Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1883-11-21
\ DAUNTLESs MAN.

Away up among the Blue mountain,
of Western Arkansas is neighborboof
which was once noted for the peculiar
lty Of Its people. The community vo,
might say is or rather was, almost self
sustaining for it received bnt it'll,
benefit from the world. Coffee wa.
unknown there until it was introduced
by some doctor who went there tc
practice medicine. The concoctiou
was promptly examined by old mar
Gressom, who pronounced it worthless,
and calculated TO injure the commu.
nlty. There was no appeal from the
decision, and the doctor was informed
that unless he discarded the use of the
stuff lie would be driven from the
neighborhood. lie would not agree
to give up the use of his only stimu.
liant, and one morning, shortly after
the PRONUNCIATION of the decisive edict
the doctor might have been seen-iu
fact lie was seen, carrying a pair of
dingy saddle bags down the noun
tain.
This community had no other name
than the District" and if any one had
attempted TO change the appellation.
he would no doubt have felt the heavy
hand of revenge. The District peo.
pie had no regular religious creed.
Every Sunday they would meet in a
rude log building and listen to the
illiterate discourse of John Sumpter.
AN old fellow who took upon himself
the duty of instructing the people upon
the principles of religious morals.
Once newspaper man of discredited
enterprise attempted to publish a
weekly journal in the little village
knOwnas the capital of the District, "a
but before the first number of the paper
came out, committee headed by old
man GresSom, called on the journalist
and told him that they did not want a
newspaper.
I'VE did not send for you," the old
man said, (which is mighty good
evidence that we didn't want you.
We don't want no man comm around
prayin' inter our affairs, an if it's all
the same to you we'd ruther you'd go
back whar yOu come from, OF leastwise
leave the ''Distr.ct."
The editor urged that a newspaper
would materially assist IN the develop
;nent of the country's resources.
We've got all the developneSs We
want" said the old man. develop
ness is what makes folks miserable. We
never 90 down from here an try to
run the world, and We'll be blamed Ii
the world shall come up here and try
to run us. If you want to come here
and fall in with the rest of the folks,
an work fur a livim' al right, bit no
lazy man can live here.
The editor explained that the publi-
cation of newspaper required the ex-
ercise of great industry. but the old
man, losing patience, said:
We've dun give you fair warnin'.
We have been kind enough TO tell YOU
what's the law. an If You don't profit
by it, we can't help it. Now let us
tell you once for all: If you print any
of Your papers here, We'll fling you
often the top of the mountain"
The next day a hand press migh'
have been seen, in fact it was seen, go
ing down the mountain.
In this way the people of the DIS
trict'' lived. Sons grew up. married
and settled near the homestead, and ne
one thought that change would
come. John Sumpter, the moral iect
mer. had a beautiful daughter, whe
despite her crude surroundings had tC
some extent, acquired knowledge ol
books. She was tall and graceful. ole
was a kind of Sheila among the ruuel
inhabitants of Barvabost. Once, al
ter long persuasion, she mduced he'
father to let her go down in the woriu
She ", uld not remain long. She oni,
wanted to see what other places LOOKED
Ike. Tie people of the "Distric'
objected. They told John Sump'ei
that nothing but evil could result IRON
such wild exploit, but the glri
shrewdness outweighed the argument
Of the sages. and she went dowi
among the strange people below. a
lew weeks afterwards she returiieu
Every one noticed that sfle h"'
changed. Her wonted laugh had die'
away. and in the evening when tn
sun died, melting behind the rugge'
peak of the mountain, she wouiu d
under the great oak in front Oh nc
fathers house, and muse. Her la.no
was alarmed. ssLamuth," he Saio
her one evening, calling her by naln.
81 want you to tell me what's the n'"'
ter with you?"
'Nothing,'' she replied without IL
moving her gaze from the deep VI"
space where distance seemed W io.N
itself out into a great tu'quoi'
plain.
"Nuthin,' repeated the old mar a..
IF there amt nuthin' the ha''o,
what makes you NOPE? why oon
You go with me to feed the sheep' o."
sing like you uster?"
Il didn't know | was mopihs'
don't 90 with you to feed the S.ooi
because don't think can be oi q"
use to you and | don't sing Decau'o