Frank Belknap Long

Name: The Mississippi Saucer
Author: Frank Belknap Long

The Mississippi Saucer

Summary

“The Mississippi Saucer”, is a work by Frank Belknap Long. It explores elements such as Uncle Al, Jimmy and shantyboat.

Quotes from The Mississippi Saucer (Frank Belknap Long)

Frank Belknap Long, The Mississippi Saucer

“ To the Earth people our ships are no longer the fireballs of mysterious legend, haunted will-o'-the-wisps, marsh flickerings and the even more illusive distortions of the sick in mind. It is a long bold step from fireballs to flying saucers, Jimmy. A day will come when the Earth people will be wise enough to put aside fear. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Frank Belknap Long, The Mississippi Saucer

“ You see, Jimmy, we wanted you to study the Earth people on a great, wide flowing river, far from the cruel, twisted places. To grow up with them, Jimmy—and to understand them. Especially the Uncle Als. For Uncle Al is unspoiled, Jimmy. If there's any hope at all for Earth as we guide and watch it, that hope burns most brightly in the Uncle Als! ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Frank Belknap Long, The Mississippi Saucer

“ The voice paused, then went on quickly. "You see, Jimmy, you're not human in the same way that your sister is human—or Uncle Al. But you're still young enough to feel human, and we want you to feel human, Jimmy."
"W—Who are you?" Jimmy gasped.
"We are the Shining Ones, Jimmy! For wide wastes of years we have cruised Earth's skies, almost unnoticed by the Earth people. When darkness wraps the Earth in a great, spinning shroud we hide our ships close to the cities, and glide through the silent streets in search of our young. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Frank Belknap Long, The Mississippi Saucer

“ What's a planet?"
"A star in the sky, you dope!" Pigtail almost screamed. "Wait'll Uncle Al hears what a meanie you are. If I wasn't your sister you wouldn't dare grab a paper that doesn't belong to you."
p. 29
Jimmy refused to be enraged. "A planet's not a star, Pigtail," he said patiently. "A star's a big ball of fire like the sun. A planet is small and cool, like the Earth. Some of the planets may even have people on them. Not people like us, but people all the same. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Frank Belknap Long, The Mississippi Saucer

“ Forget as Uncle Al will forget—until we come for you. Be a little shantyboat boy! You are safe on the wide bosom of the Father of Waters. Your parents planted you in a rich and kindly loam, and in all the finite universes you will find no cosier nook, for life flows here with a diversity that is infinite and—Pigtail! She gets on your nerves at times, doesn't she, Jimmy?"
"She sure does," Jimmy admitted.
"Be patient with her, Jimmy. She's the only human sister you'll ever have on Earth." ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Frank Belknap Long, The Mississippi Saucer

“ A long silence while the river mists seemed to weave a bright cocoon of radiance about Jimmy clinging to the bank, and the great circular disk that had swallowed up Uncle Al.
Then the voices began again. "No reason why Uncle Al shouldn't have a little fun out of life, Jimmy. Gold's easy to make and we'll make some right now. A big lump of gold in Uncle Al's hand won't hurt him in any way."
"Whenever he gets any spending money he gives it away!" Jimmy gulped. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Frank Belknap Long, The Mississippi Saucer

“ No one would think of lifting the blanket and asking Uncle Al about it. A man lying stiff and still under a blanket could no more make himself heard than a river cat frozen in the ice.
"Git inside, young 'uns. Here they come!"
Jimmy's heart skipped a beat. Down the river in the sunlight a shantyboat was drifting. Jimmy could see the Harmon brothers crouching on the deck, their faces livid with hate, sunlight glinting on their arm-cradled shotguns. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Frank Belknap Long, The Mississippi Saucer

“ Grabbing Pigtail Anne by the arm, he propelled her across the deck and into the dismal front room of the shantyboat.
The instant he released her she glared at him and stamped her foot. "If Uncle Al gets shot it'll be your fault," she said cruelly. Then Pigtail's anger really flared up.
"The Harmons wouldn't dare shoot us 'cause we're children!"
For an instant brief as a dropped heartbeat Jimmy stared at his sister with unconcealed admiration.
"You can be right smart when you've got nothing else on your mind, Pigtail," he said. "If they kill me they'll hang sure as shooting!" ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Frank Belknap Long, The Mississippi Saucer

“ Pigtail grabbed it before Jimmy could give her a shove. Calmly she unwrapped it, her chin tilted in bellicose defiance.
As the Natchez Belle dwindled around a lazy, cypress-shadowed bend Pigtail Anne became a superior being, wrapped in a cosmopolitan aura. A wide-eyed little girl on a swaying deck, the great outside world rushing straight toward her from all directions. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Frank Belknap Long, The Mississippi Saucer

“ Enough kindness to wrap all of Jimmy's life in a glow, and the life of Jimmy's sister as well.
Jimmy's parents had died of winter pneumonia too soon to appreciate Uncle Al. But up and down the river everyone knew that Uncle Al was a great man.
Enemies? Well, sure, all great men made enemies, didn't they?
The Harmon brothers were downright sinful about carrying their feuding meanness right up to the doorstep of Uncle Al, if it could be said that a man living in a shantyboat had a doorstep. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Frank Belknap Long, The Mississippi Saucer

“ She screamed and pointed skyward, her twin braids standing straight out in the wind like the ropes on a bale of cotton, when smokestacks collapse and a savage howling sends the river ghosts scurrying for cover. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Frank Belknap Long, The Mississippi Saucer

“ To Jimmy it seemed more like a dazzling burst of light in the sky.
"A New Orleans resident reported today that he saw a big bright object 'roundish like a disk' flying north, against the wind. 'It was all lighted up from inside!' the observer stated. 'As far as I could tell there were no signs of life aboard the thing. It was much bigger than any of the flying saucers previously reported!'"
"People keep seeing them!" Jimmy muttered, after a pause. "Nobody knows where they come from! Saucers flying through the sky, high up at night. In the daytime, too! Maybe we're being watched, Pigtail!" ”

[↩︎]

Source: Gutenberg

Frank Belknap Long, The Mississippi Saucer

“ Jimmy didn't seem to be able to say anything.
"High school books don't cost no more than grammar school books, young fella," Uncle Al said, his face a sudden shining. "Next winter you'll be a-goin' to high school, sure as I'm a-sittin' here!"
For a moment the sunlight seemed to blaze so brightly about Uncle Al that Jimmy couldn't even see the holes in his socks.
Then Uncle Al made a wry face. "Someday, young fella, when your books are all paid for, I'm gonna buy myself a brand new store suit, and hie myself off to the Mardi Gras. ”

Frank Belknap Long

Summary

Quotes from The Mississippi Saucer (Frank Belknap Long)

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