The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1878-07-12
9euoqd,to agnqnlure 1ortitultura, Domestic Gqol

by looking into ones eyes. Himself says
he believes he can read man's thoughts.
l had not been very long in his presence
accordingly before l nq6eed that he was
observing my face intet y. Possessing in
an eminent degree, so hr as he was con-
cerned at least, mems eonsciu recti, hesi-
tated not to look him squarely in the eyes,
and, turning my own ldstrous orbs full upon
him, he was enabled to gaze down into
their liquid untathomable depths and read
''iriend' at their very bottom. The search
satisfied him apparently-there is no ;tesist-
ing Suilelessness like mine-he bahished
suspicion and treated me thenccfortb with
something more than confidence sofOng as
1 remained withhi
@-''- s;p.sE Esf,hNg, ,sTREaM>
After few minutes rest we arose and,
Redmond showing the way, climbed around
the mountain side until we came to par.
ticularly steep place down which VIC STUN
bled and fell and scrambled and slid after
him, and got up aud scrambled and STUN
bled and fell again and again, until we
reached the bottom of glen where foot of
man or beast hath never or rarely been, and
where certainly deputies cease from troub-
ling and even moonshiner may be at rest
We halted on the brink Of falling toaming
stream, whose waters, clear as air, revealed
the rocky bottom at any depth, and cold
almost as snow, presented us with drink
sparkling as champagne and pure as hcav-
en- own dew. Mixed with mountain dew,
colored like rose with the tonic juice of
wild cherries, it constituted q draught which
might have been likenened to nectar flow
ing down from some illicit still Fun in the
private interest Of the gods up thero on the
blue wooded Olympus above. 1t was a
singularly wild and beautiful spot, even for
mountain glen, and any element of ro-
nance that might have been wanting was
fully supplied by the presence of tho outlaw
in our midst, whose somewhat picturesque
garb was not out of keeping with the
character of the scene. Amid such sur
roundings the hunted outlaw told his st6ry
while we sat and listened until the setting
Of the sun behind the mountaiRs crcseaud
the approach of darkness adj &onished us to
return to the outer world while as yet the
devious path might be safely traced.
THE outlaws TALE, i,,s, Ssess
{ The oulay' tale was q long sepes sanas
% Y sssw;-,
limits Of one letter. It wass taken down
almost verbatim, in short hand, in note
book on my knee as sat by his side, and
will be given as nearly as possible in his
own words. Leaning his gun against tree,
but retaining his formidable side arms and
keeping bright eye on guard the while,
he began his story:
''I WAS BORN IN GEORGIA."
nc began, "but VIC removed to this State
when | was quite young. My father was
old and infirm, and my mother was bcdrid
den. | have had to take care Of them, and
Of several siStcrs-onc Of whom was Grip
pie, and could not move without the aid of
crutches-sincc was child. l am now
twcnty-three years of age, and will be
twenty-four on the 24th of next October-if
| | live" This condition was aIaed with a
smile that was sadder than sigh, and re-
minded us that the speakers life was at the
mercy Of any man who chooses to take it,
by day or night, on the highway or ut home,
on in the rocky lair to which he has been
driven like hunted wolf ''rhe revenue
oftiesss went to capture me, he continued
"ior the sake of the rewards which have
been offered for mc-it is easier for them
to make their money in that way than by
working for it." (They may find them
selves mistaken in this vew.) "NIy father
owned still all his life, as did all the farm
ers about here, before the revenue laws
were passed, and worked it for him. We
were very poor, and he could do very little.
| worked on the farm all day, and at the
still at night to make living for us.
have cftcn worked all day ploushinatNd
then run the still all night until breakfast.
| would be so tiged next day that have
gone to sleep in tlie corn row between the
plough handles, and would wake up only
when my horse stopped at the end of the
turrow This kind Of life was too hard for
me and soon broke me down, So that | got
to working one night at the still and sleep
ing the next. / worked in the farm every
day at the same time. They (thc revenue
oilicers) pressed me so close after while
that quit distlling and went to hauling
whiskey and selling it in North Carolina
They found out that was doing this, and
Il warrant was issued for my arrest.
THE FffssT TROUBLE
| had with the revenue officers was;all on
my side as they captured and DESTROYED for
Kali