin, good-for-nothing fellow ; here I am disgraced, and no body to help me to get out of the scrape. 4nd all of this af- fair will get back home long before I do, and will spread all over the country, and as it will be certain to grow as it spreads, there is no tellin what will be in everybody's mouth before I get home.' P'm ruined and there's no way to help it. When I got about this part of my thinkin, and my heart was sink- ,in lower and lower, I heard somebody puttin the key in the door.- 0 cracky! I felt just like a rattlesnake was crawlin down the mar- row of my back bone, and these red-headed scorpions were travelin along every nerve. My legs got so weak, my knees began to knock together like old Belshazzar's when he seed nobody writin on the wall. My jaws got a kinder stiff, and my breath was gettin mighty short,a my eyes began to get a beetle fixed in my head, and a curious kind of colds and chills run over me, that made Ay hair feel like it was all standing straight out. The door opened' and in popped a great double jointed whiskered fellow, that looked as savage as a 35 ags all uight than my cjtton bags to Ats w nt do, and I just als.well be (conL halld page: 36-37[View Page 36-37] BY SAM SIMPLE. meat axe. He scared nmi so, I felt as stiff as a po to the top of my head. I was all for the world mrble, and if anybody had just pushed me, I'd fe all to pieces.. The man stopped and looked at me ished. There is no describing how I felt for a looked like I wasn't myself, but gettin as fast as I1 twin else. I felt like I wasn't flesh nor blood, but t- some other substance, and the spirit which used kie :nd nuke me feel like myself,, was now gettiu and narrower place, and like a candle burning on wick way down in the candlestick, I felt like the 1 put out the vital spark, and I'd he no, more. The me and took a look at Pete. He spoke to Pete, shall was ready to lyar Our case. ie spoke so kim and I felt for all the wold just like I had shed We walked into another room, and there set th( logged, gant, hard-faced l okin old customer. He he ever knew what pity was, and as for mercy or the word. The thing is up, says I, nothing but death is ever to be got out of such a look n pie that. In a few minutes hie stated what had been t( guard, and give all the particulars, and wouud up I each one fifty dollars. C ne-break and Florida In ter, do you allow a man to say a word in his ow pass sentence ? says he. "If you have any def coed, sir." Says I, Mr. Marshall ofthe great city travelin on my way to the crescent city of New O trip, in company with nobody savin myself. Iliv twins of the State of Alaba na, and have as good an as anybody this side of the Rocky Mountains. I'o much from home and don't exactly understand th of travelin people, and consequently I've made a conic along my route to this place.. In the first p double for my first supper; then I wasn't in a biy getting in the stage, and had to take a seat with th co high it kinder made my head swim, and we had kor f0ou my heels usF lke a block of 11 dowi and broke is if he was aston- 1econ:1 or two. It coul 1 to be some- I was hordnin in- to spread all over ntc a narrower the h st bit of the hast motion would man turned from and said the Mar- dly I felt relieved, ff a hard shell- Marshall, a long- didu't look like he'd never heard imprisonnent and e of humanity as ld hin by the city y saying he found dians, says I Mis- a case before you nce to make, pro- f Mobile, sir, I'm leans, on my first up n the Moun- amn y and daddy e n ver been out * way s and means few stakes as I hce had to pay enough hurry in a driver, away up 't get far .before - MY FIRST TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS, I fell off. Then, sir, Mr.'Marshall of the city of Mobile, when I got to the city of Montgomery, they put nie way round in No.-90, where nobody couldn't find the way down, exceptin homefolks who knowed all about the house, and I was so bothered about gittin down, that the boat went off and left me. I then got into a scrape with .an Irishman, and he kinder ketched a cotton hook into the se tof my britehers, and keeled me head over heels into the Alabama, river.- The boat '1iss "Eliza Bittle" was soon coming down froi iWetump- ka, and it 'as all I could do to git on dry clothes before she'd-leave me. I never was on a boat before, and-somehow I didn'tunderstand the sleepin fixins. The captain put ne in a little' room with this same Pete; but Pete was asleep on the lower shelf and I didn't know it was him. Away in the night when everybody was asleep but Pete, he was a standing there hollowin, like somebody was killing him. "Thief! thief!" I herd somebody hollowin in my sleep, and it scared me so I never thought where I was, and I went to bounce up, and afore-I knew it, I fell clean down from the top shelf.-. The Captain, hearin a powerful to do, popped into the room and wanted to know what was the matter. This same Pete told the cap- Lain that someboby had got all his money, when he knowed at the same time that he never had one dollar to save his life. The Cap. tain took us out to examine us., and I told the Captain how much money I had when I left home, how much I had spent, and he could tell how much I ought to have ; and I was just about to hand him my purse, when the boat ran on a snag and commenced to sink.- Of course the Captain didn't have time to attend to me, and every- body begun to lookout for themselves. I made a jump for a cotton bag, and way I went agin into the Alabania river. I got hold on another bag and got, on it. I rode for one whole day and most of one night. The Miss "Sallie Span" come along, and took me up, and there I found the same Pete agin. - Next mornin a man treated me because I had been lucky enough to be saved the night before, and as I wasn't used to drinkin, it made me drunk. And, sir, MrJ Marshall of the city of Mobile, certain as you'r born, when I was drunk this same Pete got twenty dollars out of mne, and when I got sober he come to ome with a sweet .mouth, ad told mc 1]Ow he took page: 38-39[View Page 38-39] 38 BY SAM SIMPLE. care of me when I wais drunk, and I gin him five dollars for his kind ness. And, Mr. Marshall of the city of Mobile, sir, when I come to find out how 'he had treated me, it made me so mad, I hunted him all over this big famous city, and I found him and was givin him Davy, when the guard man tool, me up. And I never got but fif- teen dollars out of him, and the balance of ten dollars he gave to the Captain of the boat for his passage. This is -th way he travels on other folks' expenses. And,- now, Mr. 'Marshall of the city of Mo- bile, sir, I, think it mighty hard for me to pay fifty dollars for try- in to' git my tights. I didn't know you didn't allow folks to whip fellows who took their money away from them, or I'd got Pete out- side the city and then I'd give him a sound lambastin. Now,, Mr. Marshall of the city of Nobile, sir, I leave it with your honor whether I ought to pay fifty dollars, when Pete aint able to pay one cent. The Marshall kinder straightened himself up in his chair, and says he, "sir, you are a wonderful fellow, and I can assure you, I have been deeply interested in your -singular narrative. If I had time 1: would be pleased to know more of your history. Your defence, sir, is an able'one, and I have no reason to doubt one word of it, and so well am I satisfied that you have been imposed upon, that I release you from the fine, and extend to you my best wishes in your future travels." I made a very polite bow, and left him and Pete where he couldna' pester, me again' ,I ntw went as fast as I could for the boat. I heard it whistle, and I was afraid I'd get left again, and 1 might get into some other serape before I knowed it. When I got down to the wharf there was two or three boats going to New Orleans, I wasn't goin in any of your Mis Eliza nor Sallie-no sir, I was out with the Misses. This want no river I was gwine on now; and I didn't want. none of your delicate kihd of boats, what was always happening to ae- cidents. I wanted a su staunch old fellow, what could ride the an- gry waves in a storm, ad carry you over safe and sound as a dollar ; so I looks Found and fids the boat "Georgia." Ah, says I, that's my favorite State-the eystone and pillar of the South. No run- nin on snags with this toat-no accidents happen to the noble old State of Georgia. I'll risk it, and feel as safe as if I was in main- MY FIRST TRiP TO NEW ORLEANS. / 39 myams, So I just we mt abroad, and set down like I was at home, It want longsbefore we was offfor New Or'ans. It was late in thcevenin, and the boat just skimmed it over the water like d, dy'ssgeesO in the mill pond. About night we got to where the big whips all, stop, and bring goods and chattles to Mobile. There were lots of ships out there, and the tall masts looked like an old pinefor- est triumed up. It"was one of the prettiest sights I ever did look at. It made men feel kinder sublime and good ,ll over. But we soon passed them and night came on, and I couldn't tell which way I was gwmne. We got our supper, and after a little chattin we all ' begunto gap and get sleepy. I soon found a roostin place in the back room next to the women. 'There wasn't nobody' in miy room Ceptin me myself so I could lie on the top shelf or the bottom shelf, just as I pleased. Thought I would try the bottom one first, and if that didn't suit me ['d go up higher, I just stretched myself out' and there is no telhia how good I did feel with nothing to pester my mind-no Pee here to get my money-no Miss EHiza Battle to be runnin on snags. I felt as snug as a chinch in a fat man's shirt, or a flea in a yarn sock; and I just sided off to sleep just as easy as tuniblin down stairs. I took - one good sopnd common sense sort of naps-one of those naps what are so solid, that you, can almost feel it when you wake up; and I was lyin there thinkin about thing and matters in, general and a figuring a little about how I should. d4 when I got to New Orleans, and my thoughts was rumnia in this wy, andmy mind about half way between the.land of wake and the land of sleep-was jtest gittin ready to launch into the second nap-when all of a sud- den, as if Gabriel had:planted one foot on. land and tother on sea, and sounded that everlastin trumpet that shall wake the nations of the dead, I heard a sound, a crash, a burstin up, like all the cannons ofa hundred battle fields had bursted. The old boat riz up out of the water, and I could feel it as it went back to its place and begun to sink lower and lower. I could here somethin like hot iron when thrown into a blacksmith's trough. I sprung to my feet and gather- ed up my things--I run into my clothes in a twinklin of an eye. ,I heard the cries, and, groans, and shreiks of women, and of men and page: 40-41[View Page 40-41] ItY SA: SIMPLE. f children. The boiler's bursted, says I, and we are all blown sky high. I threw open the door and such lamentations I never heard, Allwas dark as midnight. I thought I would get where somebody eke was. I made one step, and down I went among the bursted boil- ew-I lodged upon the top of a wood pile close to the boilers, whilst the hot water dashed up against me, like it came from the spout of aw tea-kettle. This was too 'hot a place to stay-in, and yet I was afraid to move, lest I right step into ones of these boilers and be s alded alive. While I was here thinkin what to do, somebody from above gave a shriek and made a jump and landed in one of the boil. er. I heard them make a flounce like a fish in a net, and one groan. and all was over. I could hear cries on every side of me; some near me, some fur- ther off; some seemed like they were just breathing their last, and others likethey were sufferin all that flesh could bear; some iere in the water cryin for help some-groaned like they were buried be- neath the-broken pieces of the boat, and drew their breath like as if heavy timbers were lyiri across them. I could hear the shrill, sharp cries of the little babies in different places, like their mothers had left them to shiftfor themselves. The whole air was filled with cries and groans. I reached up over my head to feel for anything to which I could hold, so as to lift myself above the boilers-I felt something like the end of a room with all one side torn off; I felt for a hand- hold, and caught hold of a piece of scantlin and made a pull to lift, myself up. I got upon, the sleeper of this room, when all at once something give way, and down I went with the whole side of the room on top of me. As it happened, one piece struck the wood pile, and I fel in the water to the outer edge-from the boilers. The planks fbI over next to the boilers, and, by some means caught on fire. I was there under this pile of lumber and it afire. I could now see by the light what I was doib, and which way to work. I was down in the water-up to my waist, and my head in a few feet of the fire. I moved some of the pieces of wood, which dropped, some pieces of seantlin were lower than others, and-I just crawled between the pieces ate got on top of the pile. The fire was increasin fast, and getting niighty hot, I got h)d of a pix rf f atlin And put one end on MY FIRSE TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS. 41 the pile, and the other end right into the door of my room; I crawl- ed right upthis pole-like a chicken goin to roost. I' got up safe. and there sot my saddle-bags like nothin was the matter. The fire was conin right towards my room, and I knowed I couldn't stay there long; I k nowed I'had to take the water, so I just takes my money and puts it into my neck handkerchief, and ties it around roy neck; I thought maybe I could keep my head out of the water, and I knowed if I couldn't keep -my -head out of the water, I wouldn't have no use for money. After I got everythin ready, I pulled up my piece of scantlin and reached it across to the women's side of the boat for tyhe hind end of the boat t ever Iblowed up. I took iy saddle bags and got dbwn on my pole and cooked it over. It wa1 ticklish business, and I come mighty nigh losin my balance two or three times.. If I had fell from the pole, that would have been the last of poor Sam. I got over safe, and was soon among the ladies, There was on e other man here, who was clerk of the boat. The fire was coming fast towards us .- My room was now on fire, and it was next to the ladies' room.. We all commenced ° gettin ready to take the water; the women was all cryin and takin on'mightly. Poor things ; they 'knowed if they got over their heads they couldn't swim, and they'd be certain to get drowned. But there was no tim9 for talk- talkin-the fire was comin. Better try the water than to burn up.. I tore down the doors and give then to the women,' and toldsthem t jump. Some of them was mighty scared, but they made the leap. We got them all into the water, and down I went with a plank.- The fire was new runnin all over the boat. The boat had run up into a kind'of a lagoon, among old stumps and little dead saplings. The water want quite waist deep. -I got down in the water on my plank, and such a sight I never looked on. Here were men with one arm, some with one leg,. some with one side of the, face torn off, and some with no legs-at all.'Sonierere holdingn on to the little dead saplins, some had crawled on to a stump under the water, and were sittii up there ,ike a tarapin. on a chunk. The women were all in the water, and some of them with their babies in their arms. . One of these cold winds they call Northerners, commenced to blow, and the air soon felt like ice. We all begun to get as near the boat as I page: 42-43[View Page 42-43] MY FIRST- TPIP TO NEW .ORLEANE. BY SAM SIMPLE. ,possible, to keep a little warm, for it looked like We would freeze to death. The women were all shiverin, and the little babies looked like they would die, certain. I had my saddle bags, and 1 took out ,britches, shirts, coats, and everything, and give them to the women, I pulled off my coat and jacket and handed them to the women. - Just throwed my old"saddle bags over my shoulders for a shawl, and there I stood,.cold,,as ices takin the wind.. The women want think- in about fashion now, and, it didn't take them no time to get into my old clothes. The boat burnt down to the water before day, and the wind got seven fold colder. Icebergs and Northern seas! thinks I, we've run upon top of the North pole. I felt so'cold till I couldn't feel. You could hear the teeth clatter all around you like the springs of a buggy knockin to ether. Every minute looked like an hour. and, night looked like t had turned around and gone back after tother day. The light of the boat was gro iu dim, and darkness was gittin -all around its. Death 1the dark, thinks I, and here we'll all die, not seem one another, and when day comes there won't. be anybody to see who's alive. There we all stood, like posts drove down in the ground and nobody sayiniothin. e e CHAPTER Vii. I stood there 'in the water ith that cold Krihe er'blowin u- on im until I begin to think I wasturnin to one greattbig icicle. I never did want~to see day conie so bad in all my life. Pve been sick and couldn't sleep, and lie on a bed and turn first on one side and then on tother, throw my arms outside of the cover, and push my feet about to find a cool place, and look at the cracks and windows to see if I could see some sign of day comin, and listen to hear the chick- ens crow, or hear somebody make a noise like they were gettin up %u-'t all this aint nothing to standin in the water, and cold Northern- ers blowin on you. I looked all around the heavens for a sign, even as big is a- man's hand, that day was coming. I thought surely one of the old plagues of Egypt had comedown on us, and gross dark- ness was covering the people. Will the night never end, thinks I ; I kept watching and wishin uetil I got'perfectly reckless. I knowed I was gettin up pretty close to the door of death, and if day didn't 'oon come, so we could see what to do with-ourselves, all our cake would be dough with us. After awhile, low down close to the water, I seed a few red streaks. Day's comim, says I; glory in 'the highest! I felt just like shoutin. You could hear them all movin about in the water when I hollowed out; as' all of them was just like me,,nearly dead to see day come. I 'tell you it was tight papers. The red streaks got larger, and after a little a light streak got under them. 