Down the River; Or, Buck Bradford and His Tyrants

hen he told me I had not seen the end of it. Of Ham's moral attributes the least said would be the soonest mended. Certainly he was not a young man of high and noble purposes, like Cha

ade it, and did not stand much

at I knew of the man I could not believe that he was above such deeds. Ham was an apt scholar, and improved upon the precept and example of his father. I had heard him brag of cheating th

settled opinions which I had at the time; and I don't wish it to be understood that I was any better myself than I ought to be. I had no very distinct aspirations after goodness and truth. My character had not been formed. My dear little sister was my guide a

d me that he was engaged with a party of gentlemen in a private room. Fortunately I was in no hurry, for I could not think of disturbing a person of so much consequence as Squire Fishley. I never reached hom

t going down to the boat to see some friends off, and directed to put the squire's trunk into the wagon, and drive down to the steamboat landing. The landlord conducted me

character. I had often heard what a good man the distinguished senator was, and I was horrified at seeing him drunk. With unsteady gestures, and in maudlin tones, he pointed out his

, and found him taking a "parting drink" with them. I told him the boat was just starting; he hastily shook hands with his companions, and accompanied me down to the plank. I crossed it, and had h

boat, and presently the helpless tippler appeared again. A raft of floating logs lay just below the steamer. I cast off the up-stream end of one of them, and th

t, squire!" I

self afloat, I was as helpless as he was, for I could not do anything to guide or propel our clumsy bark. We had

he shore to enable me to effect a landing. Just then the steamer came puffing along; but her course took her some distance from us. She passed us, and in the swell caused by her wheels we were toss

my feet, I pushed the timber towards the bank till one end of it grounded. I then helped the squire to walk up the shoaling beach, out of the river. Cold wa

passenger, when he had shaken so

ley; but we have got over

race of it," he added, with a shudder-partly from col

t tell of it. When you fell in, I heard a dozen

we heard the voices of people moving down the

earching for the unfortunate, and found Darky just where I had hitched him, at the steamboat landing. I was not very uncomfortable, for I had not been all over into the water. I drove down to

ordinary circumstances, a seven-mile ride in such a heavy rain would have been a great misfortune; but, as both of us had been in the river, it did not make much difference to us. I had no umbrella; and

or run a mile or so to warm up his blood. He took my advice, and improved his condition very much. But the cold

after he had walked his mile, and

ord, sir; but the fo

k, and you have done me a good turn t

ir. I would have done as

dded he, apparently thin

t was a pretty narrow p

rrow plank," he r

ng a little too much," I add

ink I was i

ch about it, but

known that I drank too much and fell into the river.

ince I lived with the captain, and I was sure no one knew who it was that had

he steamer don't expose you, n

nd will not return for months. If you should hap

breathe it,"

ndsome for you, Buck, a

ind that,"

, though I don't belong to the temperance society," said he. "I didn't take much, and my frie

a bad

ed, earnestly; and I could not help thinking how humiliating it must be

ir," said I, after we had

er your promise-

ly I wil

ded, crowding some

it, sir?"

w; it may hel

per, and I thrust it into my p