Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1885-11-21

% I'N~''''N 'H"''''N'S ~N'N''
won them over to believing his story
that he was simply a tourist summering
in the mountains. Ere a month had
passed they had come to regard him
almost as one of themselves.
Mr.. COTS family consisted of his
handsome little dark,eYed wife,
daughter of Is years, and a half a
dozen or so of smaller children, ranging
from II years old to the baby in the
cradle. Old Coon himself was a
typical mountaineer. A tall, loosely>
built old fellow, sunbrowned, long
headed, and hairy, with quick, unre~
strained movements. He went heavily
armed, and wretchedly clothed in
ragged brown jeans, with brOad>brim>
med SLOUGH hat and coarse heavy boots.
His house contained but two rooms.
The wind made its way through a
thousand crevices in the walls, and
when it rained the water found out as
many apertures in the split-board roof.
1t is impossible to describe their
wretched habitations--their poverty,
miserable surroundings and dirt, but
they seem cheerful and contented with
their lot. They chew their home
raised tobacco, Or dip it as snuff, drink
a great deal Of vile, fiery, whisky they
make, and really seem to enjoy life.
The men are brave and fearless, with
scant morals. The women are strong,
healthy, and some of them exceedingly
pretty,
Old Coon COTS daughter, Emily
was lovely girl. She was extremely
shy and retiring, but possessed quiet
winsome ways and charming grace
of manner and speech. When young
Niles had once broken the ice of hel
reserved demeanor, they were soor
great friends, and he was again drifting
into danger.
Emily had never been much nor,
than servant in the family. TIL,
little COTS had come to that wretcbeC
mountain home with such schedule.lik
) regularity that Emily had known scan
} opportunity to learn anything bu
nursing. With her mothers desultor,
assistance, however, she had learned t
read and write-two accomplishment
but few of her girl friends possessed.
at amt well for girls to learn to
much" her father had often assure,
: her. at will get 'em inter trouble,
: In her own heart Emily resente,
her fate. She self that she was worth
a better position in life, that she ha
been born to better things. The neigh
boring "bOys"-as these people terri
all young men until they marry--wer
q rather afraid Of her. She Though
/ herself too good for them," they sale
s and but few of them dared to Ego t
Y see her."
= One staIwart young moonshiner hat
however, made trade" with OF
n Coon, by virtue of which he considere
s himself entitled to claim Emily for h
t wife as soon as he was ready to tax
= her to his home-a wretched log hu
e hid somewhere among the mountain
!. Emily had never heard of the bargain
s but if she had known all about it st
e could not have treated Buck Sake
n with greater contempt.
# That's all right, my fine lady,"
!, would mutter after every slight. "Tf
!, old man will bring you 'roung when
g give him the word."'
r So matters rested when young Jasc
a Niles came. He and Emily were CO..
l. stantly thrown together, and it WI
Is perfectly natural that she should leal
j. to love him, while he, knowing th
e she was fair, pure girl-innocent
e heart, and uneducated in the vaniti
n and frivolities of society, and KNOWN
e something more that neither Emily n
d the reader has yet learned, it was sma
1t wonder that he should love the girl
is had purposely come from afar to fiji
le and carry away.
:, 1t is sweet to learn when one we lo'
N teaches us. Under Niles caref
d tuition Emily applied herself me