Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-11-11

I had heard il, and / took the bottle
F, and handed IL over to the Judge.
We spent the night in Clinton, and the
. next day continued our pilgrimage to
Salt river via Jacksbsro.
Campbell county had done no better
! for Houk.
| "Ally," said he, if this is what May
nard calls roosting low, shall have to
cut down all the trees ever to catch him.
1t does look a little that way, / think
myself.
Bot when we crossed the boundaries OF
Scott county and the Judge breathed the
free air of the mountains, and was greeted
by his enthusiastic and truly loyal ad-
herents, he seemed to be new man.
Here, Ally" said he, far from the
busy haunts Of men, unmindful of an
uugrateful public, will l end my days
Our pilgrimage is nearly DONE"
With that he pointed to q mountain
gorge, where, beneath the beetling shade
of contiguous cliffs, a beautiful spring
gurgled up and went dancing off to join
the flowing river.
Upon its bank there was a small still
house, and loyal man, with rifle
about ten feet long, was watching for the
''infernal revenue man"
He said he "hadn't never seen none of
them tharabouts, and he allowed there
wouldn't be none thar, but he just we're
watching for fun"
He also apologized for " DRAWN a
bead" on me and Houk, which sup
pose was a part of the fun to him, but
which somehow failed to appreciate.
/ asked him what the name of that
spring was.
"That, stranger, is the head Of Salt
river"
Here rest" sighed Houk.
Now, Ally, help me to build lodge
in this vast wilderness, this boundless
contiguity of shade, and then you may
20 on to Nashville and tell Mercer to
come up and see me"
1--WE went 10 work and buiit him q hut
close to the stream.
Just as we got it finished, and the
Judge sat down to read the Knoxville
Whig and relieve his mind little on the
subject of Brownlow and Maynard, l
heard q splashing in the water below.
/ went to look out, and there l beheld
q man, somewhat short in stature, labor
ing painfully through the underbrush
and holding in his hand dilapidated
carpet-bag
As he drew nearI saw sticking out of
one pocket copy of the Nashville
Press and Times, and out of the other
package labeled "quinine."
l called out to Houk and he came out
at once.
As soon as he saw the newcomer he
lifted up his voice, Have you straw
berry wart on your left arm p
"New
1T is hel"
Thereupon they rushed to greet each
other, but just before they met MERGERS
carpet-bag got between his legs and sent
him falling headlong at Houk's feet.
Blast the carpet-bag," he muttered,
"If the cussed things had been kept out
of Tennessee never should have come
here"
1t was truly sorrowful sight to see
these two victims of misplaced confidence
comparing notes, as well as suggestive
upon the superiority OF hind
sights over foresights.
/ have got to leave them tomorrow so
as to reach Nashville in time to help
the Legislature straight.
But / take pleasure in iHforming their
friends that they are doing as well as
could be expected.
/ have written upon the stillhouse, in
large characters, BUST(h)E(a)D, to re-
mind them at once of thsir condition and
its alienation, and shall leave them to
the ameiorating influences of time.
Yours, pitifully, ALLY GATOR.