, 1884-12-07
AN OLD T%ROGLoDYTE.
Eopse P. Read IN Arkan.aw Travelsr.l
~ur

on Inc ono OF q cro6f-tlo had gone nome
He had locked up the squAlid little shanty
that served as a depot house, and the men
who were waiting for tho down freight, "
had built a fro in the woods near the track,
and were sitting around IL with as much
patience as men could well exercise on such
an occasion The captain did not yield In
ready response. for he was not in the best Of
spirits, but after urgent solicitation. he be-
gan. without knocking the ashes from his
pipe or rehlling il, as tho story-teller known
In literature always does, but simply tossing
an old hriar-root pipe to the man from whom
he had borrowed Il, he related, 50 far as the
writer's recollection Is unerring, the follow
ing;
Som tins ago while l was in the internal
revenue service. my health gave way to such
an extent that l was advised by q physician
10 ~rlinquish all labor and seek n prolonged
rest in the country. l had numerous invi-
tations from friends living near the city, but
! accepted none, having decided TO visit
some place far removed from the active
scenes Of man One day, after bidding the
boys n hasty farewell, l mounted n horse
and set out for the sylvan shades and rugged
sleeps OF the Boston mountains, In Arknn-
saw. The weather was charming. Tho
October sun shone with the merest~ suggestion
Of summer warmth; tho air was rnfresh-
ing, the horizon purple with q soft haze,
and the woodland streams covered with
leaves Of all hues. sparkled In k~nleidnscopic
splsndor. made no inquiries: asked not
whittier a road would lead me, but pursued
my incidental and unchoseu way. The
mountains / found to be grand, ns noun
tains generally ans, but these, Il seemed, had
a peculiar typographical physiognomy-
roaring their great rocks nto tho forms Of
a faces, leaning and looking down into the
valley balow. Some Of tho faces were al
most perfect. as though some great sculptor
a revealed them with his ehisoL Houses
became scarce, and sometimes 1 was com
peiled 10 pass the night under a rock. l had
brought with me a reserve supply OF food.
and an the littie valleys afforded abundant
grass, neither myself nor my horse suffered.
One afternoon, after traverning n marrow
path that wound around among the noun
ain and suddenly became 80 steep that to
pursue II farther seemed impossible, /
stopped, and, allowing my horse TO grazo, l
lay down ON nm ancient boulder that had
evidently fallen from some great height, and
nAnk 10 sleep. / was awakened by music-a
flute. Can II DO possible" l musod, that
any ono away up here, Is acquainted with
the use OF such a mellow-toned Instrument
Yes, It Is evidently a hute. will look for
the musician"
Leaving my horse, l climbed down, step
ping from rock to rock, holding to s~applinga
and swinging by vines, until l reached a
little valley. The sounds Of the flute, after l
descended, were not quite 20 distinct as DO
fore, for / could now hear tho noise Of
swiftly running wator-not n rush, nor "A
roar, but a quiet glide OF water, II l may use
such a phrase. Turning a sharp ledge OF
rock, / saw tho musician sitting on a stone.
Just below him a small river swept along.
and back OF him, ! soon discovered, was
a cave. As l neared him, he ceased playing
but did not arise. He wa a very old man,
man, with long, white whisksrs and long,
snowy hair that fell on his shoulders.
How aro you, sirfn said l, though with
bad grace, for l could not help hut stare
at him.
A well as ono OF my age could expect TO
be- he replied.
d you live in this neighborhoodr
II live In there" pointing toward the cavc.
d you live alonef'
@Yes, and seek no company
II do not moan n intrude upon you. ! am
seeking health
And am seeking quiet"
II should not have known that you we're
here, sir, II you had kept quiet"
And II you had kept away frum this
place you would never nave known but that
l was quiet.r
Here he took up his fute and began 10
blow q dismal tune, which / took TO DO a
melancholy signal that the conversation, 70
70 far rs IL concerned the venorably troglo-
dyto, was closed. l ventured to make an
other remark, but the mournful tones of his
long yellow flute were tho only reply l 70
ceived- Returning to my horse, after discov-
ering n way by which l could lead him down
20 the valley, l continued my maynard
course The sounds OF the flute followed me,
and even after / had rrossed the river, which
my faithful horse swan like a duck, / could
hear tho melancholy wall OF the old mans
lugubrious overture. l had not proceeded
very far, after crossing the river, until /
came to a large log house, built close against
the side OF a mountain. 1t was the first house
/ had seen for some time, and as l was not
likely 10 soc mother one very soon, I dis
mounted, tied my horse 10 a sapllng, and
opsned the rude gate with the intention Of
knocking at the door, whom an enormous dog
that looked more Ike a lion, bounded from
behind an ash-hoppor, and came at me with
q roar. / Sprung on 10 the fence and climbed
up a grapevine depending from a tree, Just
In time, too, for when l ventured to look
down, there he stood on the fence gazing
at me.
"You Boseir yelled n voice, como here,
sab. Don't pay no 'tention 10 him, stranger.
He only wanted to skeor you a little"
He has zucceeded.n 4 replied, without
placing enough confidence in the mans ex-
PLANTATION 20 trust myself 10 descend within
reach OF the dog.
60 way from thar 1 tell you. sah,p throw
ing an iron wedge against tho fenco. The
1nw Tra.mnaI 1AW~. u..I N-~NaI - 49, n
bus assured Of protection. left my perch and
joined the man in the yard.
~How do you do, aahi' said be, extending
his hand.
A well as a frightened man could well
b. / rejoincd
Wall, no wouldenter hurt you even II he
had gotten his mouth on you. He amt got
no teeth. He IS gittin' along In years and
has nc tiil his teeth air about all gone
Come In"
followed him into the house. In front OF
a small Ere In a great fireplace, sat a woman
and n girl They .arose when wo entered.
Tho woman was not bad looking, aud the
girl was positively beautiful, with flashing
black eyes and hair as dark as the gathered
glooom OF midnight.
I told them my name. after which the
man said: MY name Is Redman Jeffrien;
this is my wife and this-" with an air OF
pride. l imagined ais my daughter LeEtie.
Set down an mako ouself at home. l don't
know your business and / amt keen to know,
stnl n its all tho same TO you, wy les toll
Us why You air In this here neighbornood,
anyhow
told hin that l was seeking health and
that thought I could find Il among tha
mountains.
That's whar you show your sense, nv