Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-06-16
A moUNTAINEERs STORY.
The Crack Shot of tho Blue RiGxe-How
He Won His Wife.
Flrom lAe PAIEadelpAil 7lmes.


From this point we fastened on to our
destination, the little post village that re-
ioices in the euphoniOus name from which
this letter is dated.
..yisIt Grandfather Taylor" was Toms
parting suggestion, and we were prompt
10 act upon it. We searched the place
over ter a proper conveyance. "Mose an
rs fix III take you thar, strangers re-
pBed a sawyer in answer TO our in
terrogation; 'but it's a right smart
ways Off"
"Oh, the distance is immaterial. just
direct us, please, where we can lind this
Moses and his--what did you call it?''
..Flx-anybody hereabouts can tell YOU
what Tx ar" came the indefinite reply,
and the man smiled at our apparent ig-
norance.
him. also. to be a veritable Southern
negro. endowed with q pTolixity of speech
and imbued with all the subtle cunning
and obtruding inquisitiveness character
istic of his race. We were told that any
vehicle in Virginia below carriage was
called dix and Noses "fiX" was as
original in construction as it was unique
in appearance. 1t was simply some
out springs, and boxes turned upside
down served for seats. Underneath dan
glpd 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 arrangements, we started
of for short ramble i'll the immediate
neighbOrhOod
Say, boss" called out Nose, 81 'spose
Sa a.;
bargain, amt it? 1t done livens up So"
We answered in the affirmative and he
skipped away Mt lively rate, singing a
tavOrite song, to get his "hX'' and mule
ready Tor the morrow's journey.
CP THE MOUNTAIN ROAD.
TIE sun was just beginning to peep over
the lofty Blue Ridge peaks, irradiating
the ROB, picturesque valley below in a
food VI :tiideu light, as we took cur seats
1a tie ta ~ and the massive lumber
Il piles br mountains of sawdust and the
bum auu buzz of the saws were soon left
4 n oHr rear and the civilized world was
4 iOr the time being forgotten. The ride up
the mountain road was both novel and in
Il teresting. Occasionally we crossed a
bridge that spanned dangerous chasms,
i and bridge and road perfectly assimilated
q with the wild, picturesque beauty of the
& 'surrOandmg scenery. On We jOstled and
q thumped, the yOluble tongue OF Nose re-
q calling us with the traditional stories of
q the marvellous exploits Of the gnomes
81 and hObg0blins which were supposed to
q mhabit the dark, silent recesses in the
E mountain tastness. The barking of dog
q startled us.
Il "Whow, darv 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 a sittin' in front OBJ de do'a," re-
marked Nose, by way of Introduction. II
81 say, boss" he continued, eds yer spring
water amt much good up yer" The hint
was easy TO interpret, and we left him to
81 enjoy his ''spirits."
The place looked more like grotto than
he habitation of human being. 1t was
one-stOry log cabin, covered with moss
and completely embOwered in a luXuriant
growth Of fragrant creeping vines, and
Neeran oak trees spread their protecting
branches over it. AS we approached
bearer an old man, slightly stoOp-shoul-
Tered, with beard white as snow that eX-
tended almost to his waist, arose to meet
Is and greeted us with a pleasant smile
o. nd "flad TO see you, strangers" We
Seated ourselves carelessly on the grass in
be inviting shade beneath the trees and
h pened conversation at once.
a GRANDFATHER TAYLOR.
n This old patriarch's name is James
ayloT. though be is known to the natives
o Grandfather Taylor. He was born in
be neighborhood of Tye River Mills in
. @5. He has evidently been a man of fine
#hysical proportions; has clear, pene-
I ating eye; retains his mental faculties
impaired, and, though he can read but
~ little, he is something of "A botanist
nd is exceedingly well versed in the
ames Of the different trees. He will be
az years Of age on Sept. 10, and never
M wore an oath, never tasted intoxicating
Mqu0Ts, never cheWed tobacco, but is an
o. fetefate smoker. tie never rode on
eamboat or railway train, and has not
y zen three miles from home since 1861.
IA was the father Of five children, three
Ols and two girls. Both daughters are
ira cad Two of his sons were killed in the
lnI 9niedeTate and the other in the Union
Y Wee. lie bias a vivid recollection Of
edays ofslaVery, and relates many start
ape lg Incidents connected with the lives Of
Y capped slaves who fed to the mountain
slness for refuge.
Here, too, was the hiding place of many
LIZ sefters from both armies, and be has
'Xet any souvenirs n the snaps of army
e upmenjs OF the troublOus days. He
lee little for what is Transporting in the
, slde world and manifests a decided
GA isluh 10 ponies Ills Bible IS his con-
loT ant companion, and, although he has
ga yer been to church but twice in his life,
can converse ntelligently about the
,sS lptufes and is apparently living a life
Ss PletY aud peace, He listened with the
rth ioundest Interest to the relating of the
sd enomenal shooting Of BOgardus and
{ MNeI, and with asmile he shrugged his
Wa OIiders, saying:
NV mar strangers you're comm 10 the
IN now. Why, when I was young,"
eas ne stopped d think; "when ] WAS
Ism Jug about 20, Iguess, could outshOot
i man IN the valley. We used TO swing
apple on string, an, mountin' our
cu 5s5s gallop like mad ana fire at IL. |
ounf ~ ut 10 every ime. ! tell YOU them
ler glorious day. But my sights not
used TO be ;n' amt got the nerve
VIZ ne said, with sigh.
FEATs OF aARKsMANsuIP.
iara WY he continued, 81 could knock
'He OIL pist nine times outn ten
'aIos away, en- / could take the bill
-. plld M tire as clear as a whistle
-,No Se'ei disturb a feather. That's IA
ceass uat 90 you regard as the most skill
ada W. )ou ever hade 2" we asked.
app WV mean the best one ever made;
q, W. thought aY, for that, tine hap
MO- one o. my life,
Jew nodded IN th Affirmative.
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