LIFE OS THE MISSISSIPPI.

* In Florida, Missouri.'
A pause. Then—
6 Dern sight better staid there !'
By means of a dozen or so of pretty direct questions, he pumped

mv family his-
J/
•^ tory out of me.

The leads
were going
now, in the first
crossing. This
interrupted the
inquest. When
the leads had
been laid in, he
resumed—

6 How long
you been on the
river ?'

I told
him. After a
pause—

'Where'd
you get them
shoes 1'

I gave him
the informa-
tion.

* Hold up
your foot 1'

I did so.
He stepped
back, examined
the shoe mi-

nntely &&d contamptuously, scratching his head thoughtfully, tilting
his high sugar-loaf hat well forward to facilitate the operation, then
ejaculated, * Well, Til be dod derned!' and returned to his wheel.
What occasion there was to be dod derned about it is a thing

*ABB YOU HOBACE BIGSB^'S CUB ? '