Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1883-12-19
THE WHISPERING CAVE
BY MAJOR HAMILTON,

In 1878 a certain spur of the East
Tennessee Mountains became infested
| with band Of daring freebo oters or
| highwaymen, who plundered indiscrim
| nateiy the lowland=r aud the huntsr,an,
and occasionally swooped at night upon
some small town, and swept its single
store clean, only to escape with Gathering
hoofs iuto the ragged detiles of the hills,
time to avoid capture or even close
pursuit.
Occasionally, tho, lives were added to
the robbers spoil, for if an owner were
to stubborn, a pistol shot might end
the argument, or il pursuer drew too
near, well-aimed rife cut short his
further advance. In fact, the gang were
robbers openly, and worse when needs
be,
At this time, passed two months of
a golden fall, with friend in the village
or town OF Washtee, Oh ly five miles from
the crest Of one OF the Cumberland
ranges. My time was gwen to hunting.
that Of my friend to the establishment
Of small banking house With capital
of some fifty thousand dollars; and our
evenings, usually spent together in one
of the three village stores, or at the tav-
ern, were filled with tales of the noun
tain highwaymen, who we're performing
their deeds OF doubtful valor on every
nand.
One night it would be the woe of some
homegoing farmer, lightened of his doz-
eE or two hard-earned dollars, by pdlr
If haif.masked desperadoes in q lonely
gulch; and again the sudden demolition
of country store, twenty miles away,
or the killing OF bold defender, would
fill the time with stirring news.
As the days passed these rumors thick.
ened, until one evening, as I returned
from long hunt, my friend took me
one side after tea, and said:
g Major, look here! You'd better
give up your roaming. These robber
rascals are closing in about us. Only
this noon they shot poor mountaineer
in cold blood, two miles from here, be.
cause he tried to run when they ordered
him to stop. It's becoming serious, and
I've notion tn at the governor ought to
send some troops here to clean them
out"
So you think ! am in danger ?" said
J. half-smiling. ~ have nothing for
robbers"
Except your rife, aud that is worth
more to you than to them. No; stay at
home awhile, Major. They may come
after my bank, and I'll need you to help
me ~ defend it,"
J. saw that my friend was in earnest in
bis lcqnest, and so promised to curtail
my excursions for the present, at least.
For week, therefore, loafed in the
village until one perfect day, when the
peril proved too strong, aud armed with
my double barrel, I struck again for the
woods.
This time I directed nv steps away
from the beaten course, and after fol.
lowing a winding road for a couple Of
miles, turned aside and pushed directly
into the wilder solitudes that knew lay
undisturbed beyond.
The cool, crisp air and clear sunshine
iuvigorated me. My enforced rest of a
week had renewed my strength, and the
Joy of being again alone with nature
llled my heart.
For several hours I walked steadily
on, now following some narrow gorge.
again skirting some pine-grown ridge
until, as the sun crept toward the mer-
laian, I found myself in portion of the
mountains entirely new to me aud evi
IDENTIFY seldom visited by the foot of
man.
Great riffs tore the ragged peaks
about me, forming chasms often bali
tiled with mighty boulders, while the
growth of timber was stunted, gnarled
and often matted into dense thickete. as
though nature herself were in q fierce
and angry mood in this strange solitude.
Deeply interested in the wonderful
scenery about me. and more intent upon
the surrounding views than either game
or weather, I had thus far carried my
gun unused, although twice I had
startled deer. from their MONDAY rest,
and had sent half score of swift winged
cartridges whlr1ing from, their midday
meal.
But now q sudden flow of chilling
wind swept upon me, bringing witt it
dash of rain, and, looking up. saw
that very heavy storm was about to
break.
Hastily I looked about me for some
shelter: when my eye caught an appar-
ent recess few rods higher, within
which I might hide myself, and rapidly
L sought to avail myself of l..
NOE was I too soon, for Just as I
reached the little cave, for such it seemed
to be-tte storm broke with all the fury
of mountain tempest, rain and wind
mingliag with wild fury.
I sought to retreat still further within
the shelter of the rocks, when to my hor-
ror found other corners before me.
Almost at my feet lay coiled two enor-
nous rattlesnakes!
Often as had met these reptiles in
my wanderings l yet dreaded them most
heartily, and as the flattened heads
turned toward me now, and the dull me-
tallic rattle told Of their anger, I was
ready to fee into the face of the storm
rather than to encounter the dangerous
c~cct..-c.. 80 -. -. -
serted herself, and Selling q long broken
branch close ct hand, made swift at
tack, and was rewarded with 40 sudden
victory. for single blow killed both,
md I flung their writhing bodies into
The gorge beneath.
Then I entered the little cave, found