Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-06-14
rwo SHOTS IN ale NIGHT.


the fraternity. For years have travelled in
Tennessee. the CarOlinas and Georgia, and
my line of goods has been cutlery. have
sometimes carried pins, needles and
thread, but more as an accommodation
than from any hope of profit. My line in
cludes raZors, shears, scissors, pocket
knives, table knives and forks. Some
times add few sheath knives, which are
bought by lawless characters, and some
times omit them, according to the route
have laid.
'On two or three occasions my life has
been put in peril by the cupidiyof others,
but the closet shave 1 ever had wasin the
mountains or Tennessee. about 90 miles
from Knoxville had sold my stock pretty
well down, aud had about $500 with me,
when, one afternoon, an hour before sun
set, the approach OF "A terrific founder
storm drove me to seek the shelter OF
roadside cabin. 1t was lonely place on
lonely mountain road, and the time was
in 1867. While the war mad long been
over, as of course you know, there was
good deal of bitterness among the noun
taineers Of Tennessee, ard there were
great many men who had not yet settled
down to anything like work. AS l was
not in tue war on either side, and am Eng
lish born, got along very well with the
fire-eaters; but the fact was every DAY be-
fore me that there We're plenty OF lawless
characters, both Union and Confederate,
who wouldn't hesitate to put me out OF the
way for what my pack contained, no mat
ter what principles upheld. But Tor the
coming storm | should have continued on
for couple of hours. | did not like the
looks Of the place. 1t was stOry-and-a-
half house, situated several rods oil the
road, and there was something IN the
house and its surroundings which made
me hesitate to ask for hospitality. How
ever, July thunderstorm was creeping
up, covering the whole west with dark
ness, and the thunder was rolling and re-
Verberaung from hill TO hill as ! shocked
on the casing OF the open door. The voice
Of a woman babe me enter. She was
person OF at least 10 years Old, large and
muscular, and ner couutenance was any
thing but Drepossessing. IL wore sullen.
= snlky expression, aud the gray eyes
: Which sized me up mad no CLEAN of wom
manly kindness IN them. | eXpialne d that
1 was
TRAVELLER WHO CRAvED SHELTER
from the storm. and she sullenly replied:
~ 0u are welcome to itduwn.
Five minutes later the rain was falling
In torrents, and II grew 80 dark hat the
woman had 10 light candle. The cabin
had but one room below. In this was a
bed, bureau and other furniture, and the
cooking was done in fireplace, IA rough
ladder led TO the loft above. The interior
Of the house was neither inviting nor re-
pelling, but certainly did not like the wo-
man. 1t was all OF twenty minutes after
L sat down before she spoke another word,
and then it was to ask what my pack con-
talnsd. opened il ia explanation, aud told
her / was on my way To Knoxville to re-
plenish stock from goods ordered shipped
TO that point. | presented her with COM
mon pair of shears, and there was a sud-
uen change in her demeanOr. she became
Emflfnur "a L "a "a nd a . ha 81
showed no sign OF abating, she began to
ipFepaFe supper. ana observed that must
4 not Ahlnk OF continuing my journey before
i morning. W here asked one question she
asked hYe. She wanted 10 know where |
was from, how much stock Of goods cost,
Whom l knew at Knoxville, and great
many other things. In return she told me
r,tbat she was widow, had a son 20 years
snld, VINO bad gone 10 mill, and that they
mad a hard time TO get living.
While the change in her demeanor was
agreeable In one sense, could not get rid
OF the idea that the change was forced.
While her lips uttered pleasant words, her
eyes gave them the lie. We had a fair
supper, during which she bore the burden
8 OF COnS ersA ton, and it " as then seen that
] must remain through the night. While
The thunder had passed awaT, the rain fell
in steady poEr, and the night was as
black as tar. She said the storm would
delay her son, but that he was certain to be
home before midnight She cleared away
the table, sat down with some sewing. and
asked me so many things about the outside
world that | KNEW She mad some time lived
IN better CIRCUMSTANCES and had been
fairly well educ hted. She gradually led the
conversation back TO my vocation, and
carelessly RENAL rked, as she bent over her
sewing:
"'One in you r business should so well
armed
"'Perhaps some of them do | replied.
though l have never seen occasion for
weapons OF any)sOr
"'If you-yOd wanted TO part with your
revolver perhaps my son would buy it. He
is very
ANXIOUS TO SH4CURE SUCH A WEAPON
''she did noti dare look me in the face,
and her hands sltOOk as she waited for me
tOFeply.
"'My revolver -ha! hal Pm afraid no
zone would accept the walking stick in
the corner over there for "A shooting irOn.'
but you havt knife she persisted,
making u create Port to raise her eyes.
"'1es, this 1 answered, as 1 exhibited
pocket knife.
THAT endeQthe conversation in that
direction. From that moment tue woman
seemed very busy with her thoughts, and
conversation Jagged. On two or three
occasions when ! addressed her she
NAal AtA UP lN nervous way. ana asked
Inc 10 repeat the Interrogation. At 10
O'Clock l sigrifed my desire TO retire for
the night. Shs took candle and assembled
10 the lott, and heard her pulling the bed
stead about az tramping around. The
nOor was Of unC ressed aud unmatched
boards, and the ligat OF her candle could
he plainly made out. When she came
down she handed me the candle and hoped
lWOuld sleep sOundy. As was nv in
variable custom, I took my pack along
with me, aud climbed the ladder to lind
myself ln long, low room, nghted by a
window a. either end, and Tue lower sash
81 the window was up It's fuu height.
Prom the WlL0oW TO the bed was "A dis
lance % about feet. notwithstanding
The ram Tie chamber was close ana sui.
Try, aud Tor thls reason She woman had
raised the window. and Tor This reason 1
Jeititup. placed my pack ON the foot OF
the bed, blew out the light and sat down
70 think. The widow had acted In "A sus.
ptciOus manner. and yet there Was notb.
ing, when came 10 think 10 all over.
which really condemned ner I won't aa.
init that ] was a bit alarmed, but found
myself trembling at some unseen and an.
defined danger. u WAS curious position
10 be placed ito feel no fear and vet to
be shaking as 90 some terror was up0n
g0u. looked out Of the window. but the