The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1883-03-16
Odd Mountaineers.

Inc Georgia mountain men are very
friendly to strangers. They are inces-
SAINT takers, and funny, very funny in
their quiet, sober way. When l was on
my ronte to Dahlonega two mountain
GERS, gaunt, full-bearded, long-haired,
who were dressed in butternut-colored
clothes-home-made cloth, judged
got in the car and took seats behind me.
They settled themselves nicely, took
chew of tobacco apiece, and then, COM
fortably fixed for talk, the taller of
two said: "Let's see, John, amt seed
you since the surrender" mo more
you have, Hank" was the reply. There
was not another word uttered about the
war. Sitting looking out of the window
mast of their talk. 1t drifted sedately
from moonshine whisky to improved
firearms, and back again TO moon
sinners. Hank, in reply to Johns in
quiry us to ''old man Johnson" who,
gather, was engaged in the business of
moonshining, soberly told of his fate
'You see, he and old man Bascome
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 De
cember johnson sent word to Bascome
to come over and divide the young
stock, as he wanted to kill his meat
Now, you know that itwould 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 salts
fed 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 johnson, when she heard of
the trade, she allowed there would be
no odd pig next year, and she put John
son up to 90 and claim the shoat, or at
least to get one-half of it. The old chap
he went across the ridge to Bascome's
house. 1t is about two miles through
the woods. OF course they fell out and
johnson beat Bascome with club, and
he yelled for help. You know his gal
Bet? Mop She is as big as cow and
as strong as a mule. She ran out of the
house and, gathering stone, she mash
ed 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 set
tied him. When 250-pound woman
gets her hand on a mans goozlestring
that man has gotto do something mighty
sudden, or it's all day with him." He
was silent for an instant, and gazed
moodily out of the carwindow. judged
from the expression on his face that he
had had experience with 250-pound wo-
men. He cheered little shortly, and
resuming the, to me, thrilling story,
said: johnson squirmed 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.
That Bet never stopped chasing him I'M
til the heft of her clothes was snagged
off of her." Musingly he remarked
"Wimmen is tough customers" and,
after short pause, added ''Bet says
she can whip the stuffing. out of him in
a fair fist fight; but Lord! John, he can't
fight no more. He is all 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 IN
lovingly threw stones at him, and who
encouraged the dog to disrobe him, and
who kept up the chase until her own
clothes were gone, arose promptly be-
fore me, and I yelled with laughter
The two grave Georgians smiled in
sympathy with me, but they did not see
anything funny in the story.-Franb
WilbesOn.