h, 1882, for a four hundred mile run to Pine
Bluff. The weather was cold and the chill of Rocky Mountain snow was in
the river. The course was rather lonely, winding amid bleak hills and
for long stretches there would be small signs of life. At the end of
the first day's paddling, he hauled up at a farm house to request
shelter for the night. A woman told him that the men were not in yet,
but she "reckoned he could stay, though there was no bed." Paul told
her he did not require a bed and when the men came in they tendered
him the comforts of the cabin. After supper the time was passed in
chatting over their pipes around a spacious fireplace, in front of
which, Paul was to sleep. During the evening he admired a beautiful
little girl four years of age. She was as shy at first as she was
pretty; but finally mustered sufficient courage to edge timidly up to
his side and ask:

"Please sah, gimme a chaw tobacca?"

"Why, my dear little girl you do not chew tobacco at your age, do you?"
exclaimed Paul.

"Yo' bet she do, stranger," answered the father, "she's jus' a chawer
from away back," at the same time giving her a goodly sized piece of the
weed.

The mother, who was attending to score domestic affairs, overheard the
conversation and turning to Paul, remarked:

"Now, stranger, do yo' raily think uts right t' give a chile like thet
tobacca?"

"Decidedly I do not," said Paul.

"Look ut thet; look ut thet, Dan," she exclaimed triumphantly,
addressing her husband, "even a stranger don't think uts right. What hev
I allus been a tellin' yo'?"

The farmer laughed as he replied: "Oh, she'll git over thet w'en she
gits sixteen an' goes sparkin' an' wants t' whiten her teeth."

Leaving the hospitable farm house with the tobacco question still
unsettled, an early start was made for a run to Ozark. Before reaching,
that place, he was driven past a high wood-covered butte when he heard
the rhythmic melody of a plantation song and observed an old negro
pulling across the stream below. For the purpose of a little amusement,
Paul stood up and shouted:

"Aha, I've got you now."

The darkey facing around, caught sight of the curious figure. The look
of fright which shone on his black features, was woeful as he struck for
the shore, yelling:

"'Taint mine; 'taint mine, sah; it's de kunnel's, 'taint mine."

When within four feet of the shore, he sprang out, leaving the dugout to
drift. Not wishing to fri