'adi the clouds commenced td, part, andday begun tope p out. .1 J 1 page: 44-45[View Page 44-45] 44 BY SAM SIMPLE watched it close, for I was studyin the phylosophy of day break.- Day kept coming and the Northerner kept blo yin. When it got light enough'to see, there we all were standin all around in every direction. There were nearly one hundred sca tered all over the water. Such another sight, never eye looked or.. Here stood the beautiful lady in man's trowsers and coat, all hiverin with cold; there the young mother with her first babe, hugging it to her bosom, to keep the little thing from freezing to death; sere the aged mat- ron, with white snowy locks sporting in the chilly blast ; there the lame, the mangled,} with shivered limbs exposed{ to the cold and to death. What a sight, thinks I, and no help. a hand. A boat ! a, boat ! thinks I. I wasn't particular about the Misses now. I had now learned by sad experience, that there want nuch in the name. I trusted to the Eliza Battle and she run.on a sn'tg. I then put full confidence in the Georgia, thinkin there was no anger of a difficul- ty, and here we are all blowed up. After day we all got up close to the old boat, which was still burning. 1 got up on one corner, and was sittin there thinkin about no tellin what, when I heard a steam- boat whistle. I wasso glad I jumped right off into the water, and, clappin my hands together, I just done some f the right kind of shoutin. We had a Veal camp meetin for a little while. It was the right kind of feelin. too, and no mistake. The old boat soon. come puffin up, and the p ople all run out to see a sight they had never seed before. It was the Magnolia boat, on its way to New Orleans. They took us all on board, and was mighty kin, to us. They just unlocked their trunk and handed out clothes. atd the captain gave us all free passage to New Orleans, The britches I got hold of were a leetle too big, but iato them I went.' There w" s right smart room to spare around the waist, but I kinder hitched them up with my gallasses, to keep them from droppin off. The c at was one of these long tail blues with a mighty short waist. The tiil was one of these sharp, hawk-tail sort, and reached down to about my knees.. When I walked along I could feel it touch right in the hollow behind the knee, just above the calves of my legs. The collar was a great stiff thing aid run up the back of my neck to half xay the top of my head. The jacket was one of these long revolutionary sort, with MY FIRST- TRI great 'big flaps on the pockets, a I lost my hat in the dark, or i mte one of these bee-gum fellows down to your head. It was a my ears and -sorter sot down o britches were broad cloth, and t though -they didn't fit, and I w ladies told the passengers how I" bags, and how I pulled of my co cold just to accommodate them. a bran new suit out and out, wh no objections to such a move in unanimously. We got to the landin sonic six: o'clock, when we took the Railr gittin there. They just took me to dress me from top to toe, in t jerked out his little tape string and down tother, and all around t utes before you wouldn't have kn big glass, and looked at myself, I But it was. They then carried pitcher, with. a whole plaster of and all this sort. I didn't exactly this was gittin higher up in the carried me around to the St. Chat dinner, they all shook hands with mighty solemn, and two or three but I was afraid I would spoil it if but I just let two or three big tears on their own hook. Now I was here by myself, and Orleans. They had hauled me a dressed me and turned me around till I'd almost lost what little sens where I was. or what I was doin. ' TO NEW )RLEANS. 45 d reached down nearly to my hips. the fire somewhere, and they gave what's broad at the top and tapers leetle too big, and kinder-fell over my coat collar. But the coat and e vest was some kind of yarn cloth. as determined to wear them. The give all my clothes out of my saddle- t and jacket, aid stood there in the They said hey intended to give me en we got to New Orleans, T had self. and so I just let the bill pass miles from New Orleans, about ten ad to the city. We wont long in p to the tailor's shop, and told him he very best he had. The tailor and measured me, first up one side ie middle, and it want many ' iin- wn me. When I went up to that couldn't hardly believe it was inc. me around and give me a silver vritin on it, tellin what I'd done, know what to do with the cup-- pictures than I had been. They les', and after the finest kind of me and told ine good-bye. I felt imes I was a great mind to cry, did, and so Ididn't exactly cry. run down my face of themselves had just thought I was in New out in their fine carriages, and nd made so much to do over me, I did have and I didn't know I didn't know where my saddle- page: 46-47[View Page 46-47] 46, BY SAML SIMPLE.. bags. was nor. none of iny clothes. So I went up, to the one they Ball the Cler1kand ask d him if he'dseenany sa le-bagafor Sam Simple.. "Yes sir," said he, "they are iujyour roo ." Inmy room, says I,. I havent got n9 room. q'Yes sir," says h , "theladies put your clothes in.your xom and paid your beard fo a week. They was all now gone, but i felt so much, obliged,to t em that I do be- lieve if I'd had a good chance I could have kissed .very one of them -ceptin that old ladyI would sorter dodge there.. They soon show. ed me my room and there was my clothes hangii g round the fire dryin. . I went in hnd took a seat. In New Orleans, thinks I, dry- in clothes. Well it ai t cost me much to.gethere. I aint paid no boat fee, cetin a little on the Sallie Span, I thins I'se been lucky after all, and now I cai stay here a week. and eat aid sleep as much as I please, and it wont cost me a cent. And bet r an al, d' dressed up as fine as a fiddler.. I felt like looking at myself, and s I got upbefore the gla to see how nice I did loo,. .I turned first one side then.I'd,turntother. I'd walk off a littl ways so I could see my legs and: thenm I'd walk up closer. I'd et my new slick fine hat on one side of my head and kinder hold Aiy neck stiff, and then set it on tether side., I'd brush my hair as slice as a peeled on- ion, and then I'd put my hat on and wouldn't jostle a, hair. Thinks I to myself, there is no use to bettalkin, for Sam {nt none of your common folks. I'se. a right down goodookin fello , and I m gittin mighty popular, especially among the ladies. I j st put my hands into my pockets and.I walked, backwards and forwards across the room; and every time I come along by the glas , I'd take a side glance to see how dignified I looked., You, need 't tell me about bein proud, for I just know its one.of the best feelin in the world , I begin to feel like I wanted somebody else to ee me, and so 1 thoughtI'd walk out to the city. I takes my gold- ended stick with "Sam Simple" written on the head of it, andright u der it was 'Pre-, sented by the Ladies of the 'Georgia')" , These re sensible folks here, for they didn't put me way round in No. 90 but down on the floor next. to the citrance room, so, I could. coin right out easy enough I went.out doors and commenced to looe about, hy,. s'ys I, thesu~ are the fmmniest4 folks I ever did. see,..they. (lont know MY FIRST TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS. 47 how to hitch a horse to a wagon. Instead of kitchen two horses side by side, they hitch one horse r ght ahead 'of tether. That's mighty curious doins to me: And he e they were goin up and down and cross ways and eveV way, and uch noise of rocks and Wheels; you never did hear. I wanted to look about. some, but I was fraid these Omnibusses would run over me. I, however, thought I'd make the yeutare and so out I went. I walked any w'iy and looked ever where. This is some town, certain, and the talle 4t houses-git out. I saw so many pretty things, I just wished I ha a million, so I could buy them all; but my little hundred dollars aint no where for buying fine thins. Kept sauntering about town ir this way, lookin at the nice things t 11 first thing I knowed the su was nst down. Thinks I where i i the world is the' St. Charles ? I 11 bet Idont get back there till mid- n'ght. I thought Pd inquire, so I asked a man standing in a store door, which way the St Charles 'ag. Creation and ]lunderbusses! he talked Iluteh, Indian, Hebr w aud sqipelhin else. Wild bears and wolff's en ! I've got down among the foreigners, and I'll never understa a word they say. I turned around and went back to- wards the way I come, and 'I kep askin, but it was the same lino all the time. Women, men, children, niggers, all of them talkthe sanme kind of Dutch. Now, thing I, I've done gone down'among these outlandish folks, and my board paid a whole week at theSt. Charles, and I cant get back ther to get something to eatr and to sleep on them nice beds. Itwill e dark directly, and I wont know. where in the nation I'm wine to Botheration, I never do think what I'm doin till it's too late. iThy 'didn't I notice the houses. when I come along, then I could'v found the way back. Worst of all, I didn't take a good look at th St. Charles, and wouldn't know it if a should see it. I seed a grea big house a little ways front me, and -I made for it. I got there a td went in. Such talking, such talking. Here were two or three m n;'there was two Or three more; a bunch here and another there, an all of them talkin this kind of talk I couldn't understand a word of. Into the very den of wild beasts, thinks I; I'll git out of herd. Thinks I, this must be that St. Louis Hotel what I heardso muc about. This is the place where 4 page: 48-49[View Page 48-49] 48 BY SAM SIMPLE. they~eat rat pies arid bull-frogs. I felt just like thr.win up, thinkin about it. I got out from the place in a hurry to save my stomach. It was now gettin dark and no St. Charles yet. Go e case, says I; lost in the city of New Orleans;' butI had one consclation-if I was lost, it was like a cow in a big fieki, there want muc danger of get- tin out, so I just kept walkin. , They soon lighted p the gas can- dies, and I could see to walk:first rate.. First thing I knowed, I come right up on a great big house-itwas the St. harles. I just -smacked my month, and walked in, for I knowed my supper was paid for, and I felt just like eating it. I want longaputtin supper away.- While I was eatin I heard somebody say there was an auction to- night, just over the street. Thinks I, I can go over there and get back, and not get lost; and maybe I may buy someth n mighty chea p. So, after I had packed away as much as I thought ought to carry at night, I got up from the table, a thinkin that the tavern man never made much off them ladies, chargin them fifty ceni apiece for my meals. I walked about awhile till I could see the re t of them leavin, then I made for the auction. It want far, and I soon got there.- They had a heap of things to sell; and, the man who was sell looked -like his tongue was loose at both ends. He could say dollar, faster than a whip-poor-will can hollow-it fit his mouth exactly. I didn't understand the game of these auctions, and I was afaid to pitch into it. Thinks I, you might get Sam in a suck some way, and I'se dress- ed too fine to be gittin in difficulties. So I kinder Iheld off till he, put up ono of your ring-striped sort of coats. Says he, "what will you give me for this coat, with .the privilege of the lot? " Thinks I, I aint here on no expenses, and blast my old buttons, if I dont make one lick at you. Halfadollar ! says I; an everybody turned round to look at me. "Call around in the mor n," says he, "we havent time to deliver goods to-night. I felt as proud as I could be, and I couldn't help smilin every tinm I thought how cheap I got the coat. I never bought another thing. I went back and went to sleep, and in my dreams I could feel my striped coat on me, and it made me feel good all over, I do think they are the prettiest coats that was ever made. I knowed that when I went aback hone, and showed, niam ny my striped coat"what I bought at auction for half a dollar I A -he'd nearlptakeftsoot 'o y e stripes. Neat Tnhaom asI otmy bekfsI Put-bitfor, he Ai~inlos Ther as agutf orftaree inbeezi8ar; U4Iwat that attiped coat I b h I tya ukinderlcut areyeeth t ua 'ii 4t 1OR coat uYes,"ay e ,tm tge tWo or three: such lik oj e h e 6 laughing to thinkithat dgtfioa e~1ri4ca:1d t~ ~ eimnetbin by eavelin, -n ' en ofnd6tI*~~t dg har. espue]y:OniW eosat tad 11 a("h ha teokoks, andw wibouttj oer serbt weheaE "Mr., your bil is ju even ti dra morrah! sayI, ho o dyu da.e that ut -ought one coa with the nil o, tlienl 't h ipriiege ft pot,and the " rwusa. ty coats in the lotwhichat, ty n sntsgdrcoat,swill ebn t' hi4 dellas Says , Mr., wantiddi te' ge th wasbid iojat for d a t. ya n e t 4 . o w is IItiueto cotgctii l fk s an forthe Ma'sha" ueI s thinkstat ll do. ,Mster, Idon't believe 'I careaboui seie er thi ks t1 mighty hard': fo sa coats to taecareom her i ddnt an nomoatwoitthese Mts~ls o hi thity dollars: and he conedot te s. n dt mo e than two whel a1 dlook oh know w hat i the world to doWith them eoats- did to d, when man touched me on the elb , ads there r thi way minute ;" saysb,, "They iuspo dyun itn sS kte ' oat on-ou. I aa njeful pee of bsinek sbuttsh ways woulddo just s dird ty ti ks. h t aess;e b ati hose of our city inipose uponstrangeriri his w a 'e e a tr an tyou out of his scrape. hae: an Aucio sa fwd Fdw, and ifou will hae these daried do heou llse a eomd ft for you. u must be certain tobe oh e "u j o the e o eo as to make them bring at.a y e r, and r yo e uake themi bring h nar o lhr an ake ne n t h Y FIRS T TRIP TO NEW. ORI, ANg ad page: 50-51[View Page 50-51] MY FIRST TRIP TO WiMW ' ILEM loved the fellow like a brother, right away, and felt a most like huga S le around like a shot in ,a shovel, to fiad soabody to giq h to the utionuhouse, I oonfon an Irishmanr e i olato rry the oats He quI n'.quite earry, ' ,n e a.efir ,. s took a load. And ,here w.Wnteh an and Hto,. S great updlp of coats, apfolkewil the rpmyanda o th et- acmitioin house. When~we gotthce ,a mal was t p ollin like.., y.coats were- piled up,.ready £, a.I atln bire nk Iandgo1 putcoat,t ,and4'11yu heyet Eev~ or I wa about to make some money on the coat trade. The fitre- on thisside, th on that, ut nobody never 'speigne oat ed i t o x eofeV n's W t e ll thinks I. I4 another time,and lie knocked themof on me W aputem up at another time after aidar hi tie ey friend e running to me, n : as , " yo at h mea inbidin om~thoea ? bidhtsevntiv. ow,o Tuj min ays - -ad aeI got to take anoberlot of coats? T sio waytoneoto it" says Inhe;- "a man has brought them, There's no #wayke sammys,,othe wol."Ho mn oto sell, and he'llnever let yooff l H n artherme, sk Sa he, I d.nt know, but the ple is estr thor eat and fiddle-sticks ! sa$s II.; let us count tsger.than counted an greanteI till I almost 'fanted, the number asgittin so large. There were eighy-five coate Snaysand oute I au take them coats. Says , went, and I never seed him anymore-. After~ a minut or sub e1ne a great savage looking hoosier, and, says I, d"idn't ya to mfse coats ?" Yes; says.mI Y but it is a mitae. " dd' he o $ua s e 4You've got to take.theno, ir andlook buy iotsy. ; d;a ~ '. em ayt etu tsa . e, a mnks bogthi th.ellwm like he'd jump through e. Ahgators, tinks , oth fel ei pounder me in a minute 'if I don't pay hiumg st I puledSout money and paid him sixrty-tree dollars and seventy-fve cent Iba no money, and coats enough for, a cross r I stoi' it RY SAM S'IMpBrg have more than ten dolla, and one hundred d to - What in the world shall I 1o ? My friend an rone oa asked the auctioneer what I sloul!d cone aej " The auction has closed for to-day do a e4' to peddle your coats in the country where' will I find a man. "Il e'oe"sy.h;i elit ~ he beckoned to somebody across the stet.i a ~~ with him and then brought himt " man who will peddle for you and be back a e days he give him some money to hire y1,wagon,, How h a "Abut en olars"' That was all I had, execp irde;) I~~~ ~ wsiatihple, and I wanted rmy cots sol so Igv , ten dollars. page: 52-53[View Page 52-53] MT FIRST. TRIP TO, NEW OR.LEANS, 5. 