Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-05-14

lhey disposed Of the prOuuct OF their
sii;; 10 the lumbermen on the river and
divided among themselves the profit.
The gang hadnumero encounters with
the revenue officers. and one after anoth-
er Of the Alfreys were killed until only
Dick remained. There were warrants
out for his arrest charging him with Kill
ling revenue officer and with illicit dis.
tllng. Armed with his long squirrel
rifle he roamed through the mountains
and freely visited the towns, boasting
that he would kill the first man who
made warlike movement toward him.
He spent his money freely and had hum
drcds Of friends scattered about the
country, who warned him whenever a
marshal posse approached.
Once in 1880, wailc visiting his fathers
house on the Licking river road, party
OF revenue officers rode up and sur
rounded the house, keeping, however,
at respectful distance, for they knew
that Dick was IL dead shot and none of
them wanted to make martyrs Of them
selves. Every door and window of the
house was barricaded and when the
marsnal's men cautiously approached
Dicks voice was heard ordering them
to halt.
"Ye all dassent make rush, for I'll
kill half dozen NV ye afore ye git
hyar. The ole mans well purvided
with rashuns, an kin stand We off fur
month. Dad an I'll take turns
standn' guard, an we'll keep it up
night an day."
The marshals party, after consulting
among themselves, mounted their
horses and rode away, and Dick went
back 10 his mountain eyrie to dstil more
whisky Crippled Bill Elliot was the
factor or go-belween Of the Alfreys, and
when only Dick remained to carry on
the business he and the old man shared
the profits OF the still equally. Crippled
Bill saved his money to spend it liberal
ly on Little Kate, whom he dccked in
the handSomest gowns that could be
purchased at the crossroads store. She
was Of finer clay than he, and from
making goccasionalvi visits to Morchcad and
Liberty. and once as far down the country
as Mount Sterllng,a new and higher life
was opened up TO her. She Kept her
secret lodgings to herself and never di-
vulged the hiding-placc 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, md able to shoot rifle or ride
horse with the best man in the country.
A score or more of the young noun
taineers endeavorcd, In their homely
fashion, to make Katy their sweetheart,
but she rcpulsed 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.n 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.
Aman, young and strong limbed as
a 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 n moment in
front Of Crippled Bil's 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.
"I 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, land am thirsty.
Would you kindly give me a drink Of
Waterp"
"Sartin' sure" answered Kate. .Tll
git We q fresh drink from the spring" "
and seizing wooden pigeon which
stood ON 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 CRATE
full sigh seated himself in the rush-bot-
toned chair which Kate had motioned
him to take,
"If you have no objection" he said,
when she returned with the water and
profered him a gourdful, which he
drank in deep draughts, 81 will resi-
here while. have Travelled a long
distance and | am very tired"
"Sit ye thar, stranger, as long as ye
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 picture:
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 O
! brown jug of moonshine whisky in each
hand. At sight of him the girl, with q
glad cry, jumped from the porch and
, ran down to tho gate, She threw hel
arms around the old mans neck and
4 kinoou ulhA, WuiopOiiuS ihcuuWul0 lila
q 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 6
4 irown on his face, the young man raised
his hat and apologized for the intrusion
$ Tm an artist" he said, land my
). business here is to make sketches O
/. this most picturesque solitude"
d Crippled Bill answered him gruffiy
despite Little Kate's frowning protest
but the old man finally picked up two
@ jugs of whisky and walked toward the
), house muttering something abou
i 'hevin' no room to entertain strangers.
He followed Kate inside the house. TIL,
+ stranger remained ON the porch
# Father and daughter held whispered
= consultation and presently Crippled Bill
4 came out and invited the young man Il
: stake cheer" The latter had alread,
d introduced himself as Harry Morgan
J. artist, and when he had told the ol,
l. moonshiner several stories that tickle,
L the latter nightly and had listene,
IS patiently to Bill's running account o
y Morgan's raid and his own woundin,
1t by stray Federal bullet, the two be
a came quite good friends and befor
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