Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1886-11-21
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Daily Ea91e
4 WILD FAMILY.
CURIOUS DISCOVERY MEDE AMONG
TIE BLUE RIDGE Businesses.

TIE BLUE RIDGE FASTNEsSES.
A True Tale of tho Observation-Disclosures
from the Story of Strange Trio in
Lebanon County. Pa.-A Pathetic Incl
6cni-Thc Forsalien Cabin.
We ell tcscTtation at q little distance from
tho ric5cty structure called their honle oild
eyaitad developments. Presently one Of tbs
female creatures yo-ltured shyiy TO the open
inr STYLED the door The other timidly leaned
forward upon Ter hands and knees ard
stretched her head from tho side. They
looked wild and rude, indeed, and as much
excited over our presence as = tie steps Of
civilized beings had never before been heard
by them. The orc standing had eyes GliStcn-
Ing blacl; and rolling II quick, restless mo-
ton, fixed upon the group like two fiery
Goals Slle dartcd glances as il on tho alert
for the least doubtful movement Of her Tisi-
tors. Her hair OF raven darkness stood on
end, very Ike the juInbied mass OF q wheat
shcaf. Never such Il luzury Sc comb bad
been used uuon It. Her mouth wa5 thickset,
with strong, broad teeth showing proIni-
neutly between parted lips. Her complexion
was sallow, with neck tufted with large,
brour-c9ated golfers. The other w3d cTca-
ture ives somewhat Of 4 different mold Her
hair vas light and strangely matted, over
cast win n mixture Of tints-broWn, gray
and vel,ou-caused by the exposure to the
sun. Her eyes were blue and deeply retired,
giving TIC expression OF q haunted, fright
ened and s.a.Goned soul. These were sisters.
both clad II plain skirts Of coarse material
and r1Idoly PIT together. They had no pro-
lection for ,aair head nor any for their feet.
Their arms were bare and brown and hands
coarse ycinei, with finger nails protruding
like claws Of wild beasts.
i COARSE WILD MAH.
As this mutual inspection of awakened
curiosity and fright was exercised before the
hut, strange, wild figure was observed Turk
ing IN the distance. 10 trailed his course
toward us in quick zig zaG cuts from tree 70
tree BY the evident emotion Of assurance
the two sisters expressed over his approach,
VIC concluded this to be their brother, CT
whom we had heard. Our guide beckoned to
him and the men went out to meet him. Is
required special tactics to bring hin into con
fidence 10 awaited his fate, standing il
brute stupidity. Ho was tail and heavily set.
His face was fabby and sparSely covered
with whiSlers His eyes bulged out in bull
dog dullnesS; his forehead retreated, as evinc-
Ing the IDIOT, which he was. His hair YVES
whir1wind of confusion and his skin, in every
part Of his exposed body, tinsed with tho
life color Of the hardy Tountaineer. He bore
With him some tokens Of civilized contact,
for he had an old afint-loclz" over his shout
der and some game on a spit, which he was
about carrying home from his days exploit
lie was put together with On apology of dress
not much unlike that Of old Rip when
awakening from his long sleep. We coazcd
him TO bis hauI,ts, wksr. we found that tho
ladies had fully ingratiatea themselves with
tho wild sisters
Our captives were ncvc. quite at case, and
only with repeated SIGNS Of an7i.y and good
viii were we able 20 draw answers from them.
Their speech was q vernacUlar quite their own.
and yet with enough Pennsylvania Dutch in
terSperSed TO understand tho bearings OF their
answers They spoke in doleful tones, will.
eyes cast to the gr0un.i, and their words came
like the Stow droppings OF water from tho
caves of a roof We described many Of the
most ordinary things in civilized life, but
they shook their heads and declared they had
never seen nor heard OF them. We inquired
into their family history. They were able TO
tell us their names but not their ages. Ben
nivell was the name of tie brother, who lifted
his eyes inquirinsly to his sister as sho men
toned it, We judged his age to ba about 30
years. Hannah was the name Of the dark
female, aged about - years, and Mary the
name OF the ligh5 compexioned, aged about
IL years There we're five members in tia
family, The parents having died some years
ago
70 TIE OLD HOME.
Hannah led the way to tho Old home. It
Was but = short distance from the present
site, and concealed entirely behind thicl,
growth % large and small trees it was the
simplest structure imaginable, rising to the
height cf q man, and ia proportion about
fifteen bv twelve feet. Ii had the shape of
an old-fasnion-i baheovcu, Overgrown with
MOSES and thial.cts in wild p-ofuSion. It Was
plastered on the inside with clay, which had
hardened with time like rock. There was no
window within, no opening of any kind TO
the dark cayerned hut. save the front ape
turc known Is the door. Nor did we enter
That was 4 sacred threshold to these untl-
tored and Uncl,-iStianized beings Hannah's
sense OF the holy would have been outraged
had ever any human foot ventued upon that
floor Her parents died there, and well does
she remember the dark days in their history
when they carried mother and their father
into the valley below. Even il TIE savage
breast can be found tho beatings OF love and
The deep seated instinct Of reverence.
In that hut lived the Laub family during
many winters. Since the day the aged par
ents were carried out, dead, Benniyen,
Hannah and Mary never entered again to
abide there They declared to us their fear
that the spirits of the dead might come back
again. y strange tinge of the supeTstitious
entered into their nature. \ rudely con-
structe1 barrel had somehow found its way
hither, into which they pressed the juice Of
wild fruit 20 make n sour drink We style
vinegar. Upon its head was affixed an up
right stick, with apples fastened in the shape
of n cross. That" said Hannah, rs to keep
out the witches" Dried boEcs of certain
portions Of wild beasts, with good luck
feathers of birds. and elongated skeletons Of
snakes and roots Of rare plants were strung
upon their hickory whips Us charms against
the evil spirits of the mountain cavernS, and
these We're the only adOrnmcuts &C their pres
ent home.
1t WAS intimatol that thcsc villa poop,e had
never before heard music. After our re-
turn quaint plantation so2- soon filed the
roof of their hut Never I'D the harmony OF
music fall so strangely upon cars as here.
The soprano, alto, tenor and baSSo flowed ont
upon those woods in weird-like tones In tie
midst of orr song Hannah pleaded with Us 10
stop rs She pointed to the tiulid Mary,
rrouchinS in agony within the fireplace. Her
large blue eyes we're partly covered by her
matted hair, thrown forward, and she looked
out al us in melting sadness. She interccded
"Sins not-sinsing makes people dis!' We
left Hannah looked the picture OF great re-