512

LIFE  ON THE MISSISSIPPI.

f But nowadays the captain takes off his old slouch, and
all the way around to the back of his ears, and gets off a bow whids
he hasn't got any ramrod to interfere with, and says—
4 " Glad to see you, Smith, glad to see you—you're looking well-
haven't seen you looking so well for years—what you got forus ? *
' " JSTuth'n", says Smith ; and keeps his hat on,-and just turns ^
back and goes to talking with somebody else.
« Oh, yes, eight years ago, the captain was on top; but it's Smith's

SAYS  SMITH.

turn now. Eight years ago a boat used to go up the river with everp
stateroom full, and people piled five and six deep on the cabin floor;
and a solid deck-load of immigrants and harvesters down below, int®
the bargain. To get a first-class stateroom, you'd got to prove sixteen
quarterings of nobility and four hundred years of descent, or be per-
sonally acquainted with the nigger that blacked the captain's boots* v
But it's all changed now • plenty staterooms above, no harvester
— < there's a patent self-binder now, and they don't have ibe-