14 CHAPTER -V1.1 After I had paid my pedlar the ten dollars, he pul est his wagon, and I wont to the St. Charles. Thi ay feelins as I went ,Tong: I'd. gone through all osid hardly. made a grunt, thinkin when, 1 got to N oee fun enough to pay for it all., My money .is now tA-irve cents;, and heW 4Iha 'long ways, froir a redin the world; O 3 It em. who 'make outt are the' worst enemies got: Im a great n et fellow do wn h ttri to .make rei~hp~ twaat for find in t elwf yaelt lhiI'd, in ;A0h. If I' was to gets into oneof these fifty della without money, they 4uld soon make hosh of me, *4fir it thebhentj can. I could not help- thinikin of' the pedlar and 'tha .coata . &,Now, thinks I, he may be a right sharp fi know but he may bring :me back a right sharp little t did want to believe he would so bad I did" not kr f4Iw mighty fraid there'd be some slip somt right out to ere is no telli m~y difficulties, w Orleans,- I'd ;one but about homec, without hey are frieud~s Ito knock the ith '. IT it aka, some bones scrapes now, ;( T will try to, t yC(t load of allow, and who pile of pion3y'. LOW what to do; wb ere ,where I l . s ln'.ee. itis the hard st thjnd inthe"" rl' u ~gtso-tricky a n t4 tlee~s hti - ll ¢ i 't - :rhtt " bidbl d r t othMer r t, Wi:d a " et before, th&e) dth'u, f4k M Y- 40d Ii1' " rIeitdship t" u, i w ~shf~i~n 1 ii mone ll y. / ..,,;1"ta *&third$ of the f 1en 7h1ip'i& i { t pry of heave iin orde o eiic*n ii i .tYe 04 len}a;lam in thie 1a4 t - f 1dhI foutY t ~ ii h Er waP410 Sphiwiri in this w , u ~ 4'r, ,r} "y_ S i~r j i . Jd he ,t. i t . Iwe, ao " ' t - }' r Qi, * . 42 wthheeayi.r y Hera Lam, .' 4 j J Jr rin, Jon , ,'. Thdi if y iest r .or ti oatI of&C7 1 all.a~jn.a~ a fo : these stiiped *yo0 ' Ie 40 ~ 1~thright iii eV ht rle e ru enoug lh ~ 1 I want no mcore stripes!?Thd.4-a 04 -049 ~tOVtA:lv ti4i nmucl as they pi a , utjhiis a thei il fol~ayligr ite.~ oo t tsof hisaparent.*bl d w n h ere to N }w L 4 i t}& , -dI1 S £U1,i tie ibilindt cagheir opinion on ,strires "Mntoutid Jair just now, hrzis- to my ?Hied that Idint gth S o* 'oI know who 'to be inqirnI "im.ZIjumped "right gup,:ax ow~tI~itt $ WAY. r , o get bt toth ~ auctro h n:~Z nrse ightx i n,a uffiinhd aboi.Mstr aIt~ xni.Im4,, what w~is the pedlars namhe?0'"Wa e~~? ~ sotrnrinny. The one I got to0 sell my coats.-ashe; i krt 0 i page: 54-55[View Page 54-55] MY FIRST; TIP TO NEWORLE ANS, oiut your pedlar. . went to every one in t ' know arythin about huhi Where's them ood«graoiousTsay&atle little fellow be e otells ; he-auctiozees in anypart oft ee are needed: You won't come up with hin . will he be hero again? Sayshe, the ih" t Bless me 1e says ,I, the dog's dead at pbak to my room and sot do wn, and felt likc ,O faintin. I'll never .hear froni the pedlar no uotioneer and the p dlar fixed itill up before th c ust greed to c eat me out of the coats. I breat like a man's obliged to do when he ssre eruhed..Iwas now atethe"end of my row F oop run ou and I'd he compelled to le gothere ras no tellin. I couldn't get without money. I;just thought every way n4. ' ne,} o nough to get home on. I sot there , ngellows on a little table, and now an through my'hair. and my eyes fixed o4 the 4A and a thiakin with all my might what K.4allIdo? Iuldn't see one ray of lig;htn ohat i the world will become of me? I'd S ndfI was to try to beg, nobody would gi 7 l id ' know how-to doany kind of city work. 1 e that maybe mammy ,might have put - 'Mu debags, or:if some of my pockets, thinking o t, for nammies are mighty thoughtful abo 40,., tndtook my d otergut of my saddle4bags, a jo; oney"" there I I searched ,every po -arydie=no where. I want satisfied wi I exeined agig but no money was to b a p asI y~etiny isfied, and there's nmmt . zp al' dieathought:Id write home, but I knowed I' }pb ofre I' ever get an answer., Myweek wou. eaood- gt my letter, and there was no tellin what th me before I go her letter. I was in a peck of he house, but an that cried md the coun- he city where in a week " nay not be in d'out I went. somebody on rthe coats.- ey got to me, sorter drawed knows all his My week's We, the hotel, home, nor no I could, how with my legs l then runnin floor, a sorter should do.-- o way I could just die before eime adime; The idea come some money maybe that I at such things. ad felt all over uket, but there i searehin one- found. The tellin whatit be turned out d be up before would be done aroubic and no IY 'SAM SIMPLE, way I could get out. I didn't eat n ppe that night if it was pai fyr. I thro ed myself on thebed and 'I rolled and tuigled at night. t ought of tenthoi and' ays, but' one of dhen w*dk purchase money. I got up ne'morzhi beo rtl when I laid dowp.'' took a littlebrea~kfft,;angnda:we b t room. I'd b b wilin to be: auig if I ould t j Sti e ,g to get homie once nio-e. I thought of heine an4homee f6 l9 in11 'the tears sta tted, and I liked to {iled out loud.f 4f~ r just knowe4 hat a fix I anin ' here .oh !: owherh fortl bkI for me. But poor old woman, no doubt she is cosnliWih elf . I im enjoyin self. The idea now pwpped iht rdy~m yhaf she my have writer ' le a, tter, and Ne i} iiighe sdes nef b . I- got right u and put out to' hunt for the Pao e tfriqii r End soon found it, In I went, and say I, Mister,is ther l nyJettkae here for Sam Simple? fe 'lookecaout a hiI andhndede one of the pa ttiest littlelftters 'you ever did eea. '1gosh" sa i, this never cone from hbme; for mammy never ed'o6 ae .. ins as this. I oeedit, and there wa&s moneyin 'iHalleluy iI says I, I don't care who you come from. Letme read it-' "1'M. SAM .8\rme - dhe r me -the sens and, pleas at an ay a 4o set eight of i : most gr p, in the h ladies, i Ins; but, rat opporte of obligate hough I Saccept t stiaepai ged parent the gentl '-Your kindness to me on o fatal accident of the Georgia, will ever be leld, teful remeinbrante. Oh 'accuntof the les ofmy arry oftleaving the wreckk I -ould not Join withtbe intheir testimonials 'of gratitude, inte cityof New ir, I should ever =feel dissatided, were .to neglect nity of bestowing'Upon you some token ofthe deep oni I feel under to youfor the-preservation of my le- now'udthing of your circuinmtandes in life, yOu i" o hundred dollars which I ehelosie;and should eu, s rough Baton Rouge,'it is the earnest requescf 1 that you should'call on- them, as they'"are anxious man who saved the life'of their onlydaughter. "AN43ELINE G ILMOR+L page: 56-57[View Page 56-57] 56 MY FIRST TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS. Bless her little soul ! she's that little black eyed gal I give. m coat to, off my back, and now she's sent me two hun red dollars, in a time of need, and tells me to.come to'see her... BlessAhe Angelinesa Go it pedlars, auctioneers and striped coats! Sam Smple aint be- holdin to done of you, as longas pretty gals are plenifui. WomenL folks will stick to a fellow in cloud and sunshine. There aint no milk and oider about .woman's friendship.,. She rem ibers a favor as long as life lasts, and when once she fixes her hea t i.pon the oib- ject of her choice, the storm may come and the rain s descend, but her love is eternal. I do wish all the men in the vorld had we men's hearts inside their bosoms. If I'd saved a hundred men from the Georgia, the -d never givt; me.the wrappin of my finger\ for it, and as to sending me money after they 'got home safe, there'd be no such goodI luck. They'd cheated me out of the Jast shirt I have, the next day, if they'd goo a fair chance. Men are mighty uncertain, and I'm getting out with them as well as striped coats. But, hurrah for the omen ! If I cant love anything in thq world that wears bonnets and hoops. I was goin along in this kind of shoutin feelin, when I saw a steanm engine come runnin right up into the city, Hallo! says I, I'll see what this means. So I goes around to where the engine was, and found out it was the cars from Carrolton, where the people go on u. pleasure ride. . As I was full of funds, I thought would take a pleasure ride; for, goodness knows, it was high tim for me to set, some pleasure. The folks were pullin into the ear l'ke sheep going into a pen. I was a little slow, and there want no se t left, but one by the side of a gal. Well, I want afraid of gals; for they were the only true friends I'd found; so I walks boldly up an pops myself down by the side of her. Says I, Miss, you have no objection to my takin a seat alongside of you? "Certainly not," says she, as sweet as lasses. More breath in a minute, if she didn't put my heart to. gin worse than a flutter mill, She looked as sweet as red roses dipped in the honeydew of the mornin, and fanne by the gentle breeze from an angel,s wing. I couldn't hardly keep my hands off her, the pretty, sweet little thing, I loved her so. Sh looked a lit- tie like that black-eyed. gal: who sent-me the money; and this madte BY SAM SIMPLE.T me love her more than ever. My heart was about the right soft- n to make good'impression on it. I could just love anyt in y call woman; "nd-I wanted to tell the dear little creature so, u I did 'teknow exactly ho* to say it. Somehow dr another women have a p werful effect on a man's ideas. I can talk to a ian ill dy abou an~ bin, and ever get out of talking materials; but when I get 'do- si of a prett gal, and my heart begins to feel w*rm and miy face be s to flush up, I gits a levtle nervous, and the ideas just lip out of y head lik gas out of a bottle;'and there I sit tryin think and can think. More little foolish thoughts and children's notions will Ioom into a fe low's head at such times, than at all other ti ies put toge her. When Iam by myself, T can fix up a first rate speech to mak to a swe theart; but that moment I gits where she is, it all slips out in spi of me.. It is just so now. When I first git - my mon y I thought I could talk to any gal, and not be seared a bit, but hen I so down by the blessed little thing, my mind was as blan as your h uid in leas than a minute. I t there a tryin to think all over creation to get an ides, but it want no go. S ys she, "How do you like pleasure rides ?" Capi. tal,. ys I. Wat is.the reason, thinks I, I couldn't scratch up that idea. But it t' as as bad as ever, for I couldn't make another start;- and,( I; e ides,I d dn't see exactly how to get to the point I wanted Thi I, I'll j st screw my courage up, and pop it right out'; so, says Miss, hbw do you like a single life? My question sorter stunip her, an it took her a little while, to get composed enough to giv me an a swer. But she soon got calm; and says she, -A single ife is all can speak of from experience, and, of course. I can s I have li ed-it well enough to continue single up to the pres- ent ti e." Thi ks I to myself, that's what I call a dare, and I'm a great ind to take it if I knowed how. I didn't exactly know how to k up the s bject, so as not to lose the point. But she seemed like A was willin, and I knowed I was, and I knowed two willhia minds ever minds about form, and so.I was determined to pushthe subject without f rmality. Says I, Miss, don't you want sometimes to che e your si uatio in life ? Says she, "I do not know that I do, I very well satisfid with my present occupation." Thinks I. I page: 58-59[View Page 58-59] MI 'Fi.RT TRIP ' T) NEW O0J{LEI/N. your present occupation--what is your occupation whether to ask her or not. But itminder set me b stopped the warmin about by heart me just stopping kettle by pourin in cold water. Says I, Miss,1.f it would be pleased to know your occupation. "C chambermaid to Miss Julia Dean, the great actress hand in too with a broken-tooth-cross-cut-saw, and the alligators ! here I am, before a car full of folks, bermaid. Augur-hole and gintet-borins! give me to creep into---I never was tuck down so in all nm never had enough love left to stick on the point of dIe.. I just eased myself up from along side of h the car door as soon as possible. I felt just like I The car arrived at the station and I slided out. train to get back to New Orleans. The scrape 1~ my love for chambermaids at least. I slept pretty for my mind want much disturbed about the gals. Next mornin I. thought I would go to the p there might be another gal who had lost her money in, in givin me a new suit of clothes and a cup. and sure enough there' was a nice little letter. TI folks there, I thought I'd better not open it, as might get my money. So I just crammed it into n3 and went on my way rejoicin, for I was almost ec money in it. I got to my room and shut the door, the rockin.chair, and opened my letter. Tarnatic Well, what in the world can the letter be about? "N E OUJOANS., AMI., SAM SIMPLE - D)ear Old Friend:--I hav today's paper, of your arrival in New.Orleans, and -Dstance. I was decoyed from my father's house by and of influence in this city, with the assurance ti live in the most magnificent style and enjoy all ti eastern princess. I am sorry to say, that,dazzledi plendors of a city life, and deceived by the mild b I didn't know ick, and it sorter. the bilin in a tea- be no offense, I rtainly, sir, I am Saw me right give my bones to courtin a chain- some small place y born days. I a fine sewin-nee- r, and got out of wanted fresh air. I took the first orter cooled down undly that night, st office again, as and couldn't join So away I went, ere was so many some pickpocket y britches pocket, ertain there was and sot down in n! nary cent !-- I'll see-- Washington St. e just learned, by embrace the first a man of wealth at I should here e pleasures of an with the gorgeous ndishments ofan at a r air, the tian ihg sed hav :ette of h 4c toit :a I] not aged in t troul I sig I 1la. fail. omplished beloved I val here I hope of a to my ro correspond .one line residence this mon r to the o im who . I impl a destinati was in sc ive my n .d, pny pur miserabl nations of e parents,' C 4ame o le. Call . e ce] e 0lven h BY SAM SIMPLE. 69 villian, I yielded to his suggestions, and left my aged arents, without their knowledge or consent. Since my have been treated in the most brutal manner, without mending m condition. I have been' confined all the m, withou permission of walking the streets, or of hold- ence with any one. I never have been permitted to o my bereaved parents, to inform then of my place of and to implore their pardon for my undutifulness. I ing hired a street boy, from my window, to carry this ice; and I tremble for fear of its falling into the hands atches all my movements with the most sleepless vigi- ore heaven to favor me, and bare safely this message on. hool with you, and am well known to you, but I dare me; for should this letter miscarry, with my name 'at ishment would be increased, and my life be rendered. e. I implore you, by all that is humane, and by the any friendship and association, by the respect due my y the love you bare for women wronged and abused, E heaven, I implore you to aid me in this, my day of at No. '79, Washington street, and call for the name tain to inquire softly of the Clerk with spectacles, as im my card. Call this morning at , o'clock ; do not Yours, intears, ZENOMIA. page: 60-61[View Page 60-61] MY FIRST TRIP TO NEW ORLEA S.. (fq APTER IX. As- soon as I read the letter I felt just like tightin. It warmed: me all over, and I was a great mind to go right-dow to 79, and give himt a good sound drubbing. I am a woman's man, chambermaid, excepted, and I aint gwine to suffer the charmin creatures to be im- posed upon by a goon} for nothin, low-life villian. I couldn't help rollin up my sleeves and poppin my list two or thr e times, to cool, down my passion for fghtin. I knowed there war t nobody in the room to fight, but yet I. couldn't help goin through the motion. I walked around the room two or three times, gittin n adder and mad.. der every step f maid. An old schoolmate imposed upon by a man .-if I just kuowed wnd hc was, that would soon fix he latter with me. I cant think who it can be, unless it can be .?eg Miller.-.. And if I knowed it. washer, I'd swim through a hole mill pond full of rusty headed nocasins, and fight on other sidM, a troop of tomahawk Injuns and alligators, what I'd rescue h r frjn her mis... ery and distress. Peggy! if I didn't die the death f a 4oldeir, and spill the last drop of blod that warms this system o min , what I'd give her relief. I Tas t o love her with all my heart, mind and i i ,trn t 'k) C or give e tio r. sav n 5 I'd r and if n .be o out a non' life, a scrap tell n tfelldw wit1 No, 'i my here's ahin like al think 79 toll S spy A L Of tl e ber ai blin we er up i com e1 in bi the fig, dows. ,r tog Pirst ,h t r1 i 4U di is 1J 5 7 0 I I } Li e cd 5 h4 yd u A t It 1 1 MY SAM SIMPLE. -al ! 1 always was certain, every day, when I went to school, Pegg some apples, or peaches, or chestnuts, or potatoes; !er sall forget them: lotin eyes, when she'd take what I The good feeling it sent all over me is passin all descrip- it ne er. entered into the mind of any man to conceive, as ve given pretty gals a token of friendship and l ve. give Peggy an apple, thancarry a load of cotton to market, e shiny gold and silver to put in My own -pocket. And ut knowed it was Peggy writin this letter, there wouldn't for elay. Why didn't.she sign 'Peggy instead of this sort f a name ? I 'never did know anybody named Ze- ut I e pect this is a name for anybody living a miserable o she signed her name in thisjway, -I've got into so many I ve made up my mind to think before I act, for there is no man traps these New Orleans folk, can set to catch a his may be that chambermaid t ryin to get another chat ,nd I ust know if itis, I aint in trumpet hearin of her.