San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1877-11-24
THE BLUE RIDGE,

LII tne early autumn OF tne year lo49,
about half an hour Of sunset, I drew
rein in front of a large double Lighthouse,
on the very summit Of the Blue Ridge
Mountains of Eastern Kentucky. The
place was evidently kept as tavern, at
least SO sign proclaimed, and here I
determined to demand accommodation
for myself and servant, Bose, a dark
skinned body-guard. Bose and I had
been playmates in childhood, and need
hardly say that the faithful fellow was
attached to me, as was to him, and on
more than one occasion he had shown
his devotion. a.,l.s..t
There had been a "shootingmatch''
at the Mountain House that day, and, as
dismounted, saw through the open
window of the bar-room noisy, drunk
en- and evidently quarrelsome set of
backwoodsmen, each of whom was
swearing by all possible and impossible
.oaths that he was not only the best shot,
but that he could Outright, outjump,
outwrestle, run faster, jump higher,
dive deeper and come up drier than any
other man ON the ''mountain."
~ say, Mars Ralph" said Bose, in
low tone, as handed him my bridle-
rein, IL don't like de looks oh dem in
.dar. S'pose we go on to de next house;
faint fur .....
"Nonsense, Bose,"I replied; "these
fellows are only on little spree over
their shooting. We have nothing to do
with them, nor they with us. Take the
horses round to the stable, and see to
them yourself. You know they've had
"a hard day of it, And throwing my
saddle-bags over my shoulder, walked
up the narrow path to the house.
found, as I have intimated, the bar
room filled with noisy, turbulent
crowd, who one and all stared at me
without speaking as went up to the bar
and inquired if and my servant could
have accommodation for the night.
Receiving an affirmative reply from the
landlord, little, red-headed, cadaver-
ous-looking specimen of the "clay-
eater" desired to be at once shown to
my room, whittier went, but not until
I had been compelled to decline score
of requests to etake drink" much to
the disgust of the stalwart bacchana-
lians.
The room to which I was shown was
at the far end of long, two-storied
structure, evidently but recently added
on to the main building, which it inter-
sected at right angles. A gallery ex-
tended along the front, by means OF
which the rooms were reached. l found
my apartment to be large and compare
lively well furnished, there being, be-
sides the bed, comfortable cot, half
dozen "split-bottomed" chairs, a heavy
clothes-press, and a bureau with glass.
There were two windows, one alongside
the door and the other in the opposite
end of the room. The aforementioned
was heavily barred with stout oak strips,
a protection, presumed, against intru-
sion from the porch, while across the
latter was drawn heavy wooden cur
tain.
In the course of half an hour Bose en-
tered, and announced that the cattle had
been attended to, and a few minutes
later a bright-faced mulatto girl sum-
moned us to supper.
Supper over, returned to my room;
first requesting to be reused for an early
breakfast, as l desired to be on the road
by sunrise. Thoroughly wearied with
my days ride, l at once began prepare
tions for retiring, and had drawn off
one boot, when Bose came in rather
hastily, looking furtively over his Shout
der, and then cautiously closing and
locking the door.
"Mars Ralph, dar's gwine to be
trouble in dis house afore mornin'," he
said. r.-. ....
And l saw in a moment that some
thing had occurred to upset the faithful
fellows equilibrium.
"Why, Bose, what is it? What do
you mean?" 1 asked, barely restrain
ing smile.
81 tole you, Mars Ralph, we'd better
trabble furder," was the rather mysteri-
Gus reply. "You see dat yaller gal
dere tole me dar would be muss if we
stayed in dis founded ole house all
night"
BY close questioning | ELECTED the
IL. Il Z. 1. 4 IL .r-n..,oI him