Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1885-04-17

state Of sliding OF.
The door, with its wooden latch aud
lock-pin, Its finger-hole and latch string
hanging outside, stood wide open. Over
ton the ,inside-were four effigies of
four cats in mourning, cut from black
paper and having Sutton-eyes OF vari-
Gus patterns. Around the one room
thus partly separated from space was a
perfect paper patchwork, pasted upon
the logs, Of pieces Of newspapers, med
ical almanacs, with their illustrated
horrors, piece of an elephant, the head
of a giraffe, three monkeys tails and a
pair of pink legs in colors impossible
for nature. "Tared from circus fence"
ole Of the boys said. A blue child, as
sisted by a white dog, praying to red
mother, formed a picture which was
suspended from thorn peg and, with
the cats aforementioned, supplied all
ornament 10 the interior.
Strings of onions and dried apples,
ears Of corn, undressed, hanging head
downwards by their husk skirts, bunch
es of "sany and yarbs," lot of coon,
'possum and muskrat skins and the
shorter members Of the family ward
robe, were suspended from the low pole
rafters.
Keeping company with the quilting
frame OIL wooden pegs were long
brass-mounted rife, deer-skin bullet
pouch, a powder-horn and charge meas
u-e, made from boar's tusk. Two beds,
foot to foot, occupied one end of the
cabin, which had been supplemented by
two trunGle beds, as necessity demand
ed, catching the youngsters one by one,
as they were crowded out OF the family
allowance of bedsteads above them. A
hole in the floor afforded a rendezvous
for flock of noisy ducks and two ex-
pectant pigs, grunting and squealing
their impatience fur scraps, while the
fireplace supplied kitchen, light and
heat.
aye must be cold, stranger. John
Henry, put on bit of the light wood
you've got laid by fer giggen an poke
up the Ire an git the man hetted up.
We hain't nary drop Nv sperits In the
shanty, stranger-my ole woman thar's
powerful temperance" and he jerked
his bushy head of black hair toward a
large notwithstanding woman in a
| corner of the room. There were four
white-heads peeping out of and around
the scanty folds Of her jean petticoat,
holding on to it for safety, while above
them, on the sleeve of an old coat she
wore, rested a baby, holding on by good
substantial hold, as by nature provided.
"Nary drop nv sperits in the shanty,"
the man repeated slowly and, thought,
sadly, as he looked dreamily at the fire.
eighteen years an nary a drop NV
sperits here nor yander. Looks like a
man mought git dry in that time, stran-
ger. Hev your critter put up? We
hain't much .tablin' nor roughness
| (fodder), but we've got Wilderness.
Hev your critter put up an stay all
night. It's right smart-picce 10 Sandy.
You'd hev to make your crltter git an
It would be away yonder after dark
afore you'd git thar. There's tide in
the river, an risen. We hain't much
grub, 'cept inguns; hits so tarnation
fur to pack grist over the mountains TO
mill on millin' days this kinder wealth
er; but we'll gin you what we've got
an welcome, an me an the ole wo-
manfll git In with the children"
knew / was in for night at the
cabin when stopped there, cold, tired
and hungry, so | thankfully accepted
the hospitable offer.
After an impromptu stable had been
fashioned out Of fodder shucks and my
mare fed and made comfortable In II
and we were again in the cabin Invent
to my saddle pockets, where all eyes
followed me, and produced good-sized
flask of old rye whisky.
Whisky is the natural revolution from
rye. Rye is good for nothing else. 1t
makes black bread and mush, sticky as
a poultice, while corn is perverted from
ts destiny in bacon and proverbial ex-
cellence in the national blessings Of
pone and dodgers to attest by its in6n-
ence in Bourbon the truth Of the motto
of single State In the Union: "United
we stand, divided we fall"
confess that feared the attack upon
my supply of man who had not taken
drink for eighteen years-especially
rs he seemed to regret 1t so much-but
not having any hump on my back or
any other attribute Of camel 70 enable
me 10 go forty days without drink
therefore wanting one myself-I pulled
the cork and handed him the bottle. He
took it. His hand trembled, his mouth
opened slowly and grew round and
black as the top of an inkstand, his eyes
took a distant, far-away set in the direc-
ton of a string of onions, bis bottle
hand went up, and / thought felt q
pump coming 10 adapt me to an empty
flask in the wilderness, when, sharp as
the command to surrender at the bsyo-
nets point, the woman said: "Jakev'
She did not move muscle. The baby
held oil, but started its connection lit
lie from force of the explosion SO close
to it. The first nurses head instinct
lively lodged to one side, the boy assist
ant lodged and set up his shoulders
the yearling guardians backed suddenly
TO cover; the cow pair braoed them
| saIvas and tnnk q long breath for ruu