-. i t L :he'll never get another chance to pull the wool over a d ge rue head over heels in love before I know it. - And - I've, no use for these nines. Every time Iv'e had any- d with these nines, I've got tuck in; and I've had to screw the nati n to get out. I aint got much confidence in any- a comes from these nines. I aint goin to run headlong into s rter Iok around and see the signs of the times. kh ught 'd just walk around by No.- 79 and see if I could ;al who wrote me a note. May be sl" would be lookin out a ow, ad I could see whether it was Peggy, or the eham- to Miss Julia Dean.. So I cnts out to take -a sort of a ram- Skeepin one eye low down to read the numbers, and toth- tI e window to spy a gal. I got on Wash ngton street and ed to-r ad the signs and numbers., Pres ntly, I spied 79 uwes. 'rackey ! how it made me jump when my eye lit on e . I just stopped a minute and looked right at the win- c uldn't see nobody iii the *indows. I didn't know wheth- a or no. I went to the store door and looked in, iind the g saw vas the little spectacle mran, aflyin around the coun- page: 62-63[View Page 62-63] 43 IX 1YfjIRST TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS. -ter, like hat in a sho el. I felt'sorter scared, and to save my life I couldn't go in-I thought I'd better wait; and I knowed it was more than nine o'clock, and I didn'ttknow whether it would be right to go in after nine o'clock, or no. I thought may be she appointed nine o'clock because ghat brute of her's would then be out on busi- ness; and for all I kn w, he's done come back, and if I go in there, and he's present, the ery wild fire will be to pay. So I just turned amfund and left. I walked about without carin much where I went About twelve o'clock . got around to the post office, and in I stepped.;. and sung . out Sam Siple. The postmaster handed me another let- ter, for all the world just like the one I got in the mornin. Some- thin's turned up, now, says I; the old villian has come home, I ex pect, and she's sent me a hasty notice to not come. It's well I didn't go in when I was around there. If I had, I'd cotched it, certain as. snakes. Sam ain't to be tuck in every day. I'm goin to keep my eyes open while I'm in this city. I'll see through what the gal says, though I alniost know without openin the letter-- "No. 79, WASINTPON , Sv. "MnR. SA M Sam : S'r -I am deeply mortified to know that you have treated my'-note of this morning with such perfect indif- ference. There was a day when you professed to 'love me, and you swore to me more than once, and called heaven to witness the so- lemnity and sincerity of your oath; that there was no other being tit whom you had given your heart; and that to your latest hour you would cherish for me an undying affection. But, alas ! for the plight- ed love of youthful years, as it is the morning cloud and early dews, which soon pass away. Your vows were all writtenin sand, whichthe slightest breath of time has completely effaced. I have 'appealed to, you to assist me in my istress, and you have entirely disregarded all the claims I have upon your sympathies and aid. You manifest no concern for a helpless roman, when she is in sorrow and misery, and implores youto relieve her from degradation and tyranny. I appeal to you again, if you have a spark of love for woman, to aid me in this my deepest trouble. The wretch who treat) me go in. hur to 3o tha to c tiot kn I'm in loo saw the wer as in, was sig bef( and lett mat in a kn go the' cle; bac co, buf to] He an ak plot ed. hat' wr nsi wi rth goi in tw t, ary ny rea t of re jus rs er 1 s b ac cc . al to d im. pul ly, ha mye k, as 'With s Pe' der ti thout at I Srigh .nt. roun( o me ould lkin feelit oom, in ti differ 1he fai let t from that rts of t it - tor uld n my No. py tl ever. Say led twi 02 JIX MAM SIMIkLE. left honme, to be gone se- eral days, and now is the time scape. If you intend to assist me call this evening by I directed in my first letter, which I presume you re- a trebiWng hand; I remain, Truly Yours, "ZEN OMIA." gy, as certain as gun's iron, and I'll take her away from r die in the attempt. There aint no use for takin time e matter. If it is Peggy, that will be enough for ac- considerin the consequences one minute. And I just ever told any other gal that I loved her, but Peggy. , down there immediately. So down I wentt7o 79, and [didn't see the spectacle man, and so I stood about, ,thinkin probably I might pick up a dot or two. I behind the counter mighty'Tbusy talkin, and one of ast sheep eyes at nie. I couldn't help thinkin they bout me, and for my life I couldn't prevent a sort of from creepin over me. I want half as brave as I was and I didn't feel half as willin to die as I did when I e letter all to myself. I'd found out that there was a ence between being spunky in my room and bein brave e of man. I felt almost like backin out of the scrape,. e gal write on, for she didn't know whether I got the er or not. There might be some taken-in about this couldn't see, and the first thing I knowed, I might be a fix. I had some money in my pocket, and 'I didn't ight be some trick to get it; and so I thought I would y room and put it away, and if I did get into a' scrape t get it. So I went back to the hotel and give' the oney b t about one dollar and a half. ,I now out. 9. I stod around the door a little while to s~eeif I e spectacle man--there he was behin the counter, as I stepped in and" picked a chance to whisper a word s I, in aw low whisper, "Mr." do you know Zenomia?- r or three cards. out of his pocket and looked at tlwxe: page: 64-65[View Page 64-65] ti4 MY FiRs'T TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS. like he was near sighted. "Yes, sir," says he; "you will go up these steps, and along the passage until you come to No.19. You will find her in No. 19." Wake snakes' come to taw! I dont like so many nines. The house is 79 and the room 19. No good thing will ever - come out of so many niues. But as I've got this far I wont turn back now, let the result be as it may. I went along up the steps and down the passage to No. 19. 1 didn't know whether to knock'or not. Somehow, or-other my brav- ery begun to get out of ane faster than electricity out of the clouds. In a little while I knowed I wouldn't have a sparkleft. I raised up m hand and sorter knocked the door. Oh l you everlasting sw anp chills ! how they di4 run over me when I heard somebody movin their chair and ulaki for the door. I felt just like runnin, an d if somebody had just said boo, I wouldn't pade more than two or three leaps for the steps. The door swung open and a pretty gal, with the sweetest sort of a smile, said, "Walk in Mr. Simple ; and she gathered my hand, addk give it such a squeeze as made my very heart flitter. 1 walked in and shut. the door. I took a .seat; but somehow I felt mighty comical. I'll jst go y buttons ! if 1 ever went to school with that gal. I didn't see no favor of anybody that ever did live in the nountaius.. That, gal never come from Al- abama. 1 was lookin right at her when she says, "Why, Sam, you dont know e, do you ?" Says I, I cant exactly call yeu to mind- what's your name? Says she, "I wonder if I'll have to tell you my name. Look good and seg ifyou can make me out-" I took a good took at her face. stand up says 1, and let me see how tall you are -she stood up---but, say I, you aint high enough for Peggy Mil- ler, and you are too tall for Judy Sims, and not fat enough for Polly Ross, and your nose aint ,rooked enough for Molly Holt, and your foot aiutbig enough for Betty Stiles, and wh o in the deuce are you ?-~- hetume seeyour hand-it wont do, for Kizzy King, for she had a great big wart on her hand, and there paint no wart here; and youaint Dol- ly Cross, for she sorter talked through her nose,.and had a kind of a squint about' her eyes.,. and I just know you aint Nancy Culpepper, for her head was as rid. as a live coal, and she was asfreckled as a turkey egg. just I be hange if I believe you ever saw me before, ad I jug: kio I aint never been acquainzted 'with you, for I dont forget gal' so e:Ayas not to recollect one bit of their faces in two or three cars. "J t l:ke-yo , Sam," says she, "you always would play off your nonse e i h tie girls, and that's the very reason you used to be so popul - an ng 11of theru. We all had .gou for a sweet-heart, and someti es alamos fought about you. I thought there never was such :r boy f" any am Simple ; and now, just to tease me, you pretend you e mect reconize me; you make me believe you dont recollect this a l imole n my cheek. You never would kiss me -oh that side of he ace ! and you dont know my name? rBe ashamed, to say I too - a good ook at the mole onlher fiae-.but I couldn't call it to mind. know I ed to be the very plague to kiss the girls-this was about h dlf iy liv n-but this not kissing on the mole side was some- thin I ouldnt re ollect, for I knowed I want particular about moles when I pas right after a kiss. Ilkissed mole faces, freckled faces, un bu t fa ces, u ly faces and pretty faces, and any kind of a face, eo it wa, a al fac . 'But then she could call me Sara so flat, just like .he kno ed me a1 her life; but somehow there seemed to be some- hn abo it hler I c uldnt understand: she was mighty particular in her con orsa ion. So I thought Pd tree her at once :-Says I, who lives ilea est ieigh or, to dad?. Says sre, ini a minute, "Why, old Bob All ." By ,ounds ! says I, that's a fait, and you couldnt have known t. at itho t knowin something about that country. You must hav, be ,n ab out there. but I cant makeiyou out, no way that 1 1an fix it Says a e, ' Enou wh of your foolishness, Sai; 4i want to talk to you ou differe t n atter . I am in the most miserable-situation here, and I have be n t yin r!a long while to get away. A few of my old friends an a quai nees have occasionally visited the city, but they remain so sho t a i e that I could never have time and opportunity to hold w h t em y communication relative"to my whereabouts or miserable on ition. .-have been-here now nearly two years under the most ret hed t eatment ever erdured'by 'any helpless female.- t dare not elate to., on the one half of what has befallen me since I page: 66-67[View Page 66-67] hiti J' 1"E r::: LUP 'rTo N'\ \\(/u i .:N" " my arrival in thi city. ie who swore' that he uld 1' a h is been my imt uunc ifl aindl most unrele gtrmi wubjeets me to the most rigid ru'Oles, and denies me all the hrm lees 0om n to the femlide sIx. T am notopermitted to seC any one lInoI Shis express )eraission(, and never can pen one l ne, to any one. hut it must undergo the stjrictest scrutiny ; no one is permitted to hand me a note or letter until he has carefully perused i-he is egnly vigilant in watching my every movement. ie jfreqIueIItly eve-dropAly yoom1 to listen to my conversation witlh the servant and to discover. if possible, some indications in me of disaffection to- wards him. so that, with somc' show of justice, he may have cause to treat me most inhunumanly and cruelly, lie frequently charges me with the-most revolting1 me, and in the most terrible' language. threatens me with the severest punishmieiit. i1 have labored to the utmost of iy ingenuity to please hin, and I find all my efforts to be in vain. 1 have tried to be prudent in word and act, and to obey to to the last jot and title, every order he gave me, however unreaso. able and unjust. But my guarded walk and conversation are but: additional causes or arousing his fiercest wrath : and my unprotect- ed head has fallen undr not only his foulest abuses but his most un- mercifil blows. -Otfte have I been tied all night to appease his un- bridled wrath, whilst he flirted at the theatre, or spent his time and money at the gambling table. More than once has he decked me with chains, and fastened my limbs and body in the most uneasy po-) sition, and there left me in the greatest agony for hours. "I dare not proceed further in recounting the miseries through which I have passed. A decent respect to your finer feelings would induce me to desist from the relation of scenes that would chill thm blood and make the heart stand still. '4 wish to make m escape, though I should not disguse the fact to you, that it cannot be accomplished without some danger to na both. This brute of a man, who passes for my husband, though such . he is not, is now absent front the city ; but he has left the most un- principled scoundrel as his sentinel. How to escape, without hi knowledge, is a problem of noeasy solution. But life to me is, here, a burden, and I am willin to stake present existence for a change. u4 = r r f7 ;f .1 fr it r. 'S F t . 2. ti() itU f+t' fUd F i:;J tOW' xx1et ,i ya tleWdj1 r ti a-: e;aiL~ ti hryou ha lliry ?01 O; -e to face ager and d ee b Oie fltd'i mise-ry roablt. Iasub ectusb oth to disZ'aee alnd the mot iden b am prepared for he l ors at ' a . S11t b tfe mot ie irimstanees, but you ated by difon . meo ie. - y Jot uak the ven. ae 'eil what you m-e ill 1 IC 'till t 11 f". if I (1O~ ba .[ kimwedh1 41 ilt he. ji;L i - xi't afaide5 lowfou this kind of elinld: t ..,. .. d e o brave as igiit b. She s id of 'j1rit her. and I ju 4 believe ( h w a T ihe would be o mettun her b I ny. 'T tho~ I 'happe m to get hi little sea ed xx e u dau be1 ,i it x-o'ild make hash of the whole plot. i b r oh IwN 'iiia-t'0nia iin her situation, if there wi i her ay o I thought I would itoai toay sopositively, foi' iar mightntbh d too it no' useto give her a h:] ,and half 40 e positie a woman for that. It 4a ti, II heirein NexIV Oeans, a long ways from hom It was a ticklish sort of bnsness. I t) k, sure I ai ; et. page: 68-69[View Page 68-69] UH{APTFIR K - te i ata nn will do till he's tried. , If Id bee.{ e ome d seen one of ha 1 ome gals in trouble, ' jest waded homedanden boeo nwhat I'd got her out of the scrape ; but 1 was wa; huae=eepin blood wa go tanih folks and it wais right down hers among strangers and outlandish ok,an itwsrgh don tr mog a difficult The worst of all was I didnt exactly known t ho ga. I couldn't m ake her out no way I could study, but. k nowth egal. Ih talked so known that I couldn't help hinkin sh , e et helen s so eet l bout m e and I had forgotten her. B ut even' uist know soethaaabout rea .why I shouldit help her. 'if I didn't know her, that want no r ongia blew up, and they paid me lik' cer fellw , and if I'd help this gal, mabe she would help me evifc when I might be in trouble. Blessings conferred on others oe ike hen s, t h bwill n tlw y co ie. hom e to roost. So I just are like pigeoy wte ; an ss I to-well I'll just call he-r ad etup my mind at once ;a sy )am Ii s. I dont k-now how /JeuoMIo for I dont know any other j -11-10_.. 1dn ko o Sne,nmaiy turn ou anybut Ivemade up my mind, that, sink or swim, d o I'ie, survive r perish , m pin r the whole hog. and j I: A , 3Y ; -.i 7 2 Sk :) 0 BY SAM 8MLE I' w Ia Je so the 0 .'I'II" but her blo ha nd pen tual ello xpl mt bo rae lo at en s a eou Lbou n gwine to get ,ou out ofthis scrape or break . ac. Thtt' jus hat Sam made up his mind to do. I ha(dam, more than got out the t word whvfernshe just stretched her arm s raight over her hea d said she, "Thank heavens ! PIl be sa;feat Iast "' She jumped lht up and run right up and gathered tae around the neck. Oh, icho ! a gal with her aris around my neck ! A streak ofghta- sweetened with lasses, run all through me. It want none of your utiii kind of feelins. It was a long sight hitter than that. at feel like hollowin notinakin a bit of noise. I was calmly r un my.Ief in the arms (f my love, and I just sot still and too huggui) nfist like one who love's it. I felt just like slippin my s around her sweet little waist, and giviin her one good squeezing I thought it was good enough as it was and I wouldn't interrup I begun to feel like I was getting into that country what the ents used to talk about. .1 thought I coulid feel the balmy, a i 'in softly from .ly iai fields; when, about this time, I hear body come walking down the passage. Thunderclaps ! how ?. .d us both ! She let iego like a hot pice of iron. Every ha d on me stood straight out. The hour of trouble had cone, and cry was gettin out of mep in a minute. What shall I do:? sayr Runti under the bed," says she. There was no time for waiti. under I went. I didnt have tihie to fiu before I heard the doo My Zenomia met him and called him -i sBAN,! Eart-- es and powder ills ! They've scotched the snake noV. Th. will find ine under this bed and blow me through before I eau in the latter. Poor Saml is gone this time : I've got out o1 right tight places, but there ant no gettin out of this sciape.- it this time he got up out of his chair and asked for his boots -Cy ! there were the boots right before mnce, and he'd be certain k under the bed. Oh I how it gives me the shivers ! If he'd eeped l is eyes under the foot curtains I'd been transmografied ock in a m uinte. I could hear him "onmin towards tihe bed, and I saw his feet. Oh !death and evil spirits get hold on me! I great miud to run right out as hard as I could go, but was afra1, Idnt get out of the door before he'd shoot me in the back.