The Iola register., 1886-04-23


the revenue officers, and one after anoth
or of the Alfreys were killed until onl..
Dick remained. There were warrant
out for his arrest charging him with Kill
ling q revenue officer and with illicitdis
tilling. Armed with his long squire
rifle he roamed through the mountain
and freely visited the towns, boastin!
that he would kill the first man Wit
made q warlike movement toward him
He spent his money freely and had hun
dreds of friends scattered about th,
country. who warned him whenever ,
marshal's posse approached.
Once in 1880, while visiting his father
house on the Licking river road, party
of revenue officers rode up and sur
rounded the house, keeping, however
at a respectful distance. for they knew
that Dick was dead shot and none o
them wanted to make martyrs of them
selves. Every door and window of the
house was barricaded and when the
marshars men cautiously approached
Dicks voice was heard ordering them
to halt.
''Ye all dassent make q rush, for I'll
kill half dozen NV ye afore ye gil
hyar. The ole mans well purvided
with rashuns. an kin stand We off fur
a month. Dad an I'll take turns
standin' guard. an we'll keep it up
night an day."
The marshars party, after consulting
among themselves, mounted their
horses and rode away, and Dick went
back to his mountain eyrie to distil more
whisky. Crippled Bill Elliot was the
factor or go-between of the Alfreys, and
when only Dick remained to carry on
the business he and the old man shared
theprofits of the still equally. Crippled
Bill saved his money to spend it liberal
ly on Little Kate, whom he decked in
the handsomest gowns that could be
purchased at the crossroads store. She
was of finer clay than he, and from
making occasional visits to Norehead and
Liberty. and once as far down the country
as Mount Sterling.a a new and higher life
was opened up to her. She Kept her
secret lodgings to herself and never di-
vulged the hiding-place of the still. In
the early summer of 1884 Little Kate
celebrated her seventeenth birthday.
She was daughter of the mountains
bright-eyed, curly-haired. fresh-faced,
with rounded limbs and good diges-
ton, and able to shoot rifle or ride
horse with the best man in the country.
A score or more of the young noun
taineers endeavored, in their homely
fashion, to make Katy their sweetheart,
but she repulsed them all. One hot
August day, when the little underground
stream that supplied the moonshine still
in the cave behind the thick laurel
bushes on Yocum Cliffs had run dry,
and Crippled Bill and his partner had
removed their business to a secluded
spring branch, where they were busily
engaged making rum" Little Kate
sat on the rude porch whose roof over
hung the door of her fathers cabin,
busily engaged in spinning, singing like
lark meanwhile.
A man. young and strong limbed as
Hercules, wearing clothes whose text
ure and color were hidden beneath q
thick coating of dust, and carrying a
light pack on his back, strobe up the
mountain road which led from the Mar
rows. He paused for a moment in
front of Crippled Bills cabin, cast An
admiring glance at the girl on the
porch. and then boldly unlatched the
rude gate set in the paling fence which
enclosed the little garden and marched
up to the steps of the porch.
Il beg pardon" he began, and Little
Kate dropped her distaff with frighten-
ed cry and turned to face the intruder
with flushed cheeks and eyes big with
apprehension. at is very dusty" con-
tinued the stranger, ''and l am thirsty.
Would you kindly give me a drink of
water?"
''Sartin' sure." answered Kate. 'Tll
git ye fresh drink from the spring."
and seizing wooden pigeon which
stood ON a shelf beside the door she ran
quickly down the mountain path leading
to the spring, while the stranger dropped
his pack on the porch and with a CRATE
full sigh seated himself in the rush-bot-
toned chair which Kate had motioned
him to take.
s.If you have no objection" he said.
when she returned with the water and
proffered him a gourdful, which he
drank in deep draughts. 81 will rest
here a while. l have travelled long
distance and I en- very tired"
''Sit ye thar, stranger, as long as We
please" answered the girl Hospitality.
eye are plumb welcome"
He availed himself of her permission
with thanks, and when he began to talk
and his words brought up the pictures
she had heretofore seen only in her day
dreams she stopped her spinning and
drawing up her chair beside his listened
with eager interest.
They were sitting there together when
Crippled Bill hobbled up, carrying a
brown jug of moonshine whisky in each
hand. At sight of him the girl, with
glad cry, jumped from the porch and
ran down to the gate. She threw her
arms sround the old mans neck and
kissed him. whispering meanwhile that
stranger man" had come and was
..thar on the po'ch." The newcomer
had followed her down, and when Grip
pied Bill looked up quickly, with a
frown on his face. the young man raised
his hat and apologized for the intrusion.
..rm an artist" he said, ..and my
business here is to make sketches of
this most picturesque solitude"
Crippled Bill answered him gruf1ly.
despite Little Kate's frowning protest,
but the old man finally picked up two
jugs of whisky and walked toward the
house muttering something about
..hevin' no room to entertain strangers.
He followed Kate inside the house. The
stranger remained on the porch.
Father and daughter held q whispered
consultation and presently Crippled Bill
came out and invited the young man to