The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1883-05-23
ODD MoUNTArNEERs.

The Georgia mountain men are very
friendly to strangers They are incessant
takers, and funny, very funny in their
quiet, sober way. When I was on my
route to Dahlonega two mountaineers,
gaunt, full-bearded, long haired, who were
dressed in butternut-colored clothes-home,
made cloth, l judged-got in the car and
took seats behind me. They settled them
selves nicely, took q chew of tobacco apiece,
and then, comfortably fixed fo1 a talk, the
taller of the two said Lets see, John, /
amt seed you since the surrender "No
more you have, Hank" was the reply.
There was not another word uttered about
the war. Sitting looking out of the window
at the prosperous country, overheard most
OF their talk. 1t drifted sedately from
moonshine whiskey to improved firearms,
and back again to moonshiners Hank, in
reply to Johns inquiry as to "old man
Johnson who, gather, was engaged in
the business of moonshining, soberly told
OF his fate. you see he and old man Bas-
come bought SOW together year ago last
October. They were partners like The
beast ran wild in the woods. This fall they
drove her up to the still house, and she and
her seven shoats lived on the slops Of the
still. Along in early December johnson
sent word to Bascome to come over and ii-
vide the young stock, az he wanted to kin
his meat. Now, you know that it would
have been but fair, seeing that johnson had
fed the pigs, for him to have kept four of
the shoats, but Bascome, he talked him out
Of four, and the old man was satisfied with
three. The understanding was that he was
to have the odd pig next year. if there
should be one. Bascome allowed there
would be one sure. Well, old woman John
son, when she heard of the trade, she allow
ed there would be no odd pig next year, and
she put johnson up to go and claim the
shoat, or at least to get one half of it. The
old chap he went across the ridge to Bas-
comes house. 1t is about two miles through
the woods OF course they foil out, and
johnson beat Bascome with q club, and he
yelled for help. You know his gal Bet?
Mop She is as dig as a COW and as strong
as mule. She ran out of the house, and.
gathering stone she mashed johnson in
the ribs, and knocked the wind out of him.
He fell up against the corn house, and Bet
grabbed him by the goozlestring (windpipe)
that settled him. When $50 pound woman
gets her hand on mans goozlestring that
man has got to do something mighty sud.
den or it's all daI, with him." He was ST.
lent for an instant, ana gezed modify out
CT the chr window. Judged from the ex-
preston on his face that he had had expert.
enoe with $50 pound women. He cheered
little shortly, and resuming the to me,
thrilling story, said "Johnson squrmed
away from her and broke for the timber.
Bets blood was up, and she took after him.
She set big yellow hound on him, and he
bit old johnson. Bet chased him over the
ridge, and at every jump she threw stones
at him. She hit him, too, and the dog tore
most of his clothes off. But Bet never
stopped chasing him until the heft of her
clothes was snagged off of her." Musingly
he remarked: "Wimmen is tough custom
ers;" and, after q short pause, added
Bet says she can whin the shifting out of
NM N fair stsfight; but Lord he, John
can't fight no more. He is oil smashed up
Soberly John expressed his sympathy for
old man johnson. Neither of them smiled.
A vision of half-naked man, chased
through the forest by yellow hound and an
angry woman, who knowingly threw stones
at him, and who encouraged the dog to dis.
robe him, and who kept up the chase until
her own clothes were gone arose promptly
before me, and yelled with laughter. The
two grave Georgians smiled in sympathy
with me, but they did not see anything fun
ny in the story.-Frdak WilkeSon.