He kept his mother's cellar well supplied with firewood and sold
the surplus to the neighbors; the proceeds of wich were devoted to
gingerbread and even at that early age to the abominable roll of
tobacco known as the "Pittsburgh Stogie."
Great rafts of lumber were coming down the river daily and a favorite
amusement when he saw one, was to run up the river bank about a quarter
of a mile, swim off and board it. In this way he became acquainted with
many of the hardy "buck-tail" boys who piloted the huge rafts down the
river. His knowledge of the different bars that were formed by the
bridge piers was utilized, and often proved of great assistance to
his friends, the raftsmen. One day, he boarded a raft, the captain of
which was evidently a stranger to the channel in the vicinity of
Pittsburgh, and Paul saw that it was certain to run aground. He told the
captain and was so earnest in his manner, the course was ordered
changed. Less than 500 yards further down, the ugly bar showed up not
five feet from the side of the raft, as it went gliding by. The
raftsman insisted on keeping the little fellow by his side until he
was safely moored to the Pittsburgh shore; then as a reward for his
services, presented Paul with a little flat boat about twelve feet
long by five feet wide and ordered two of the crew to tow it with a
skiff to the Alleghany side.
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