The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1867-09-17
Written for the Wilmington Journal.
THE IRON SHOE.
BY MRS. SUSAN H. wADDELL.


Near the Western boundary of North Caro-
lima, where her mountains mingle with tht
clouds, and where they look down upon tht
waving SUBMITS of the tallest of her forest trees
there lived an honest and Independent farmer
Happy in bis marriage, he had for many years
dwels peacefully and industriously in one oi
those shadowy valleys SO often found at the base
of the Blue Ridge. #a go - s..
They had one son, 'neir only child but his
erratic disposition and love of adventures in
duced him. as soon as he was of age, to leave
home aud wander far away with trappers, Indian
hunters and gold-diggers. His early youth,
when not usefully employed by his parents was
spent in combats with bears and other ferocious
animals, and we'll was he known 10 the valley
as an agile and successful sportsman. On the
day he was twenty-one years of age he presented
himself before his parents, equipped for his first
journey beyond the blue heights of his native
land. And we'll might he have been regarded
as descendant of Alexander Selkirk's, for his
apparel consisted Of the skins of deer killed and
dressed by himself and his cap-a subject of pride
with him-was composed of the scalps of fawns,
arranged in such manner as to crown bis head
Midas like-with ears Add to this rife,
flask and shot bag, drinking horn and long
sheathed knife, buckled to his girdle, and you
are Introduced to Mr Sap Green-who looks at
you with pair of narrow, gray eyes, surrounded
with wrinkles He smiles and spotless set of
white teeth are visible, while his nose becomes
more pointed and acquiline
"Wbere is Mary p
His mother replies 'She has gone over the
way to see her cousin"
Tell her good bye-fare WE'LL" and Mr. Sap
Green disappeared.
Lcl "a l. ~
his horse became suddenly frightened and ran
away at full speed, srringing and leaping until
the vehicle was shattered and our adventurer
thrown PROSTATE upon the ground. Slowly, and
somewhat bewildered, he was rising with the
cap uppermost-not on his head, but in it-if
the thinking faculty is located in that organ,
when bis attention was arrested by rapidly
advancing noise. He looked in the direction
and saw it was his horse making directly for
him-hs ears were fat to his head, eyes wild
and glaring, aud mouth wide open. It occupied
but second for MIR Sap Green to arrive at the
base OF large tree, around which he revolved
as the horse made frantic efforts to kill him.
Finding himself foled, he wheeled with loud
scream, and bounded up the highway.
Soon all was silence except the sweet modu-
lations Of the wood thrush, whose LIQUID cadence
filled the valley with melody. @
Sap Green drew long breath, shook his
Lead and left his fortifcation to reconnoitre
What was his dismay upon beholding the animal
some distance up the ighway with his head
elevated and looking all around him.
He saw him in an instant, wheeled and pur
sued him at full speed. Left now entirely to
instinct, never fed winged Mercury as fed MIR
Sap Green, until reaching his fathers house,
he rushed in and slammed the door behind him
As be drew and secured the bolt, the iron
shod hoofs of the horse were deeply indented in
the door, and an unearthly scream, as from Pan
demonium, echoed through the cottage. The
horse was mad* .'...t
10 some localities country stores are places of
much resort, answering the purposes of inns and
postof6ees for the eighborhood They are also
traders; add to these the attractive sale of gay
fabrics and useful articles generally, and we
have before US Tonton
This store, with piazza in front and one n
the OF the house, was situated in the midst
of large oak grove on the Tennessee border of
the Mississippi river. III "...
Many persons were lettering in the shade,
others sat upon benches beneath the trees, some
read newspapers or pasted advertisements, or
examined painted box nailed to white oak
marked in hleroglyphic looking letters-MAIL.
Fishing rods and tackle were hung upon
hooks in the piazzas, and little boat rocked
upon the ripplcs of the river. These were de-
signed by MIR Tonton especially for the anuse-
ment of his customers, by whom he was held in
much respect and esteem. Not so with his
partner, Mr. Grip, yellow looking man, with q
bilious complexion, tiger eyes, pumpkin coiored
hair, teeth and hands. A burly figure withal,
had Mr Clip. Again, he never failed to take
advantage of any customer who unluckily fell
into his hands, and upon retiring at night, he
reversed the golden rule of an honored philoso-
pher, by revising the past day only to congratu-
LATE himself upon the dishonest advantages he
had taken of the customers of bis store. Thus
MIR Grip daily added to his Golfer not only gold
and silver, but some jewels of value. and was
what Chancer called ga man of scarcity and
chincery. with poor heart and a rich purse"
ln those days the Indians occupied the buut-
ing grounds of their fathers, and frequently
wandered as far as the Blue Ridge between
North Carolina and Tennessee. One of this
tribe, Cherokee, came to ToDton on bright
October day, leading BY grape vine tied around
its neck, little fawn. He bad brought it to
barter away for red blanket which had won bis
fancy as he passed on his way to the mountains.
An admirer of the graceful and beautiful in
naiuIe "ould nave laiieh luto poetfc ofeam,
had he witnessed this groupe. The Iadian was
an athletic youth-a perfect Ganymede, erect
aud bold in manner, with quick and searching
eyes-he might have stood in Minervas citadel
as type of early manhood The spotted fawn
by its captor's side, was representative of help
lessness, timidity and tenderness; SO soft and
meek we're the large, round, liquid, brown eyes,
that they appeared as if they would melt in
tears The Indians "follow nature" in many of
their primitive customs. This was the advice