- t his time a head popped under the bed-I felt he lock-ja _ page: 70-71[View Page 70-71] 74, MY FIRST TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS' comninn a minute-my back got stifftas stilliards--J was about give up the ghost when I seed Zenomia- she sorter smiled, but I couldnt return it-it was no laughin matter-with me--she got th; booth just in time, for I think he ,was just about to look under th' bed. "You are very kind," say; he. "Not at all," says she.- Thinks I to myself, I can return my thanks from the bottom of moy heart fir your kindness that time. I didntrget more than half fixed when I run under the bed, for I lidnt have time. I ot, dow n orte on my knees and elbows, and was gettin mighty tired/I was afraid I night make some noise if I moved, and then he'd be certam to get me-I thought I'd hold on a little longer, and maybe he'd go out after a while. Says he, "Who's been here since I've, been gone ? "Oh !' yes," says she, "the doctor's been in." "And what did h". want?" "Ie brought your account and said he nust have the money." "Where is the account ? let me see it." Mercy on rPe. thinks I, have I gdt to stay in this fix until he discusses that bill ofl the doctor's? She got the bill and give it to him. "What !" say he, "one hundred dollars ? he'd better take all that I've got, and b done with'it. What's all this charged here? mileage, visit and pie - scription-ahd here's medicines besides. Who does he suppose will pay him forhis visits ? That's perfect imposition, and I'll htBimn . at once. Don't you never send for Dr. Jackson again. 'Who must I send for ?".says 4he. "Well send for Di . Jones." Says she. °I think Dr' Jones will be likely to charge some higher, for he's Professor." ' "Well, this fellow shant have it ;-I've made him what he is, and now he charges mc such a 'bill as this! He came here a poor as Job's turkey, and I got him a boarding house, and .recom- nndd him to the citizens, and now, when he gets a little money in his pocket, he charges me a hundred dollars. This is his gratitude for all mykindness to hin. He ought to have done my practice for nothing, and been glace to 'get the chance. Well, I'll show him the strength of influence. .T''ll stop his business operations. and teach hift his'dependence." Thinks I to myself, this uma's friendship paint worth huvin, and the poor doctor will do well to get rid of him. I dont want no man to be my friend if I've got to buy his friendship by laboria for hine be( nta is i bot say ine cot 'emlt he] ton exta tea and The him wt regt and her prec but 0 y ius y as rd hat an sk itt t p he It, tt .ki of hey ier ect c the en We d of Ibri fm k lit not ute ed, elf. Lim it BY SAM SIMPLE. 71 hole yer rfor nothin. I've got no usef or anybody who, just he's FrI, wants o 1poor folks to wqrk without pay; because e big fc!ks everylay mustwork for' then or nothin- -it me fiery to think of it. I was speculation in this ivay when 1 somebody kn'oek at the door. "Wolk in," says'the man. Who thinks I; and lats to pay now ? Sotic'bran new fuss, I'll 1 ten tone if I dont get the be efit of it.' "Take a seat," n1omia, Is sweet as ever. :The new visitor soon made his bus- town. 'Ie was a teacher, and had comAto present his ac- rr the tuition of this man's niece. The old cooi wasnt in the ight to receive another duit. iHe was mad with the doctor, must'tako his spite out:of the teacher. Hle undon 'tihe ac nd ripped out a unaccountable oath as he . looked att the It almost give me the shivers. Mercy on ine! thinks I. ll the teacher. "What's this ?" 'says he to the teacher in a the fiercest wrath. -"What use had she with that? "a useless nance; and f have a great minid' not to -pay for 'its The tried to explain the matter-"Yes, you teachers always have Mouth to get money after you have charged 'for everything possibly cram into 'your line of business. I'll' pay you, sir, a I'll'"quit you-and dent you never say' school to me again.' eher again tried to sio\v him that his bill was}all right and charged bt what had been etteni by the niece; but it made se thai eVer-he fliew cle i off'tho' handle and emirsed ,the shoof, and told the teacher that'he wished him hereafter to iimself a, a strwatger. 'The poor usedd teacher got his little noney and left. 'The old villian now 'got tip and; walked'the id cursed teacher ,arid schools, Aid cduation inceo'ry shape a. It mad'emy bleodYfel 'cold to sit there' on my hunkers u to his'doubleana: twisted oaths. 'enomia neit opened th. Sie kidwed the cdoudwas heawily charged; and if she d a point, she'd be certain to catch the 'eletricity. lHe and biled over, ind stamped, and ripped and swore all to It was 'a one sided game. Nobody want takin « hand in it self. [I4as there under the bed, so tired lyin in one position, looked like to me.n iy bones would conmc through my skin. I page: 72-73[View Page 72-73] 72 .Y PIRS'T TRIP TO NEW ORILEANTS, wanted t move but I knowed if I.did, and he should hear me, and' find me, that would be the end of Sarn.. About this time Ifult a sneeze a comin-what in the wodd shall, 1. do ?, .It will never do to sneeze here. What ! sneeze under tho bed and he find me,? He'll kill me' without hesitating. The sneeze is eomin-what shall I do ? And there's no way to keep off a sneeze- I'm afreaid to put my hand on my nose.--I'm afraid to move.-I cant. breathe good-if I do it will sneeze in spite of all Creation. Hold on breath, the sneeze is coin.-Oh! bless me ! what will become of me. Sam's goneAf the sneeze comes! Here it comes-hold, breath its comin-s-k-e-e4-c-h-ho' All's over-I'm gone now. "Who was that sneezed ?" -"It was me," said Zenomia.' ":You sneezed? It didntsound like you." "Why, husband, certainly it was me.''-- I dont believe it ; you' have somebody in here." "Myp dear, dent think of such a thing. You can search the room and1,satisfy~your- self; you. willsee that Lam,perfectly inaoeent." Blue.blazea and locofoco matches !. dont go to searching the room. What is the woman thinkin about when.she told him to search t ie room. Has she for- gotten me, or is;she going, to betray me ? o; ishe trying to brave.and. bluff him off from suspicion by akin out lik she is 'so confident of innocence that she'll show dependence ? le commenced comintowards the bed-I could feel the hairs on my head a risin-I jnst; quit breathen, and the cold sweat -poured out like .old-death had hisgrapples on me, I felt just like my time was come, and I knwed I-want ready to go. le stopped at the foot : of the bed, and I was expecting every moment to see his eyes; but Zenomia kept talkip' and boastin of her innocence, and tellin him to look, until he went to the fire 'agd took a sect. There is no tolhin how glad I did feel when I heard him take a seat, but I never would have thought of that way to keepim from lokin. But she under- stood. herisiness andkwed exactly how t pul tihe wool over his eyes. It learnt :te' a lessontwo tforgetin nydys purity of heart and motives ient cozisi4ingonka~ad 'boasting sayings.- --Everybody aint inocent that professes a willingness to be tested.- This is what I call dressin a wolf up in lamb's clothing , and sometimes.; it pays for the present..like allthe nation. The old fellow,,had let, off'. his min I hi kn .knc he' hiun their the feel rn his yon- says Imi You I'll I Buf,, "No- self- iia, him sir, I bette: letter was p would I list movir hit th leave. out, ji I'm g BY SAM SIMPLE.: 78. 1 hty wec y b kv I off '3 W ied. Ai st yo ler st no o -l [, li st C nut says nat he 'Il efo n r be an we at ied noh ofk 31I. I :e a rin n, and had somewhat cooled down; but, nevertheless, I was tired of his company ; I had been in one position so long till ot the treibles, and I couldnt hold, myself still, though I my lifE 'as at stake. And, what was worse than all, I didnt w soon I might want to sneeze again, and if I did sneeze, ow the4 it want her. There would be no use to try to bluff then. lie was there settin -up right alongside of her, and. uldut be no wiy to fool him. He'd just know I. was under and he'd come right after me. I/almost imagined T could, eeze coniin, while I was thinkin about it! " says Z nomia, "[ forgot to tell y o4 that Willian got a letter ir agent in New York." What did he say ?" Says Zno- C, and he will be certain. to see you if you go doon. ;.You where you are." What, says I, sta"y here to Sneeze?' "You t sneeze: I'll fix that. I'll put a bed quilt under there for o on, an d then the dust will not cause you to sneeze." -But e may hook under"the bed for soinethin, then helI sede- ome out from, here. "Never mind," says she, "I'll f. that. t stay under the bed. l-Do as I tell yo" and ulwill he right large trunk under the bed, andlybu can get behinrdt d I he'll be certain to want son thijn in that, very trwxk.- ter if.he does-; I'll bequick eno gh for hitn, and get, my- likes to be waited:upon. -I know exactly how to.'"zianage idat read the letter ; you had,,btter go down stairs and see e he goes to supper." Ah.!. thinks I,' th4t's the- pla. Yes. eight in for yon goin anyiher ; and, then I'd feel like I'd a goin a little mielf. -Come, old. hose, g& down and see the I give a fellow a chance t get 'out of a tights place He !ful slow makin up hisit d, and I begin to get afraid he o at all. But after a while he got his hat and;out h ent. to every step he made, closer than: a hunter doe" to the squinrel in hickory nut time. I heard every tin4e his foot, or, till' Struck the steps. "Nowthinks.I, is the tin to just rai ed up the foot-curtains a little and poked msy head rat slippin from his hole. Sys I to Zenomia, look here to-leave here. "No,"says she, "yeu, cant. leave. There page: 74-75[View Page 74-75] 74 MY FIRST TPIP TO NEW ORLEANS, is no way.,or you to get out. Je has only gone down stairs to sLe him.". She gathered her trunk and bed quilt, and fixed them to her notion, and told me to gdt a position behind the trunk to suitimyself. Says she, "you must remain where you are. You have promised to- deliver me from this nan, and there must be no backing out. It will soon be night, and perhaps he will go -to the theatre, or some- where else on a spree, ahd then we can leave, and take a stcamboa to-night for some place, it dont matter much where. It is very rare he stays at home any night, especially if there is anything to do in the city. To-night Miss Julia Dean pla rs one of her most celebrated pieces, and I know he wouldn'tt miss scei bg her act for fifty dollar;-. You need not be alarmed about his finding you, I'll pledge you Iy word to take care of that matter, so that he will not find you out. l is a poor woman that cant deceive her husband. All that is needed is a smooth tongue and calm countenance, and everything will always work well. Be brave and firm, and we'll get out of these difficultic without discovery. . You want nerve for any great undertakig. Ifi you are a man, play the part of, a man, and dent be so timid. en must not be discouraged by small hindrances?' Small hinderances ? says I; bless me, if you callbsueezin under man's bed small hinderances, then I don't much care about getting ac- ,quainted with big ones. I was scared so-bad, I like to got out ofmy skin. I'tell you What, gal, this here is a. ticklish place. as: sure a you are born. You mayn't think so, settin up there by the fire, but if you'll just take'my location for a while, you'll soon get. tired (r roostin under the bed.- Sam, dent talk that way. I thought you were more of a man. I have depended upon you to rescue me from my fuiserable situation, and you are unworthy the name you barif you fail to do it. Pluck up court ge and be a ian. A woman would be ashamed of such cowardice. Trust to me and I vill carry overything aright. Do as I tell you, without faltering, and every- thing will be successful. Remain uncer the bed until he goes out ,to-night-i-r, if he does hot go out, until he goes to sleep, and then we will leave. lIe always sleeps soundly-a clap of thunder would scareely arouse him when he is once asleep, and then we will leave. le never wakes up during the night -he always drink. brandyT thing Wi yourself I hear -eared. ne after strike th eat tal!k heahe they mli abe thin. tiei let not 2'et t7 from a in Sh ill Aous, fro te body wit their me an1d poor think of the kind nit of it t .a111 jud says Z " b)eliew- Ab)idyout but I feel the city very p.a Iii? Intl h . ii lIe all, am it ih e, - icr i11 I' tl r I tit J15 ( am i su Is i Sal ne. )f t yts in u r s M " SA M SIPL. aIe hi l couldaleaetheroom and carry every- He and he'd never know it. There. he is coming--fix lie still. i comm.inl. and to safe my life I couldnt help felin long curtain lectures didn't get the right sort of feelin in and it it did, it soon slipped out. when I heard Uis boots :z. [n1 he comes.-I feels sorter chilly.-A man need- bein brave when he knows he's where he oughtent to bee bra'le to save his life-it is all sti to think of such it I'm here and cant get away, and must be governed by s; but I just know oneThing, if ever I do get out of New Orcans' gals may- write as much as they please, but er be fool enough again -to be heipin them out of their get in ten times worse himself. If gals will run away eddies and mammies, then let them take what comes. If bed of horns let them lie on them. They ought to parents, as the Bible tells them, and if they wont, em put up with the - fare, without grm'iiblin. You'll hieken into another suck, tryin to get a runaway gal hu band. She would have him. and now let her keep tume I heard the dishes rattle. Yes, here comes some- 1ecr. These folks belong to, the big class-they cat n their room-sich fine doins-so many good eatables. i cant get a bit, There you sit and stuff, and never who is riskin my life to get you out of trouble. If that's rodlble you are taikin about. I'm willing to take a small if about this time. I aint had no dinner to-day. from ro eent prospocets. I aint g-wine to get ay mia, "mI dear, are you going to the theatre to-night ?" ," sayslie. Oh ! the Dickens ! thinks I. Says she. w Miss Julia Dean was to appear to-night ?" Oh, yes, well. an shall not go out to-night. She will remain in me tii ,and I can hear her some other time." The to pay-you stay at home the very night I want you page: 76-77[View Page 76-77] NOY I J I T TRIP TO NEW }JCLEAN C. I Y~ SAM 1 S 'I. 'i. to go. And here Lam to stay uutil yoa go to sleep-and sick-yon will wake up if a erieket jumps across the fire-place-stay under the bed and wait for a sick man to go to sleep!' what a horrid wateh for any man to undertake, ,APTER XI. . ahav wxii4s the poorest hand in the world to wait on the sick. ) but now I am pnt under the bed to wait on ' crabby-old-musty-sick- ellow to go to sleep: This does beat. all Hayti, a gentleman from the free air of Alabama, to take rootn under a bed; in as big a city as New O rlean. I. won er what my old inamny would say if he was to see ,me lodging uad.r the bed, waitin for a sick man t --Why, aiuunmy what are you doing under there ? be ashamed of - yourself and comec out you'sorry puppy !"' And' I'd feel just like yI'd took a sheep-but niammies dont see all their children do, and I'm tarnation glad of t, for if they did they' have a mighty poor opinion of some of them.. I felt ubiut this time like turning over on 'tother side. 1'd beei lyin on one side, so long 'd got mighty tired, -and as thei-e was a quIt under mne, Ithought 1'eould tnrn over with- out making auy noise. t just eased myself upon mg elbows and then as easy as possible on ty hands. I then sorter drew one foot up at a time, 4-o Io [oIk get oin my nces. I kiide spraddled out my knees to give inc a broader hundation, and begun to turn over jet asslow 0 I page: 78-79[View Page 78-79] TO \EV 0 L . N 78 as a suail erawls. I was turning uImy back towards the rmnk1 ud the want exactly room enough between me and the trunk, and I-strnek the lid, which want quite shut down, and slap it went. ponmnbahelLs and death in a minute ! "What was that, Kitty ' was llm } you who's under the bed Y" "Why, my dear, your fever mut e imyou. [ thought you lived in this room long eoLigh to get cc'--tom d t,, the rats. To hear them, sometimes, you would -hink they weare about 1o move or thingslout of the room." P Dont tell me about rats-- that ws15 no rt. here's somebody i rnder that bed. and IU see." 'T'omahawk injuus ! what are you aboat ? My lear, it siilI, and I will show yoi that there is no one un4 or there.' I'll raie cthe eur- tains for you." .