The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1880-04-14

Z 4 Mountain Burial in Arkansas.
4 True Story.
The house was arnold one, built O
lofts, the in.erslices filled up wit
stone and sand. The door was
crazy one. land stood slightly ajar
while the windows we're stuffed witt
divers cast off garments, such a
coats, hats and an old cavalry BLOUSE
of yellow and blnc. Ii front of thu
house was wood pile and a broker
axe leaning against one of the logs
Then there was a wagon with bro
ken wheel near by, and crouchine
under the tongue Of the yellow dog
and near the dog, leaning against 9
tree, a wild,eyed boy Of twelve OIL
fourteen summers. The desolate
almost mourner appearance Of the
place impr's sed me strangely, and
involuntarily we drew rein in front
of the house and looked it over in
silence. For several seconds not a
word was spoken; then the boy to
explain the mystery that hing over
the place, pointed to the cabin witt,
a toss of his yellow hair and said:
"A man is dead thar
is that SOP said /. "Who is it2''
"Dad,' was the quick reply.
Eyes" he went Oh, she jumped of
very suddenly, tree fell on him and
cracked his skull. So, sou see, he's
dead now, an me an mother an the
rest of 'em are left to go il alone.
Don't you think it looks like a pref,
w cold deal, strangery'
Il acknowledged as much, and the
young mountaineer continued:
"They are having big fox chase
just now, and dad was the best fos
hunter in the country; it did beat
all natura how he would hunt ZEN
down; an stranger, he wasn't good
for anything else ~....
1t: seemed queer to hear the DO,
talk; he had such an earnest way
and was so Innocent in his express
ions. IS
"When and where will the funera
Ibe2'"c l asked after awhile. a i
,ai"Thc parson is out on the fox
hunt Just now" replied the hoy
shut, reckon, he'll be in directly
and then we'll tote the body to the
school house, and have the doing'
1 : F.. q
thar" s, u:
Pretty soon there came up severa
tall, yellow bearded men, putting anc
|grunting, hot from the chase, and !.
soon discovered that one Of then
was the parson. And be was aqueel
specimen His garments were o
homespun and i'll fitting in ever,
way. He wore his hair long, ane
bis beard struggled all over his face
like vines on the side Of a hill. By
his directions the. corpse was taker
to the schooI-house and placed on
rude bench in front Of the pulpit
The latter was made Of logs, and
like the house, had neither beauty
nor architectural proportions. 4
small boy broughta wooden buckle
half full Of water, and placed it OF
the pulpit. The .dipper was. a gourd
and preacher and people used it con
tinually. The men occupied ON
side of the house and the women tn,
other. The latter were dressed il
calico, wore sun-bonnets, and wer,
tall, homely and frecklel. The mel
carried their rifles, and appeared un
easy and restless.
In the course Of the funeral dis
course. which the preacher lost M
time in beginning, | learned the fol
lowing facts: That the name of tht
name of the deceased was jim Pat
terson; that he had lived there from
1llis boylioo'i; that lie was a noted
fox hunter; and that his death jus,
ut that time was an unkind cut oil
Providence, inasmuch as big fox.
hunt was in progress. l..
| ut isn't in The calendar that be