The Dawson journal., 1885-07-09
A MOUNTAINEER's STORY
Ihe Crack Shot of the Blue Ridpe-
How He Won His Wife.
From the Philadelnb;o T;,,o,

lL.-"Visit Grandfather TAYLOR,
by all MEANS" vociferated Tom
from the car window, as the train
drew out from the little station,
Leaving us on the platform. From
TINS point we fastened on to our
destination, the little post village
that reJoi;es in the euphonious
name from which this letter is da-
ted.
Visit Grandfather Taylor"
was Toms parting suggestion, and
we were prompt to act upon it.
We searched the place over for a.
proper conveyance. ''Mose an his
Tx IL take you thar, strangers"
replied sawyer in answer to our
interrogation; fsbut its a right
smart ways off,"
ooh, the distance is immaterial.
just direct US, please, where we
can find this Moses and h1s-what
did you call it?"
'Fix-anybody hereabouts can
tell you what fix ar, came the
indefinite reply, and. the man
smiled at our apparent ignorance.
We found Nose, however, and
found him also to be a veritable
Southern negro, endowed with a
prohxlty Of speech and imbued
with all the subtle cunning and
obtruding inquisitiveness charac-
terlstic OF his race. We were told
that any vehicle in Virginia be-
low a,carriage was called ''fix,"
and Moses ''tix" was as original in
construction as it was unique in
appearance. 1t was simply some
boards placed upon wooden axles,
without springs, and boxes turned
upside down served for seats. I'm
derneath dangled several punches
OF fodder to feed the mule upon
during the journey. After a little
parleying Nose agreed to take us
for a stipulated sum, and, having
perfected our preliminary arrange
ments, we started off for a short
ramble in the immediate nieghbor-
hood,
"Say, boss" called out Nose, Il
'spose a little spirits is included
in this yer bargain, amt it? 1t
done hvens up So"
We answered in the affirmative
and he skipped away at lively
rate, singing a favorite song, to
get his Fix" and mule ready for
the morrow's journey.
UP THE MOUNTAIN ROAD.
The sun was Just beginning to
peep over the lofty Blue Ridge
peaks, irradiating the rich, pictur-
esque valley below in flood Of
golden light, as we took our seats
on the Elk" and the massive lum-
Der piles, the mountains of saw
dust and the hum and buzz of the
saws were soon left in our rear
and the civilized world was for
the time being forgotten. The
ride up the mountain road was
both novel and interesting. Oc-
casionally we crossed a bridge
that spsnned dangerour chasms,
and bridge and road perfectly as
simulated with the wild, pictur-
esque beauty of the surrounding
scenery. On we iostled and
thumped, the voluble tongue Of
Nose RECALLING us with the tradi-
tional stories Of the marvellous ex-
PLOTS Of the gnones and hobgob-
Inns which were supposed to in
habit the dark, silent recesses in
the mountain fastness. The bark
ing of a dog startled US.
"Whoa, dar!' And Nose brought
his painting mule to an abrupt
standstill that nearly caused US to
lose our equilibrium and tumble
off into the road.
"Dars de house an dars de man
yer arter sittin' in front oh de
DOR" remarked Nose, by way of
introduction. 81 say, boss" he
continued, "dis yer spring water
amt good much up yer" The
hint was easy to interpret, and we
left him to enjoy his spirits.
The place looked more like a
grotto than the habitation of a hu-
man being. 1t was a one-story
log cabin, covered with moss and
completely empowered in a luxu-
RANT growth of fragrant creeping
vines, and veteran oak trees
spread their protecting branches
over it. As we approached nearer
an old man, slightly stoop-shoul-
dered, with beald white as snow
that extended almost to his waist,
arose to meet us and greet us with
pleasant smile and, "Glad to see
YOU, strangers" We seated our
selves earelessly on the grass IN
the inviting shade beneath the
trees and opened conversation
at once.
GRANDFATHER TAYLOR.
This old patriarch's name Is
James Taylor, though he is known
to the natives as Grandfather
Tavlor, He was born in the
neighborhood of Tye River Mills
IN f8O5. He has evidently been
man Of fine physical proportions;
has a clear, penetrating eye; re-
tains his mental faculties unlm-