Argosy, Vol. 111, No. 1 — page 183: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A MEAN men to pull the bar out by the roots, all together. They did it. They threw it through the window, and then emptied the half barrels after it. “Now, then, take Chick Blowe up the bank, yo’ white men—’ceptin’ Catfish’ theh. I got business with Catfish myse’f!” she ordered. When the men had all departed, half- carrying Chick, the door that opened be- hind what had been the bar let out Mrs. MoHane. She still carried her old duck- gun. “ Catfish!” she said. ‘‘ Come yeah!” The man stumbled toward her. “Take that five-gallon coal-oil can, theh, and sprinkle this yeah cabin!” ‘““Lawse! This boat’s wuth a thousand dollars!” the man gasped. ‘‘ Yo’ hain’t—” “ Hit’s wuth twenty thousand dollars, yo’ old fool!” she declared. terin’ that coal oil!” They went out onto the stern, and Mrs. MoHane looked over the side to see that her skiff was there. It was. “Get into that boat!’’ she ordered; and when he was safely in the stern, she lev- eled her shotgun at the great hanging lamp in the barroom, through the doorway. She fired, and the lamp fell to the floor. Fire leaped in all directions across the floor, and the woman dashed out on the stern again. Dropping into the skiff, she cast off the line and pulled clear of the big hull. Rest- ing on her oars up the eddy, she watched RIVER LADY. ‘““ Come on a scate. 173 the flickering of lights through the win- dows, saw fire belching out of the bow doorway, and then another uprising flight of flames through the stern. From end to end.the whisky-boat Black Possum rose up in smoke and fire. It lighted the river for a mile about. The whole length of the Slough Neck caving bend was bright with the glow. On top of the bank a man stood, hunched up, staring down at the ship afire. He was a tall man, huddled down, with a face twisting in agony. He was all alone, and he was the picture of discontent. Tears rolled down his cheeks, and he sobbed. “Theh! Theh!” he groaned. ‘“ Theh goes my boat and theh goes ev’rything! I’m set up the bank—Lawse! Lawse! If she’d on’y said, p’lite like, that she wished I wouldn’t sell to Catfish—I’d ’a’ been glad to be reasonable! I “would—course: I would! Now she’s gone and kicked me, and burned me out, and—and I got ter—I got ter git a fresh start! And I cain’t run no whisky-boat no more, ’count of all the dad-blasted women hearin’ about hit, and how Mrs. MoHane druv me out’n busi- ness! A feller cain’t fight all the women in the world! ‘She neveh said she’d come the same night—she said she’d wait fer him to git home; and she come a poppin’, and I wa’n’t ready! Lawse!” he burst out, and then he swore, weeping: ‘‘ That woman had horns! She’s mean!” MY LOVER SAYS E says I should not give a glance To other men; But ’tis no gift, for by some chance I’m sure to get one back again— Or two, or ten; Besides I only Took to see If any of them look at me. He says I ought to see as through My lover’s eyes; But I reply that so I do, For where he looks there I look, too; For I am wise, And know that ke must look—to see If any of them look at me! J. E. V. Cooke. comicloool CO