Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1854-01-04

table for distillation with which PentlanC
was not acquainted. In this state stood
matters between them, when George for
tunately discovered at the hip of Altayee.
nan hill the natural grotto we have JUS
sketched SO briefly. Now, George was 6
man, as we have already limited, of great
fertility of resources but there existed in
the same parish another distiller who out
stripped hin. in that far-sighted cunning
which is so necessary in misleading OF
circumyenting such sharp-scented old
hound as Pentland. This was little Mick
ey M'QIade, a short-necked, squat little
! fellow with bowlegs, who might be said
rather to creep in his motion than to walk.
George and Micky were intimate friends,
independently of their joint antipathy
against the gauger. and, truth to tell,
much of the modification and many of the
defeats which Pentland experienced at
Georges hand; were, sub rosa, to be at
tributel to Mickey. George was distil-
ler from none OF the motives which gene
rally actuatc others of that class. He was
in truth an analytic philosopher natu-
raj chemist never out of some new expert
ment-and we have reason to think might
have been the Kane or Friday or Dalton
of his day, had be only received scien-
tlhc education. Not SO with honest Nick
ey, who never troubled his head about au
experiment, bu. only thought of making
good running and defeating the gauger
The first thing, of course, that George
did, was to consult Mickey, and both &C.
cordingly took walk up to the scene of
their future operations. On examining it,
and fully perceiving its advantages, it
might well be said that the look of exul-
talon and triumph which passed between
them was not unworthy Of their respective
characters.
This will do" said Georgia. Et,,--
don't you think we'll put our fir. IN
PentIand's eye yet?'' Mickey spat sa-
saciously over his beard. and after Sc
conf s lance gave, one grave grin which
spoke volumes. 81 TIL do" said he "but
there's one point to get overth may be
you didn't think of, AN you that half a
bIans, half point, is enough for Pen:-
land"
"What is it ?"
"What do You intend to do with the
smoke when the fires lit? There'll be
no kcepin' that down Let but Pentland
out OF an old woman's dudeen, an he'd
have u.s.
George started. and it was clear by the
vexation and disappointment which were
visible to his brow that unless this unto
ward circumstances could be managed,
their whole plan was deranged, and the
cave of no value.
WHAT'S to be done ?" he inquired Of
his cooler companion. we can't get
over this, we may bid good bye to it,
"Never MUD" said Mickey. t"PI
manage it, and do PcntIand still
Az, but how 90
"lt's no matter Letus not lose a mi
mute in gettin' to work. Lave the other
thing to me an il don't account for the
smoke without discoverin' the entrance to
the still. III give you lave to crop the ears
oil my head"
George knew the cool but steady self
confidence for which Mickey was femar-
kablc. and accordingly. without any fur
ther interrogatory, they both preceded
upon their plan of operations
in those times, when distiIlation might
be truly considered as almost universal, it
was customary for farmers to build their
out-houses with secret chambers and other
requisite partitions necessary for carrying
it on. Several of them had private stores
built between false walls, the entrance to
which was only known to few, and ma.
ny of them had what were called Malt
Sleeps sunk in hidden recesses and hollow
gables, for the purpose of stepping the
barley, and afterwards of turning and air
ing it, until it was sufficiently hard to be
klndricd and ground. From themil it was
usually conveyed to the iil-house, upon
what were termined Slides, bind of car
that was made without wheels, in order
the more easily to pass through morasses
and boys which no wheeled vehicle could
encounter. In the course of month or
50, George and Mickey, aided by their
friends, had all the apparatus of kneeye,
ogshead- &c, together with still head
and worm. set up and in full work.
And now, Mickey" inquired his COM
panion, {" how will you manage about the
smoke ? for you know that the two worst
intormers against private disliIler, bar
rim a stag, is a smoke by day an fire by
night
81 know that" repIieI Mickey
a rousing' smoke we'll have, for fraid a
little putt wouldn't do US. Come, now,
and I'll show YOU
They both ascended to the top. where
Mickey had closed all the open assures Of
the room with the exception of tha: which
was directly over the fire of the still
/ This was at best not more than six inches
in breadth, and about twelve long. Over
it he placed piece of strong plate iron
perforated with holes, and on this he had
a fire of turf, beside which sat boy who
acted as vidette. The thing was simple
but effective. Clamps of turf were at ev.
cry side of them, and the boy was instruc-
ted, il the gauger, whom he well knew
ever appeared, to heap on fresh fuel. 5,
: ]. L :