The Osceola times., 1885-08-01
A GOOD MARKSMAN.
Grandfather Taylors Story of the
Best Shot he Ever Made.

visit Grandfather Taylor, by all
MEANS" vociferated Tom from the car
window as the train drew ont from the
little station, leaving us on the platform.
From this point we hastened on to our
destination, the little post village known
as I've River Mills, Va.
"Visit Grandmother Taylor" was
Toms parting suggestion, and we were
prompt to act upon it, We searched
the place over for proper conveyance.
"Mose an his iix'll take you thar, stran-
gers. replied a sawyer in answer to our
Interrogation, "but it's right smart
way off,"
"Oh, the distance is immaterial Just
direct us, please, where we can lind this
Nose and his-what did you call it?n
"Fix-anybody hereabouts kin tell you
what fix ar came the indefinite reply,
and the man smiled at our apparent ig-
norance.
We found Nose, however, and found
him also, to be veritable southern ne
gro, endowed with prolixity of speech
and imhued with all the subtitle cunning
and obtruding inquisitivene of his race
We were told that any vehicle in Vir-
ginia below carriage was called a "fix, ="
and Moses Fix" was as original in con-
struction as ii was unique in appearance.
1t was simply some boards placed upon
wooden axles, without springs, and boxes
tnr ,,,Ngila ,aI g..
Underneath dangled several punches of
fodder to feed the mule upon during the
journey. After little parleying Nose
agreed to take us for stipulated sum,
and having perfected our preliminary
arrangements. we started off for short
ramble in the immediate neighborhood.
''Say, boss called out Nose, II
'spose little spirits is yincluded in this
year bargain, amt it? 1t done livens
up So"
We answered in the affirmative and
he skipped away at a lively rate, sing
ing favorite song, to get his ''tix" and
mule ready for the morrow's journey.
The sun was Just beginning to peep
over the lofty Blue Ridge peaks, irradiat-
ing the rich, picturesque valley below
III Iotu VI E'iuth iiSii. -, VIC tooh oui
seats on the ''ix, and the massive lum-
ber piles, the mountains of sawdust 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 Occasionally
we crossed bridge that spanned dan
gerous chasms, and bridge and road
perfectly assimilated with the wild. pic
turesque beauty of the surrounding
scenery. On we jostled and thumped,
the voluble tongue of Nose regaling us
with the traditional stories Of the mar
velous exploits of the gnomes and hob
goblins which were supposed to inhabit
the dark. silent recesses in the noun
tain fastness. The barking Of dog
startled us.
"Whow, dar!" And Nose brought his
painting mule to an abrupt standstill
that nearly caused us to lose our equi-
librium and tumble off into the road.
''Dars de house an dars de man yer
arter a sittn' in front OBJ de do'a, " re-
marked Nose by the way Of introduc-
ton. 81 say, boss" he continued, "dis
yer spring water amt much good up
yer" The hint was easy to interpret
and we left him to enjoy his "spirits.
The place looked more like grotto
than the habitation Of a human being.
1t was one-story log cabin, covered
with moss and completely embowered in
luxuriant growth of fragrant creeping
vines, and veteran oak trees spread their
protecting branches over il. As we ap-
II. a Ill oil t.vhf flx
stoop-shouldered with beard white as
snow that extended almost to his waist.
arose to meet us and greeted us with
pleasant smile and "Glad to see you,
strangers" We seated ourselves care
lessly on the grass in the inviting shade
beneath the trees and opened conversa-
ton at once.
The old patriarch's name is James
Taylor, though he is known to the ma
tives as Grandfather Taylor. He was
born in the neighborhood of Tye River
Mills in 1905. He has evidently been a
man of fine physical proportions. has a
clear, penetrating eye, retains his men
tai faculties unimpaired, and though he
can read but very little he is something
ofa botanist and is exceedingly well vers-
tu III tDe names Oh tne ulncicht boSS.
He will be 80 years of age on the 10th OF
September, and never swore an OATH
never tasted intoxicating liquors, never
chewed tobacco, but is an inveterate
smoker He never rode on steamboat
or railway train, and has not been three
miles from home since 1861. He was
the father of five children, three boys
and two girls. Both daughters are
dead. Two of his sons were killed IN
the Confederate and the other in the
Union service He has vivid recol-
lection of the days of slavery, and relates
many startling incidents connected with
the lives of escaped slaves who fled to
the mountain fastness for refuge.
Here. too. was the hiding place OF
many deserted from both armies, and he
has many souvenirs in the shape OF
army equipments of the troublous DAYS
of rebellion. He cares little for what
is transpiring in the outside world ana
manifests decided aversion to politics.
His Bible is his constant companion
and although he has never been 10
church but twice in his life he can con-
verse intelligently about the Scriptures