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gigantic casters, with the cruets all complete. Uncle Mumford said
that Cape Girardeau was the Athens of Missouri, and contained
several colleges besides those already mentioned ; and all of them on
a religious basis of one kind or another. He directed my attention
to what he called the * strong and pervasive religious look of the
town/ but I could not see that
it looked more religious than the
other hill towns with the- same
slope and built of the same kind
of bricks. Partialities often make
people see more than really exists.

Uncle Mumford has been
thirty years a mate on the river.
He is a man of practical sense
and a level head; has observed;
has had much experience of one
sort and another; has opinions;
has, also, just a perceptible dash
of poetry in his composition, an
easy gift of speech, a thick growl
in his voice, and an oath or two
where he can get at them when
the exigencies of his office require
a spiritual lift. He is a mate of
the blessed old-time kind; and
goes gravely damning around,
when there is work to the fore,
in a way to mellow the ex-steam-
boatman's heart with sweet soft
longings for the vanished days A DAIBY

that shall come no more. * Grit

up there ------you ! Going to be all day ? Why d'n't you say you

was petrified in your hind legs, before you shipped ! *

He is a steady man with his crew; kind and just, but firm; so
they like him, and stay with him. He is still in the sloudiy garb of
the old generation of mates; but next trip the Anchor Line will have
him in uniform—a natty blue naval uniform, with brass 'buttons,