-Yoi do what ? Wonu' ! what are yot; about hold up the acirtains fir hinu to see me. If I eoildnt kick you clean down stairs. Here she conies. Oh Murrell and Stewauit .rob- h ers and midnight assassins ! Wht will become, of me ? (oing o raise the curtains-a Ibul traitor-and show me to her I husband and then swear until she's as black us my hat that sh didn't know I was under ,here. And her tongue is just slick enough to make him believe every word of it. Ier hands are ou the el- tains-What are you about ? Don't you know I'mt unde here ? you old crazy thing, what are you doing Up .vent the curtains blue blazes! "Now look and see who you Can see," says she, "and if I've told the truth." She took care to raise the curtains at the foot-, so the trunk just exactly hid-me She thercame around on the side, What-wliht-goin to raise it it &n this sde?' fiddlesticks-you old goose, don't youknow-he-can so me on this side? :Hold, there, till I draw up in aknot and get up in theo.orner-mind whatr jou are :about. She just sorter run- herself under the bed and givd(tnc tre. mendous inh against the trunk, petendin~ to push it ont of the way, -andrn '.in .ne right back against o wall like a pad cake,, then she flfrt bup the certain , "Now io'k,"..says shte, ind see. your moan; ouseedy body under there : Look good anid dont be aceousin;me ,'galh ofaving- soniebody. der the bed. Are you satisfied i?',-\"YVs) believe I4ant,biIttle u it didn't sound much like a rat I rek riy-head being fevelis imade-it sound louder to me." -lThink kI ti:iyselfi- Wdk:lf" t som nd louder to yO u- han i iBY SML SIMPLE,79 lid .)ni. Idont know whether I've got any 1iver or not. and there aint-roomii enough here between this trunk and the house for a- oin to1feel of his pulse. I wonder if I'vegot to stay jamed up here until that old soaker goes to sleep. .1.aiut hardly got room to get a good breath: If I swell out lmy chest toQ much, I might, move the: "ld trunk and something else might fall, and then there might-be a closer search. But I see this. gal's'up tothe ' tricks.' She's been inl many a tigh place, i know, or she nev would think of, -o many -ways to get out. She's a grat .old rascall and I.just; know it. About this time Zenomia askedihim if he hadat better lie ,down and sleep some, as he :might then feel b tter. Y ethi ks4, lie down old hoss an' take a nap, a seund;iap; a 1dngnap, anyhow, a nap onug enough or me to get a4y from here. Justgo to sleep if yon dare,.and I't gone. eertain as sl ootin.: Well, he said, he wo ld lie down. That' right, ole fel-4the quicker the better, for} Iell you this is a .ighty tightplace They commeneea to get ieady f'or nn to bed. Zenomiasrc ne .to ths bedpattedynd ade^a heygr of Iass, and Imoved the oi trunk a little so I could breatheoo& I bgin to sorter catch her ds., it she 'want satisfied 'tthisshe pulled the old trunk'out, pretendi toe belookin for hedg wng whei she knowed she ievr pt heo gown there in her life, rShe soon shut it down and pushed it iinder4th -bed'}a,_little:.Sheunderstnds the game. She made .enongc h fi-s with t1I old trnnk ifor na fix myself first rates G tohed thinks i I' ready to taka'shorkp mysel if I was just sonialhiereil Im i xigghtyp fmi .T will goto sleep under" he , aid=get to snorin, nd then he'll knowauit=y.rat." lint it don't make much differencethat gald.° ould iia k hh b lie e he heard himself sorg: She an nke h be ioeranything she sets her head to, When Igets a wle I aiat;goxn iobe;;aaki her word for what sh&ssyin, ugpni to look fe 0jf If illthe balance ofth6 Wezneuareketi is gdlibadsdb knownoig about their wivesThe y-Canjst ftel tiem all da nagai&to.i. them mydea; akd loc "as:sweeta'4 #Fdimand oen t s fadigee1 s yI4 know exactly ho t . dni an a kkei ':_ rW, h : iwo they iI rudr idi a lgh ild*.ifk 1 i 0 page: 80-81[View Page 80-81] , u MY FIRST iTIP TO NEW OR EANS. ducks. T.her9 aint no tellin how tricky the ful s of this world ar get- 'tin to be. ctoiadfahr ewe Here' he cawes-.he's; utQbe sure, eno gli. Good grac ous Ilow, queer it do+ make xnle feel, for a man to b right over, my ead, with nothin but otnadfahr ewe us. If he'd just slip. his hand down, behind the, bea, he'd put, it .right , n me. Ho -eko it gives, me the chills to thlnk about it. I'd better, sorter in ye a little, forf tue old fox might, be goin to bed for this purpose. lie tur led over' ar d shook the bed like it would fall down. How i did scare me! Jrt~sttuied over to give his hand a, good reach own to f ee l fr me. IP m i, to ge away from this wall, but then I ust the mighty particular, for he's" right ,here .at me.o He can almost ear wenc breath. sorter' elided nmyself on the quilt _to about the middle of ,the bed. The r ld trunk was, out, of may wa.y, and .I' didnt ake {ny noise ,hit it me . Zenouda was funbhinall about over the r ow. make u t she Ewa .settin things to rights, but understood her uiovniQ~* a~ Ift verymuch likea iviu myself. 1"knowe she wait irenobh ;to ,go to b d, bttthat Ad ,feo l t unt ders rnd thesta- 4and reon when he .gets up he'll feel; a little -sicker harm he 490 ' totig '144005-1 he'll fel, somehart lonesome when he ~w~ke irpat4 ds no fobehere" butliime'elf. He can then, pace the ~roomi ni curse as iub as hq'pleases. Bless,,:the graciou t crc wontinb t a a here thcn, under tlte b- d hiverin all" over for car he might -spyntee. Go to s l ep, o©ld Gstoiner, anid Sam will take itli =ta leavim nd t+ eyr better, half along witlihuin. I dont* car so muneb ;tbt=hey,. for, she's too keen for,--m. She ctn talk all aro nid t~c~ygu~n Ijtknow sh&a nk a 'perfect .fool ,of m . She'% t. a t4o*f flks rijEt fesh frpm the mountains." I'M so ter fri"f b, !There are 'sonme of these tiosI doatt uk at all' = AA, A elol ishe told. me asstory when ahe signed er- se1lf e ii c ~ ' 'h n - u.,here..an horb dYeahle erKtt TkaatX'in er etate a ft hr e w hlet a -if u bnowedh isni c, I' p,,Wsnr ~ htWi$b4Q t. 33u4tldou . care if tdo ~ever k ow w1&i~ u~u ~ ~tg : Qofher'e. e. ; 1goi tld Harryfor ^ :rI; nt tk .:=lkem to hey mueh, =.rc rii, , I dent like a y- body thvt is so tricky. r .r r9 d * "f" , , gi :tfl3r ': BY SAM SIMPLE. 81' nh~dor fo?! zI( ///, ge0 ~ aid~~arem :su pdillhI be«" ill day u ii y art jt , l~g to "i te ni u hrei ' t i 771° Ptj suc yock tti ?dyJuIl ukleavewht/ you weprantwtciyo loutk th cetedfoald li 11i2~ te~bdu~04~su ilp ,Iaea sgsieof sil0 0i'f~ u nl*hnayoe", f Itdori" 1 s9'tu 1 1,ho jy r ~y~e ~~ beo jUqit 00 (l' tt Xeoiutliink Ihavk h frral'. and ndet o e bUe l at c fe N w 71 ae en a toe ell s t'ihere V ~~oe-hsunsih" "'"' you ainto gliPe tollsac i t d h . 4 ' jr u'0 V u okt endl,'f I'sllkowseave e.m ato irice,,as srie j ut I s, * ,,, , . ,44*, . e lie herst. flntIiefol ea 1ey ufi4p nd. or if te o rn 1 1o A~ sn,ore on,4a si~eof thti i~as nO c, yhnoiil Jegnet sce au ofeaNod brg.d . ofu tn' ti ' tiho w iil b ed &d'v ieo me an(i }°+ R 7:, ' tX ' " 'S oG I , Fri- TQ 'tY~~ j "Wh~s' hat?'isIttygwie toslepit page: 82-83[View Page 82-83] MY FIRST TRIP TQ Q1 snorin a bit, over on this side. It sounds mighi -ust listen at her how she blows. Hoop-e- real horse snorts! How they go0it-cro "C Kitty! he aint gettin much the advantag of resh gour.- but if you are up to serenading me, I can jusi a liken to it, and you can stop the Kitty part male music er on his side the best in ie s part I W Ant topped. That's it, Kitty, modera ave all the fun himself. She knows what wand toLead the way and get the old fellow' nowed' ed go to sleep. He was watchin be ''bo6 the room, and thought he'd stay awake was alno go. usa badadeneednt think they die maneuvrin oitheir wives. The ca beore they will be fast asleep. An t lse*show to throw the magic over a man to The justthrow themselves down lik they t 'e t edt irsv~e a sorter of a 'sigh, ax ' p *rainbow fuahion, with their knees rway up on a pileof straw, and anybody would offra sound nap, and no mistake. Bnt 'it no i$ea of 'gi' to sleep. t the u an off he' goes. His mind's as calm as a geeps, add dreams, pleasant dreams, when arpund hat you're dorm there Kitty? what, g mighty particularabout it. 1hear you gett There e comes, sligia down the as was 4 to tread on tack. Be mighty pa to ik@him .pfoi nothing. Dnt you pke a noise. Itgives me the fidgets, for' hk meup.Tre, I hear one oot o f ak1 5, up. plans oye4istent te p a & lik i' Wait a minute Kitty-put your that one keeps too mpch fuss for me. Hold ,jEANS. y like the ref hat was one tsaw businel yon. Now tell you I d, 'or me.u I orjd, but th te a little an 's, about. wind easy when she w and catch in stay awak p their eyes er charmin S him el are so tired ~d draw the o their'phin nk they 3allI ftdge; und.' thinks' tub' of wa his wife's one to et " ready to as if she w' eful. I wo make, a' li [am sore a thg # ox :; Dd nJ'be 'foot on an( on, for l tuff- of your ai Go it, or it-a nt' take ike this female I let him She just and she sbrushin er, but it a to watch shut long creatures eep sound. Ind so glad selves in like a dog 'ere right they, aint all's well, Cer, and he ,p bruisen p ? you're get up.-- s afraid she ildpt hoe now and raid ou'll I felt ! the Ily ?ver hear ther plank, sake ! ' how BYSAM' IMPLEI. 88 the old plank does .creak. --Here omnes tether foot-down it comes. Hold ! what is the matter with thmfloor,, everyone o the lank are creakin, just because we dont ant any noise. Shes 0'o the bed now. That's right,.stand right at 11, till you' know he's got over the effects of the jar of the bed and nos'e of the planks. vWhich way you gwine there, Kitty ? walk light I tell you. Mind which you go, for the first thing you kno you'll -run over a chair, and such another racket we'll have. Gwine to the fire place ? whatyou feelin here for? gwine to light a match. That'll'never, do in the, world -.dont you go to Inakin a light here, You'l wake that ol fellow up certain. Where're you gwiuegwine ou and leave' me here? What do you want there about the door? I' gwine to omoe out from under here. I aint asleep, blss your sou I I'll keep up with your movements. You needent thi k'cau e you can 'fool6your hust band you can play your tricks on'n e too. Here Ian-foot froms under the bed-.-a sitting down here, watchin you. What are y fumbha after up there in the corner'? Gwine'I into' a trunk, ha what, gwine to steal the old fello's money ? That'll be too bad but. maybe its some of your own.,;Noeor- mind; go ahe~,w'lne money, for theClerk's aot m . awa d veryhibg wo Wen I carryny money, sotnebody is certain to cheat mae out of it . and when I leave it, then '[ waitit.,And there's y c ad o heaedstikand saddle e bga, and oney, all inn tbe Hotel6 Theyl just know who' rna away with th'i gal, and the telegraph will catch me before '4ay.; Why didnt I bing the tlogs; llongiwith Hallo, there, gal I what in the nation you letthattrunklidfall for? bDont move a muscle, nor b'at your ey s. Listen he's turning byer in bed. He'll feel' fo- you,"and then the jig will be p' "Don you draw a long breath,"Kitty: I believe I'v got. the asthma--I Want to breathe so bad; I can feel the spa nodies comin: 'Wat aint he slippin along the bed, too ? He'll - , rightidown h 'eo e rrg;htsdown on rtghegd,- Dont you come down here: What re , . you thinin about, gal? where're you tommit Be!still, you vrmint.ou ralk as heavy as a - ghtsnore"on,,old cooh---eleepsaiched as a dollar. Putti onyour coat ! that's right nke haste and get' ready7-..this page: 84-85[View Page 84-85] :84 MY FIRST D&P:IJo W ORE ~v~od~i didb ftn )ithj ";~4 od evgtf- 0tn *pir, ~ , 0le I 'ty~ hd46 b hl kr' d d ,iI a ~ {' 4St yyI, be }4 i r J3, for 1 afltt6&t' dt' o sto e~lk f© I cidAt Thio6';hOI4 tl W hf~ t4'r' 4 a ithn goi e siA t~ .So'1' e Oi4'Y a 1iere, i de1mn,, ely '~hr-1 tIfoo,'At"dk) st "bier a j£a g r p xt4 onuhte~~tfr r1~' aoh~k 94"h~ doo? hheear fie o. o gldtI~ jhis uitJ yin ~kthe1, do otr BbI c w a willin genou h ito.ak e ,the on e f r d od~the.od6 ,rJ4as el M id ot W ;'wnP ;oh .aloei11 4 4o ttaij'6toW !te4a 4 k Ul " ' ni e ha;"ay se. ' e h 4 ipiglat Vthe; tor4 ah d 6 4 S'l -,ndrib h~e ANS. i~at icrnytirn of.r V 2 ' ought ~ the K{&t d'1 to id n t hve n kerlup be l Y her avs = g no~td " 'could nib Wow 'lid"fall eW8 'she 'htd like 'a6 right "incite." 'as' uf'raid It ' before oodr 'Was, . "f ere " got up ound "I'mn ;ht.°j fI'll ~' you 3i'-prse of' ii4 hand 4 ttldnt pped, ind 4goii 'out room"- c T an dryyou ~table "one, 0o'to 'he doer and open it." She went into the room, andljsl a epctd struck a chair. Blazes and Tomn'Walker! ,just open the- door and I'll run out or die.. She never moved a e. Adter. todi the dark and looked like I could feel somebody just about topuhi handon e. ~arliqukes I earsomebody in the upper room.- lIe's awake and got up. "Where are you , Kitty* ?" o uha him ; open that door. "K1itty yo0u.KittyT !" H~e's calling 14r.- Ilre he comes towards the stair btp.Opnt0 orin. minute-.he's got a, light. Over the chair went . Kitty. " "Who's$ that ?" asked the Clerk; an-d up he ,j umped;" the door flew ,ope and over chairs and tables I went for the door. Thpl a olw- ell, and~ the Cler~k hell wecd, aand I done seime tail walkin for the door. t ' 4f'4it4'''4{{b ; ' '14 d -4 A'i .P 144 ' 4 't n4 p 44 "U 4h .4 4 ',''1, j4Jdi4 , V4~'~.4i .' '4£ 4 4 4 ' 4'! 's s !!444411 $ 4 444 ~ ~ 4~ 4 44'~44 44 A 4 ''' 'i''"Iff 14 P' r£'~i'~ $ !1v" + i ir i41$ % j;T ^ r b " fyI1[1 'P l, *" {+Fa , '$ A* ' ' ~~ 1' pA' 4 ''} ' !1 - 'O'id :e ) ,f'(4"t4' 1.44 ,j 1 fC tf;r + ' , , rf ' f . 4 1 ''4 ' 4') /$ - 1 " ! " +b 4} 1/p r r # } @ tyi'i, Q,'. r r i4$..; 4 4' 44444.4 r 4 " , 4 ~~k 3 ' '' 4444 , ' '4W '41' r 4Efi 3S 4 4F1 I 85~ ]BY SAN a 1 + t 4 f , 'f 1 page: 86-87[View Page 86-87] 86 MY F1tST TRIP TO NEW ORLE4NS. CHAPTER XII. I never was scared so bad in my born days. ' down the stairs with a light in his hand-the CG between me tnd the door, Kitty was no tellin wh not knowin hat to do. When I heard the door no ways particular about my shins-I just went ii and everything else. I was right after getting aw I didnt think about steps when I camne out and low how far, right on myknees and hands. I kind of posture long. I was right after gettin ot for the Clerk and tother man were right after n run over bar'eIs, boxes, chicken coops, up against no tellin wh t all, and the first thing I knowed some kind o a chicken house, I reckon, and on kind of bull logs jumped almost right in my fac says I. I couldnt help howlin if they were aftei like the varmint was eatin me, up alive. What and folks af er me, and I inside of a high wall, way out. .hich way shall I go? mercy on mi bere came the man erk was gettin up re, and I was here swing open I want over chairs, tables my from that place. fell down, I dont never staid in that t of the back yard,- ie with a light. I sapplins, posts, and I run up against e of your biggest 3. Bigon! bigon ! me, for I felt just shall I do? dogs nd dont know the ! I'm gone now ! BY~ SiAM SndPLE, 8 I run right around the house,. ad at theicorner I run over the chain of another great dog. ' Le ma4 a lick at me as I fell over his chin, but didat exactly get me. Big n! Oh! me'! I'm eat up alive- bigon ! you ugly varwint, rale'd out of hiswayandjumpedup for another run. I knowed now the 'dogs were :tied, but i didn't know how many more there ,idhte, and I might run right into one's mouth, or I might blunder right back here on these sane one. It looked like the whole yard was fpll of dogs, they barked so. I didnt have half sense, I was scared so bad. I couldnt tell which way I was goin, but I was determined to run until they laid hands on I. Here they come with the light. What shall I do ? "There he goes-catch ,him--eatch hlim- -tuiru the dogs loose-turn the dogs loose and catch the scoundrel." Oh!tme, two big bull dogs and two men, and I dont know how imuny niggers, after me. The niggers had all .got up and were runnin every which way. Here come the dogs-. Boo--boo-boo-Sam's gone--there's no gettin out ofhee. 'Tey'll soon.have ie, and the dogs will killme-before they can pull them of if they'd try, but I knew they wont try. At last i've gct to be en by bull dogs-oh! me ! 1'hey are most to ne. Look, at the sticks and fde' rails, dud ehe dogs to kill me. They are goin to kill me bght hIe. Ie s"i e Iliked to knocked my breath out. I wa4 looking behind and run ap agagit a tree. I'm almost right blind; I don't know what I'in, oin, I feel right foolish. .I'mustaggerin and I believe I'll fl l down. That lick has knocked me out of my 'enses. I shall faint rht here, and the dogs will kill me and I'll never know it. It will never do to be killed here. Oh! what shall I do? I cant let the dogs tear rue to pieces. I'll go upthis tree and they will have to shoot me out. .I'll die before I'll come down, I jumped right up and caught hold of a limb, and drawed myself on i , 'in a minute. I'just did clear my distance, for I felt one of the ,4os scrape the bottom ofmy boots with his teeth, as I went up. I like to have let go the limb, it scared me so. I thought they had me In less than a minute they were altaround the tree. But. just as the man run up with the light, I saw the tree was up close.to the wall, and I was right even with the to. -I made one spring and lit upon top of the wall. I liked to have fell'right aekwards all down among page: 88-89[View Page 88-89] bS MY FIRST TRIP T0 NEW ORLEA the "butI ortr)u hed flIysCWforwatrds and ton fthja lin t W loj sy orter n1 %11i' i. it C1~41 w a inthjtreghty r «E i oud uhe. ~'v 11i' ie do 'vtIiu11 'Bi h it ho T do to i cewa n tIl be aght byIson and rI ant t ct nt bog hs c f n hn stret rfor5[ eou'1 cnme ln' ti e." 1 o blad o ifro iit i ts(hmie ..l , iev i luyi~&cie .'oij}I + !ea& j SE it ap rniej"{= lti R A ean~i kh1' anwa&A nt gwn toruh pi Thb~d ~ letio1hv!t d lynrtdiw1j .y+p y foot on i s t t I d bt and 1 wan to areio t t.oubh'les. Can r ou iet "los ege ~on ' ith .Is i b iht ado wa~i't% o trgh~ay ~i~1 ; bnti" ih"'o"' '' N~~. 