Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-10-30
0LD.TINE "REMINISCENCES.
Rough Travelling In Virginia and Kentucky,
In Early Times.
BY W. W.

III W. We
On one occasion it was my fortune to
take horseback trip from Big Sandy
to the Kannwha valley, across the coun-
try; and, as my time was rather limited,
was constrained to ride after dark in
n region at that time altogether un-
settled and wild; and, worst of all in
my case for night ride, one quito I'M
familiar to me. On the night in ques-
tion, had gone on several miles after
passing the last cabin seen in the after
noon, anil rs the thick darkness came
down like pail, preventing me in the
dense forest from even seeing the ground
itself under my horsea feet, to my dis
comfort and perhaps dismay, began to
hear the deep muttering OF thunder re-
echoed by the mountain ranges in the
far distance while so rocky and rough
was the winding pathway along which
my tired horse was stumbling that there
was no such things as hurrying him in the
chance of finding some place of shelter
for the night, and from the coming
tempest.
OF course, I blamed myself for not
stopping at the last cabin | had passed,
instead OF tempting untried and wild
forest paths at that time OF night, but
that did not help the case, and l could
only drop the reins on the neck OF my
iaded steed, and leave him 10 find his
way to some clearing il such was
within reach, in time enough to escape
the storm.
was creeping along in this manner,
slowly, my horse sometimes stumbling
over log or fallen tree and coming to
his knees, at other times sliding down
some bank, when, in the far distance,
heard something that sounded
worse than the muttering thunder TO
me-that pest Of those wild mountain
regions at that period-the scream Of
panther. 1t came occasionally in short,
snappish quavers, making my horse
restive and fairly tremble under me !:
and yet, after hearing il once or twice.
felt reassured when il seemed to grow
fainter, as If dying away in the distance,
finally ending altogether. But it had
had the effect Of hurying me forward
at whatever risk of possibly breaking
my neck, until at length | was satisfied
that had gotten into the bridle-path
again, as came to an open piece of
water, the crossing OF creek, appar-
ently-the faint reflection OF the sur
face, despite the deep darkness, making
it plainly perceptible.
Supposing, OF course, that il must be
a ford,' or regular crossing place.
rode straight across, and found mvself
on the opposite side in thicket of
laurel bushes-I could feel them-but
my horse couldn't climb up the steep
bank. Thoroughly perpleIed, and get.
ting nervous rs the heavy thunder
storm was rapidly coming closer and
had no desire to be caught out there in
the creek, or even on its banks, got
of my horse and down into the water
and undertook carefully to fee! for
borse tracks, to see, il possible, how,
after entering the creek, they turned on
leaving il. Unable 10 satisfy myself,
| next tried. in the deep dark
ness, to ride down the bed of the
creek; but fifty yards or 80 OF expert.
ment, as / foundered in and ont of deep
holes and over sunken logs, satisfied me
that il wouldn't do; so, returning TO the
ford once more, fortunately sharp fash
of lightning showed me horse tracks,
and q sort OF path leading down the
bank of the creek on the same side
had approached il; and finally sharp
gallop of twenty minutes, az the light
ming was more frequent, enabled ine TO
reach clearing and q cabin, and to get
nav horse and myself under shelter Just
~ the storm came down with the utmost
fury, making me thankful enough that
il had not caught me ont in the dark
woods. That iaunt was one of many
such experiences, where had, in the
blind forest paths, to trust the instincts
my horse for holding the right di-
fection to places of shelter, although
rs il proved-he was not capable Of
leading off after getting clear OF the
woods and into the bed of the creek.
/ had dropped in upon a settler
nAmed Bill Short, who, late rs IL was,
did not intend to let me go supperless
TO bed. With house full OF children,
and only the one room below and the
loft above ii 10 accommodate the whole
crowd, he was about the iolliest chap
had encountered for many day. Tax
ing down some strips OF dried venison.
his wife soon made sort of savory stew
Of Il, and this. hanked by corn-dodgers
hurried up in the same handy way, and
some honey-for he had found a bee
tree a few davs before left me nothing
TO wish for. besides this, milk supphes
the place OF coffee, TO me always first
ratio substitute or alternative.
The lodging was not 30 sasiiy man
aged; at least there was no chance for
mo except on the floor, with my saddle
for a pillow end my saddle-blanket un'
der me; but il has always been puz.
zle 10 mo where and how the good
woman slowed away eight children,
three of them daughters almost grown
although two truckle-beds played
large part in disposing OF the smaller
fry. and the loft sufiiced Tor the boys
there being but two beds in the room