Show WOMAN SKIPPER WAS BOSS OF RIVER BOAT Captain Leathers Talks of the Old New Piloting a 8 household Is much more difficult than directing the progress of at a Mississippi river steamer Mrs Irs Leathers Lenth Leath- erS who has bas done both successfully Mrs Leathers Is the only regularly licensed woman captain of at a Mississippi Mississippi sippi rIVer steamboat t. t The worst I ever heard on the river In my years of association with men was a little clean cursing she says Women are much worse than men Captain Leathers directed the activities activities ac- ac of the steamer Natchez fourth of that name It Ii was a direct descendant descendant de of the Natchez which made the memorable race up the rIver with the Robert E. E Lee Iee Jefferson Davie a Passenger Jefferson Davis was a passenger on her boat on 00 his last trip to t the e mis plantation He Be gave her I a bottle bottlo of rare rare Madeira wine with the parting Injunction the wine should be opened In honor of at her first child RIver was In Its heyday hey hey- day durIng the period In which the Natchez moved majestically up and down the stream Gamblers made regular trips with the cotton planters plant plant- ers who were theIr greatest prey Captain Leathers saw fortunes won and lost aboard the boat Plantations were mortgaged she says to pay debts to the gentlemen ot of the green cloth The Natchez also had bad Its bar Here Bere Southern gentlemen sipped mint ju- ju juleps leps or drank their whisky straight Many dinner parties s with dancing to the of at banjos and nd guitars took place on 00 the Natchez Big Passenger Lists Lilt But there was a serious side to the lifo Ufe too Passengers sometimes numbering numberIng num- num berIng had to ho bo looked after atter as aswell well as crew an and boat Once she he brou brought bt the Natches Into New Orleans Orleans Or- Or leans with OO bales ot of cotton aboard and near wrecks WI u came tamo Into her experience With the demand for tor more speedy speed transportation and the growing popularity larity of railroads business slumped and the tho finally went under the auctioneers auctioneer's hammer bammer After Atter the death ot of her husband son Bon ot of the cap cap- tarn ot of the first Notches Natches Mrs Leathers Leath- Leath ers quit the river She now regards the world Quietly from the comfort of her home But times are not Dot like I they once were on the great rolling Mississippi she re regrets tl |