13Yl 'A1I ~1LwX doC ajuilJ,i(1' the. 1 y lie W1 Up ;}t irP. ('h ii (ltit 1i nve they (1 tYn bhdy r) hI~t 2) 10. stopped ht s 1 It will ibe'er 41ve lust nIr'y way, (1, 1110t t e Hotel, Y6 hie; if y ou arc the d e aJid a hundred y'a)Fds. 10 S'15' "Mere is charge ' s I walnt to give imn e~d it night Tiiuui- tdollar anid a half, But, nevertheless,i m11 g1101a dollur erytiber l'- mnd io the Clerk and gai and I'll set it 1yore letters, I dl6nt' E rcuiibl~e t hey i iutst ve to do., rr iEnr o.ii t. Itivtesj amc the sl1ut4le's to tl?4Iiw,,elsq Jeonrel Pg q141?pbY tfhqnii re t bull dl gs. I 9 get e hq { ar' ir. : t el ud " 'give l~e mc1,},ily nmyreti4,is f N11 pti.11DeJ er le11roi , t+ l e Qg#qdark: ", i I ".~I h d~h l~ Wt4ell, I wpadz er xl fi} of# tTrJ2I .ha eu l1qrcU1i xP d of hey "S~Ll ''..51o.op}l fd1}44 ql9O fl thew' i ,nG wh u fthy were alter me, and may be at the :boat now wait,1;for, 1m lX)j~;~ Ji eid =,4~f 441j :om } I i'addy, li,4or. o. wQYIn.?"= You c of w t11 pteci} t hjyp i"elf, tfpi,; I f el i;ite o ti red to trvel any; ioqc to ~ght 1 J; 'y } y onqcy b yon g ' t me, ho Icome l~yt:Jpqty1itlry4ddo nt fhr o thig e raiYI:iipgie t 'hua' ~cy m , dr er p "u,44At, ty tight to giyom 2thi gold.. I, do yam t m hj ,4eamifCan, find out o u p r w w h e t, e ' t e ur e o ,o l . c y u. o t wnin}t nQ ar o urcfg9ld. if tlicr i sfthe lea st dishonesty in the w ay Let me see howwuc ,he-r ayc'e. Te h 4p ures. Iv~ t felt-like a lump of leadtwhien,1ivtas r innj4 fro iz¢tlleni 4fogs dd ,I wa:s, afraid twou d; l rean izy g11qws qn :thele ft s1iqo0,i-de-r WeIZ ' 1iat is1 pine chance of it, Th4e olQ,;i1Qa4y purse! isjam2 full. I'll _pour it out on the bed. Zook at it. never did 'scu so nxueh before~ believe every pi, ccis $Oi: z, count it. XW Iell zl' I m# u ky somelftiams. 5,I, rau1 xr o v .r pl, bt it paid.'this gm' "e.Jit qt ly one t tousJnddo r. fI.dour Dever, he I~, ''tty ]}a u' .I've made 'a gopd 1hqul t'itii i4 I, 10kmqyv nt g iQ to ; Lunt, up hat6 man, to give it th lin u. q ;n' }ne with;, a bullets; :I'Jl l eep th , rnpuey; right , or ,wrpuig, sr h ;i' fieQL'to beputtsui Myself °anmong'; Ahyi 4~~ un p 'yfy,, ~t voce #one, thousa id in d mq~l.I'll' put 194 4 6 ,iyi% ~s nrso1 and, 111 keep you 1until I ; kuow oall hope' lit of ,4n4 i~ ty. " 2 iut - in to spend " it, unjess Im, obliged to do i ,uixdr, then. 'I'U apeud as 1i tie as Iam mightyy glad toit t g et r 'z.ofItty .tho o I w "si. he, had her;' IN f 1, r 85. page: 90-91[View Page 90-91] 90 MY FIRST TRIP TO NEW ORLEA money. I'm raid this gold is swine to make me I think I've had my share since I left home, wi fresh quantity on account of one thousand d feel mighty proud if I had one thousan money, but I dent like the way I got this. I it now, and I must be governed by circumstance my ownisafety. I will embrace the first opportun purse and gold to the owner. I must now try and si mighty tired. I laid down and tried to sleep but I was dreaming the time. I euld hear dogs and men after me all r most awful night I ever spent. I'd rather be in a s up, than in a ban's yard with dogs after me, andi and staves. then I got up next mornin I felt mid been beat with a stick. I'd run up against so man side, breast anl face felt like all the skin was off.; glass but I coiddnt see where the skin was off; thou sore. When breakfast time come on I was regular pretty considerable knocked up. I felt mghty like They kept me under that bed so long I like to perim ways particular Which side of a bisket I bit first. or two-at it, a d swallowed it right down. [just p fies, biskits, coee, eheeae, and everything 'I could laid in a good upply and it made me feel a heap be a new man when I got up from the table, if I was a I wanted to look ab4ut the city a little, for I'd been bed so long I felt just like I was on my second trip .But I didnt know so well about riskin myself out a gun to thinklaboit leaving the city, and upon the this 'hasbetter than to:be gittin into ten thousand seen-the'elephant, snout and all, and I didnt like ti certain. - I had an everlastin recollection of this gri from the auction house to the-back side wall under lost money and made money and nearly wore my ;rouble. I had seen more trouble since I'd been h life put together. I spent some wretched nights st s, see trouble, and thout having a liars. I would i of my own ut I cant help 3, on account of ity to return the ep a little for I'm and jutupin all ight. It was the beam boat blowing n with sticks. hty sore, like I'd r things that my I looked in the gh it felt mighty y in if I did feel eatin something. hed. Iwarnt no [just made a lick nled 'inmeat, waf-. get hold of. I tter. I felt like tight as a drum. cooped under the to New Orleans. gain. I had be- vhole I thought troubles. I had he monster much, nd Crescent city, the bed. I had heart out with ere than in all my' udyin how to get t BY SAM :IMPLE 91 awa frontn here when I didnt have more than thirty-seven cents in my locket. I've got money a plenty now, nd.I think I'd better be mak n tracks whilst I'm able t& pay my wa . But I dont feel much like gom home.. I haveut seen all I want to see, and then I have a saeakin notion so pay that gal a visit who ,wrote me that nice letter ana told me to give her a call. I'll just go out and get me some new pants and a vest, and I believe I'll go to se her. I called for, imy money and went out and popped into the first clothing store I saw. ) soon bought what I wanted and made for the hotel. I felt mighty skittish. I was so fraid there was some otlher trap to catch me in before I could get off. I was afraid of everybody. I was gettin sO anx- ionsto get away from this city that to be stopped now would really skil me. Begun 'to look around for a Lboat and 'it rant long before I come across a great sheet of paper like unto a, be4 quilt, with a tremendous " =hg boat painted on it and under it was the the most important of all too me, that the boat was gwine to leave that day, precisely at 10 lockok for S3t. Louis. Tlis was the boat I penal, but I didnt care nothin about the name, for I'd already found oat that boats were just like folks, there want no depeudance t be put in theirnames. was just determined to get on the first boat that left to go up the lMississippi. I was gettin the all overs to 'et away from this city.- lUd been tuck in so often since Ihave been here that I am afraid to ig out of my room. I thought the women he best friends I had, but inow believe that gal was trying to get me into a scrape. I just be- ileve that man and the Clerk and Kitty all nderstood what they were -about.' And since I've come to study about it, I just believe Kitty give maythe purse of gold and then led me own a blind way into the clerk's room, and fixed the chairs 'and tables all in my way, and thou opened the door to let me fall over, them so that the Clerk 'ight catch me, and I wouldhave the parse of gold, and they would have me fast for stealing. Kitty want in that yard for I r1n all over it.. She never came out o that door, and I just be- lieve the plot was all fixed 'beforeh ad to get me into a tight place and scare me most to death nd make inc give up all my money. But they wouldn't done n big business, for they r " 0 r I 4r l page: 92-93[View Page 92-93] 92 MY FIRST TRIPS 0FyO W QRLEA wouldn't have got but a dollar and 4hal for all 9eir trouble; ey thought just on fie .cldtes I must. have jots of Jn dont know nothing alout ith th is the, way they form opnin fpi it is that wears fine clothes and t 8is A": that, his pocket. The old copeas "ndIjean more money ,han the broadoi4 h isan just as true as sun, rising, jIthat dress man," an I would put on what ours teh a scholiunm, at d say, dress dont begin to na Them fdlks would hive been ,more than in 'if they had overhauled me laitrnight. I just wouldnt fixed so well fi another gent wio had No, sir, it wo ld 'have learnt then ope lesson tI: get-but I'm inighty glad they didnt get m , I their notions were. I dont know vhat to do-with.this ggld,, I' ight is wine to get me into tro blg. :'mt great n ih in the boat to hrow it, into the,water, the first I dont like o be carrying anyThggbthat dent and especiall - A thing I got in the maner dont make no difference if Kitty 1didgive it get me into a 3crape, that dont make the matl so far as I am concerned. I didnt work ior t I . didnt give value received for it, and it for she only put, it .in my care ,becauseshe ra where to car-y it, and in no sense can it, be -My conscience aint easy about the matter; and how to make i ,easy. If I just had a friend to hit upon some plan to do just what is right ,al I :dont want theshade of a shadow of dishonest ering after me, rnd just wouldn't let myself kn done a dishone t act, for ; all the gold in Californ use to be hidin things from the world when ti in side. of you. which ii constantly. sayjn, you l Uto pay - them eca se I aa no ,bu the world if al n I yvry f ot money i1, 11it les. car old sayin. aind out ujake t 3r used to cil e a woman:- nsiderable tuek be bound they tore clothes on- ey, w uldntfor do t care what, 4frgLid. th is t d whenI get h nce I gelt .belong to me . d thihs. I p to. me jy~t9 er a bit better iis money, ad- ant a present, d she hadano' ny propty.- I don't kknow onsult I niic;hi, out this money- y to be hank- ow that I hadn ia. It aint nD;. cre's something, now you dons, hIlh 9 'dianot ad e flde i e'ffidg r" ri~ff~ibre your'6eslike tat'nn 6ito bli Be hanar'Q alao8"dud wrote out his-verdict on the wall --you areweighed by the stillyards and you make no pound;.'' f.just aint gwine to have no iluch thunderin talki .inside of' me as will make my knees go to knocken together. Not I, for I.aia.got no admiration for no such eloquence. I want to be above board myself, and al ways able to hold my head tup and look a man fight in both eyes, and just have the satis- .faction to know, that if I aint as big folk as some, there is inside of this skin and bones j st as honest a he rt as fver beat in unison with the pulse. But I dont feel like I could do this if I keep tais bold, for if I should happen to get to talin to a man, and he was accidentally to mention gold, I'd feel a flush on my face in a minute. And when a man does anything wrong lie always keeps so sharp a look out on that point that he is certain t get a randoen shot.' It is just like having a sore toe, e 'ey thing seems to strike it. The little grass and weed whjah one wouldn't hane noticed is now tearin the -very skin off aid makifif; leed, t ust so when a man has done an ugly trick h consciencee is so tender and so watchful that the ordinary conversation of an. unsuspecting friend hits his case so pointedly and forcibly that he shudders with the idea of his friend reproving him in this slantin kind of way. I dont want to be in no such fix, and I aint gwine to be for a th usand times a thousand twenty dollar gold pieces. I aint never made gold my God, and I 'int wine to be bowing down to anything in the shape, form or color of gold, and to be worshippin it. Give me the feelins of an honest man above everything else. The whole vorld itself couldn't produce -such a feelin as that which gets up in a mnan when he knows from the bottom of his heart he has always tried to do right, and when this mind-goes back over the past it cant rake ; p'no act that it can point to as dishonest. This is the feeling for me, and all the gold of-the world may sink to the bottom of the ocean, or go into old misers' chest, to harrass 'their souls through t'me, and no tellin how much longer. Hallo ! there's the boat whistlin and Ill be ef6inr this city anoth- -er u-ght to be cooped up under the bed orin some other.tighter place. page: 94-95[View Page 94-95] 94 MY FIRST TRIP TO NEW ORLEIANSYA I must be in hurry for it will almost kill me ight: dladto stay. here when I've made up my mind to leave. this.worcisome.city... CHAPTER XII. When I want to be right o from a place the whistling of a boat loosen every joint in me I gahered up them same old bay, which stuck to me through thick and thin, and I made boat. My feet fel as lig H as corkand I got along, over the without any trouble. I just walked right into the boat, an up to the Clerk's ofiice I went. I want gwine to be be~p time in getting a room. Says I, Mr. Clerk, I wans a room wants it all to myself, with nobody in it ceptin me myself. are you goin ?" says he. To Baton Rouge, sags I. Wel he "You can have No 9." No, says I, I'll have none Not a bit of your1nine. No, sir you cant come tlia "Wel he, "Stranger, you needut get excited; you may have No,10 right, says I, though I didn't liketo be so neighborly to 9 I thought I wouldn't be foolish about the matter, as No. 10 m the lucky room. Some folks say that good luck and bad l neighbors, and I am about to make a trial f it Steamnisg and we will soon be off. el nug, tricky people . ,I leaveyunot ert n have put we on the rack, aqdt fo ealm eeo I've got the, best of your, t glg n)eryaa er more money than I broughthrei a be un no 95 steam. saddle for the ground d right d this , and I Where li' says r nines. I," says ' All But ight be uck are i up rment- Igh you 0 time, n times ood: page: 96-97[View Page 96-97] MY FIRST 1' IN TO'NEW)oRLEA_ S, and Iseen your city and learned your ways, and mad; you pay for the whistle. Ya didn't know you had picked up tartar when you were plotten against me. You New Orleans folk mest keep your eyes skinned when you deal with Alabamians. u aty think you are doing good business, but the first thing you know, the Alabamian is off, and well paid for your fun. GJo it, New Orleans folks, Sam's stuck his finger into your eyes, and he's now gwne up he Mississippi to see the gal what helped him out in the day of troub e. She aint none of your Kitty kind, what would lead a fellow alo n bhdy1 ways right into the m uths of bull dogs. She's got better blood than that and better raisin too. She's got a mighty tender felii for a fellow in his distresses, and to tell the truth about it, I's got a powerful distress on account af my feelin for her, and that aint all, I'm gwine to explain the matter to her underiat d1Ri., Paff a\vay old b at, no body aint scared if you are travehin fast. Just pitch ahead the sooner you get th et6 e tte We' hadie ieeu uinin botain hour 'ivhn ani t10'r stdaniboat come difn iup'alongsideOf aLs S o the ynsyii crirser ighf up for a ta2a sote waiit by'a goad de"i It he' bat St. Luis, and its p segietsivere all out on thc oikr del a iQ jheir lanker- chibfs and a akin fur of our boat I begin to fel the bl6dd get- tin wi ) iii nMe," and t'uh tei rai" Wa t withinn to 'iie, I Udat a6tt6he'boat I ason in-I8 tLnduoff. I f It ke I wanted tsaacenaanddI w a boat to b6at First 'one and then angth r'cauAht the feeling, and before we knowed it we ,ere all put oa til eckhuira'nfor o boit. " hftwsbth er N6\v'riinin even and even, just exactly heca and eItad. de watn before and the tthei' want. oth were puttion' steaiiandpi i in woodn god rest. The ballers ebeua to et lot#ind thi indlie ind ieia .' 'oIi t.m .n1 and sparks went uplike a'velcanb ou ofthe chimneys. The ig,w eels daseini the water up likeiiall tdiI 'it"i h ia oaipsuds w Nehi i. ifieold 'botemdecliKe lejaastrmn,as though hehaanaguon hi"1-.t eca ti in a k d back a ~ uh4 'ward rt1 fot"va r h " old i the hV-lica deck, atthie old ila'l od il e" Iae oIdse the; e pia t w'nLike acad"'aotId rp'n trd etrnip th peil hie Ud pilardthe rn st al tan tie powi uni a$a cdBE I, i :e haak "heie llt I'-- watched the favorabhl&pa tti+th k hnel, k tt i4ov afi at liZ1 a thidiofiife up the aki o t Med "'Tho ngiieel d1%he thpra id til oi '6th 'pildts bell-t llix di t ' i te th e' and like a ian bereft 'f all i daeroded th fr'abes 4it ,t fatest in. " The' s fiksA koied alohgi xy f *i ' saiey3 mood liked the up}eerairT the] aiigedt and etch anid albhide'ft'As ' issftg 4 oil e hean Some pulled ff lir dAr idtoatewood t rohn - him build the fire. F liedoi e' dre l ndh 6 was getting too"w rim t a lo cdiitir(tNaa h Thie wt 'ure 'ti as we toated tie blik and ditf'f *dd khd the id t1llks rk" ed like 'a fretted fre it ' 'the '*O A hi1a the fir ry blaze shot out Ir6i thef tib uth ofthe chin en it like a eaalkiln breaking out. Eah a *as doiitesnj e " the women and children had come outupuio deck aid iaid, itie in each one f6r her own boat. Tie ioifers l6oked like t e y Wdild ide1 and ye everbody liigP in ore woodi!*'obd want tiinkin about danger'hthough the het ba fbilon ia above safety. The passengers wer eecit&aid her id , fire up seven fold l'oLe t.laf the'f n'ee f rlii;oA M and Abednego. Thefires ared'andiar e :t rious steam drove with madness "the' rekes" s'a'ineryeT ' hog; n axles sparkla in their sockets!from the rapid f arict; i n , ea wheel left buta dneimcircle initheir hast y';oout ois: TI l 6 jdlot rope med along its descending 'track,, s h 4 thi-av.64 der like'a fish's in amid the waters. ,u breast, and '6kea t tli' struggling boats cut' heiwg up themighty nrver I hundred miles froh whre the boats co iencedrc Rogue. We had been runny 'like a illdon in a torm and would soon be at the end of the race. The victory must sob& won or lost. I never felt so excited in ain life. 'hewtl rialY and the "St. Louis," are the two swiftest and 'es 'boat on t b a sissippi. They never had run agaist each otier, aid they re now to decide the matter. everybody had said one day that the 'St. Louis," was the fastest boat on the~ river, and every bod idd said, on another day that the "imperial" was the fastest. 116f page: 98-99[View Page 98-99] a r 1at i ~4piight. 7? re pol!1de :no exa n til e~ ~ t~ p otof1A r ea and fe.Q' tbwas uhgpw the yuqut, " l a, n te t*cu 1 iu te dcswo ce y i thn '. H ch{de' j ;;s e 1 rqo' to ~t ti i p" 9 a n I . 3'elt l ker f 1 dctm A bl h p . :" ,.di te tu ~ l t9 iv oo ~ d . ud zTlc St.' Lou (att pO "1 ,' . ' t , the'" l,,w th b k ars r rnt to h he Q QflflC U a net pf ictor' ' d th . tohe lc dA pneaiittf uso b I fet k a lttle ;l f 3t8 ptfsoon i as :e '' "o"'I lefti jie ru tgoit ri htothem.al'swhoused, tvwarayt tl ruts ere n .isibtel1andfx ui litle ltd bof e t m ip rc ,andfied Yuj i s , lC up o h ti+,t ' '" ofb" '' :it ~s sWS ta b t f.shio;. i red cabl, o more O entYto. eBn~dm ,011r10.5rn4indfiil~ t p t9 , t e men- ,I Tree. O~~replc. ,.fi ho s. n itrr. i~i 3 ao Tl 'e )lQ ~ l dyfine9}} (ttfelyyt teuyi 3uabout g ' n a aq 'g 1 R4 mind ttul ariid and1gt aid ;btitr~cbee ta n, 1ine Ald Iir.adyat d o sth a n whito'a d 'his I :lvet upiit o auttii l pboreh and kii6k& like I kfl We4t' I a out. (11'* 1i L i brif pig e d dthe do ',4 a Elie "IDcd tt i ijod a il j f ' "(I r4id d& ", f11 L wench ; d ;yodiisiippo"t id o ne hete jf I; did' vtat!d f9i iY h e i Iad or jdt i A!t dxne int e' wasWX1 o" tie rdoAti aijd "1 s4aI , - t ,Atif that ble se4li tl ' 6ret " i to ceii 6' they iiwhy t v~d h 0t: fi$ S4he # heied~around the n ce''!Ad f!eptlike elid day eIiit er tve ~her ftoi b' g v.'T~A r nfft of the "e pxr you f 1hex. d&ej r#ktft ieie o thlfl ring"b" . Kind a ts'plty tinfold T thb o&~i4 dslie* ewlf eI e id v~ biii in tinir f istres ' xpe send W thh'hk i "oeA' ii Ii I sl oip sd r1 t',a al f~ i itk f .eel I W ef olia rI 6d by AlI ~~pin 161 loved the dear littI i6.rafir& Slid didnbtk h i d" t,) ti eaet g h t 1 IWd dtriv il.' on'heEidA1h dW and gave mec a warmi shake of the hand, whilst the gratefulr' l~" dangtr odMs neiealm p 4d6 s 't r ilsc Jean s nd howSher money69 got f eble! scrii t A heee. fed so rejod hat h~etr y echdm ir hehu oUy'ed 11sadwt hsitrsi ay hforawek d thetd thm old mnt'sae id idt t'y ith hxeim;I Waseirllintodo, rovidd IW I daudgt AngI etoM.Anwler alortuesir onbt n jI afr to elloid hat ho. Honeeyreaneeday w nhe Iwouwaluof yin taoe ird withneet mil for a fe, andghento hem yIf page: 100-101[View Page 100-101] 199q MY IST TRIG'?1$W ORLEANS, just4aagod compa doand a pIgsant ligti home. the said it was.a 4p hle had, )ong desired. Nrs the time thinksI, I have alh 4ga and 4othin to lose, oI popped the question right out. I sag aminute thetI had not missed then ark, rpch. She hung herd 4 little while, and bit her finger pails and looked niighty. sh e. 4knowed there was no tinptq lose, and I argued the que - tion with aU my might, ttold her, I had saved her1 life once and.I wanted to talre care of. her the balance of life. ,Itold.her I could never Ive satisfie4 wi hout her and with her my happinesswould be conletse X,.told her not to be ashamed, hut tell me yes or no.- Sl igeg p her head and said 'though, my question was not unex- peq:p yet she would ask of ue toe favor .let her think on it till morning. "Iould tot refuse though Iwas afraid of the result.- Tht was along night to re. rolled and tuinled like s, mnanwith a 'faevr. I kupwed she would ask the old folk and no tellin what they wopld say.. I xiade up a heapof speeches to mage tp her, but no naqf them esed tocover thg ease. Iwas glad to see day, and glidertosee Angeline. I soon got a private talk witlyiher and I askedter;whatuanswer' she had decidedd e to givpenie. I trembled wh I4 Ige Y her.,I ut shevery sweetly said, "I believe the man whps 4ve4my life will take gare of ne,,nd I hake decided to accept I1 asxejoiegd to ovmeiflowin, My joy was Above high water mark I a4 ,Ii r if ~she thought hpy parents would be; opposgd to it; "Not at all," says she, "they will rejoice to know that you wish my hatd., Wyesoonmentioned the, matter to the old fglks, and all thing were fixed up n short order, and Miss Angelipe had her name chageg prs. Simple., SJI$MIMPLE, 0 (1APE'1R XIi._ I'd caught the bird but-I didn't have no cage to put-her ib. I want worth a cent except a little, pocket change, but I didn't care for everybody to know it I d got into a big family and I wanted to keep up appearances as much as possible Luck had turned on iy side one time, and popt me up among the upper tens, and I didn't want them to think.now that I was small potatoes. In fact, 'sinee I got them fine clothes and locked at myself in the glass ]was°ggettin to believe that I was consider ble of .a punkin myself. I wanted;to keep up these feeling and continue good'. impressions on allothers. How to do it was the question.. I was right smuartly'botheredaVouv it. I turned the matter o er and over in my mind, but everyside looked about alike. I wanted to talk with-somebody about things in general, but I didn't have no body I could: talk to without lettin the cat out of the wallet. It wouldn't do to talk to the old man. I didat want him to lower his sights about, ine. :It would be mighty bad policy to put up apoor mout to him, if I want d him to help me. He'd think I hadn't been use to much, and, th rofore, it wouldn't do to trust much With me. hat game wouldn't pay. I couldn't talk to Angeline about 'affairs, for the dear little thing want studyin about business. She hadn't been raised to it. She was just all love, and honey, and candy, and pie, and such like sweet things. I couldn't turn round for the blessed little creature. She want satisfied unless she was settin in my-lap and lookin me right in the face. She would pat my j ws a little; then twitter me under the chin, then throw my arms around my neck and kiss me until I was most out of breath, she'd comb my head until every hair had almost learned its place. She would 't let a speck of dirt get on my clothes but was constantly, dusting ie with her nice cambric hankerchief She waited on.me like it was the greatest pleasure in the world, 101 d f page: 102-103[View Page 102-103] 102 MY FIRST. RIP' :FO t° W 'ORLEANS, She didnt want me to get out of her sight, and if I walked off for a. few minutes, she would set at the window or in the porch, and watch me as far as she could see me. And she made me always promise- her that I wouldut stay long, and say the very minute that I would be back. If I staid one minute over the time she was restless and uneasy until I got back, au4 would lways come out to the gate to meet nie and kiss me like I had been gone a week. Bless her little heart I wouldn't disturb it with: +business for nothin; She's like sunshine on a Gold cloudy day, and like sugar to bitter thing. She can sweeten allithe ills.of life, and not half try. It takes a mighty load off a, man's heart, when he gets home every day to look into two bright loving eyes, and.to feel arms creeping around his neck, and wari kisses melting on his cheeks, and a sweet angelic voice saying honey, my dear &c. 'A main's a fool if, he don't get married. He aint fit tobe called a man. iHe,.aint nothin and don't know nothin. Life without a woman is like coffee without sugar, taint worth hav in6. Th0 man who dont love some ,woman and aint engaged, to sup-, post bero'nd who wont let somewoman love him and make much of hin is fit for nothin but "treason, stratagems and spoilh.'' When a' nman; getstgrown he ought' to marry, and if he aint got sense engiigh to kinow his duty, he ought to beinade-to marry. The world' aint ,got ! .,usek for old ,bachelors. All bachelors are a mnuiance Women are a great:thing, and-young gals -in particular. 'I wouldut take a mint for. Angeline; not even if it run by steam.dd And I dent, want a cloud-to come over the bright sun shine of her soul, nor to cast au shadow over my 'future path. that (promises such gloy and hapiaeset So I went say business to her. I'll study through the matter my- selE I've been in some mighty tight places and I've got through aomeibow, and I reckon I neednt be much troubled about present difficulties.- I'll find an end to the tangled ball after -a while and then I'll unwind it. I wae Iiusin and studyin with all my might every day in order to hatch up ,some plan by which to keep up my respectability. At hreakfast one morning the old man asked me if I didnt want to go w ith him to onpe of his plantations.' I wont no titne consenting. I 102 :1d im .1 I was' always at h the planftationsai dknov so up. Angeline wasia fortur' lied with her, ,but I-dont ;ei aways mighty convenient nieo gal its fortune, butsh lhernoney too.: 3 . I. shad got ty gaff but might be. Fvery body Si alway. know other ;pgopips, when they die they ainti*or old. Aid every man who) and buggies paint rich. a Soin airs and cut a ashinigfigtu . win thqwusztss an4 aiit.,wr are counterfeit folks, pasin fo IC was i hopes, ,hadnt muy father 'w, was a inighty. Inl aboutt liini. e Ididnt, m noticed that great meni area and couuterfoits are always When greatness and riches a, e Asy; bttvhen they are ape flashy, and thqvwiar puts o These rme foxfire sort of.peo rottenness, 9soome people n debts., J aint iti favor of no, I and the Major, soon got gelin-wanted to go, butzsome they .woulleall to sep her .and her to remain. Major and I put ant right almost as a plank flour and 'ii Majorsaid it was ten miles to and the hgrse was such a good more than five,, I was enjoyii s service. Il was nitihty anxious'to see methin about the fortune I had picked e herself, and I was mightyiwelIsatib re how ;valuable a gal may, bey'money .i A :manr does mighty well i to get 4rgood does heap better if he .geta a gal and I didnt know 'exactly hot.otherthing the old, man was-riehEbit -fo ksrdent business. Sone folks pass for rich and ha' coat. very thing tht shines aint is in a iLf nieuse, and has carriages a folks eanuuiakii big show and put on n the works and ill the tipie they are l a eemt they cain pall tbhir o~np. They r gorethan shey are worth.. truck up with csuli folks. The Major plain sort ofVia.man, Thore want no put ike. any display.. And I have always lwys plain and simple, an4 little nien showy, flashes, and , sprter uek :up. re real, they are always natural and sets and fictitious, they aregewgawish and a great many airs to attract attention". le., Just as old, wood shines from its e Abig show in proporion to their ateh folks. buggy ready. after breakfast. An-: emale friends had sent her word-that spend the day with her, aind, begged hwn ;the river. The road as level wont no trouble to get alkn.. The he plantation, but the ond wasolevel traveler that it didnt appear, to be the ride finely, and felt just. like ,I page: 104-105[View Page 104-105] 104 MY FIRST IP TO NEW ORLEANS, could drive a half day without tiring, when we tame in sight of a beautiful large white house situated on the top of a- small elevation that sloped gently on every side. The-major said that was his plan- tation, My heart jumpedin me for joy. It was a perfect Paradise. 1 could see it for more than a milk bofore I got to it. This was the only hill in the midst of an immense tract of river bottom land. The nearer we got it the more beautiful it become. I felt poetic, but I couldat recollect any suitable poetry. I havent had many books of poetry to read though I am mighty fond of this jingling kind. "Fromthe moist-meadows to the withered hill, Led by. the breeze, the vivid overdue runs, And swells, and deepens, to the eberish'd eye, The' hawthorn whit% ns; and the' ivey groves, Put forth their buds, unfolding by degrees, Till the whole leafy forest stands display'd In full luxuriande, to the sighing gales." Now somehow orother I forget the tother verses. I use to speak that poetry and could rattle it 'off like pease on a cowhide, but its done slipped out.of my mind. Poetry wont stay with a man long f ter he beginsto be jostled -about in the world, the hardships of life soon take all the poetry out of a man. I can admire *any things and -my feeliks get up mighty high, but its hard to g~t above dull prose. But if I did have a spark of poetry left in me tle scene be- ft-e me would kindle it to a live coal. We soon reached' the dwelling house. There was a beautiful yard .only it need some attention. The flowers and shrubbery had been neglected, but they were beautiful even in disorder, I walked out in the back porch and looked down the long slope and ovPr the broad' bottom to the Mississippi river rolling its flood of water o the Gulf. I went up "into an observatory on the top of the house tlIat I might have a-better view. There was every variety.of obje ts to please the eye,' iV d to delight the senses. I could look all ov r the farm, and see the wheat) and corn, and rye, and barley, and cotton, and sugar cane, and horses, and cattle, and hogs, and sh ep, and the hands at work, And far up and down the valley I c uld see the great River winding'its huge waters like a great anacon a, while on its-bosomn the steam boats like things of life,went puffin u and down. I was perfectly carried away: I could set up here and look all day I was gazing here witho t4 called me to dinner. I went was a number one dinner cerl the subject justice. After dinner, the Major h -little'ones, men and women, niggers. He then talked t them who I was, and where life of Angeline, and that I I now his son-in-law. I grew He told them that he was er and he wanted to arrange l had but one daughter and bh lie died, and he had conclud hands and stock. to his daug that I was a mighty kind he, of them and treat them well. I agreed to what he said, They soon left for their qua l horses and took a ride over t1 the farm and told me all aboai ions., I saw I was a rich ma determined not to make a foo make more. \Ve soon went that he.had given us his pla and then got up and gave he- man brushed away a creeping m ight move. The major sai So at the appointed time I Tilhenmajor had every thing ii the finest kind. 'Ihe yard wr thing looked so beautifully an two lovrs are to dwell. I wa But I couldut help thinking so much unless I could help n I made up my mind to talk t( 4AM SIMPLE. any idea of the ti t down and. eat acco tain, and that's the, 105 le when some one ding to custom. It ort I like. I done ad all the darkies called up- big ones, and all, I never did see such a sight of o the niggers mighty; kind. He told I come from, and how I had saved the had lately married here, and that I was most an inch when lie said this. getting old and could not live much long- his affairs before he went. he-said he was anxious to see her fixed off before d 'to give this plantation and all the ;hter Angeline. Ile told the niggers rted Man and that I would take 'care nd th niggers seemed well pleased. tars and the major 'and myself got on ie plantation. Ile oxplamined to me all it the stock and tools and the provis- and had a plenty for life, but I was of myself, but to take cire of it and ack home and the major told Angeline it:tioni. She thanked him so sweetly either an affectionate kiss. The old tear. Angeline asked him when we d he would have us fitted up next week. nd Angeline went to our new home. trim. New furniture, carpets &. of s trimmed up, nicely swept and every A lovely. A perfect little Eden where -happier than a king. i of my own folks. I didnt want to have .y parents and the rest of the children. the major about it. at a proper time. w1 page: 106[View Page 106] ( 'T 106 MY FIRST TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS. One day the old folks came to see us, and while the major and my- self were hiding over the farm, I told the major that my parents were yet alive and I wanted to move them out here. He told me he would be very glad for me to do so, and that he had a sniallplace that they could Lave. I thanked him and told him that I would write at - once. I wrote that night, Ad after a few days I gota letter in which my parents said they would try to move in the fall. I tld the ma- jor and he went to work to, fit up the piace for them. It was a nice place about five miles from my house. In the fall the old folks came out with all the childr n. There was rejoicin like, old Jacob and Joseph in Egypt. I wa, so glad to see them all and so proud to do something for the comfort of the old folks. After a week, the old folks moved home and the -e they still live, and are happy. We are now all here together and as happy as folks ever was. Me and Angeline have all our folks ear us, and we have nothing on earth to wish for or desire. And now kind reader after many straits and narrow escapes, imy narrative here draws to a close. I have not attempted to draw on the imagination in order to feed a morbid craving for tlhe fictitious or the romantic, but my chief aim and desire has been to givd to the public some valuable illustrations of the treachery and m meanness so frequently practiced upon the unsuspecting, and to make prominent the power of honesty and preservance in obtaining the succecsses in life. The principal features of this entire narrative are all tre, but col- ored and connected 'to give interest to the reader. I am bitterly op- posed to all fictitious and trashy literature, and could not-give my ap- proval tothat which is purely fictitious, and much less could I be- come the author of such a work to the judgment of the public.
