Little Falls transcript., 1886-01-29
Serving q Warrant on Lost
Mountain

B From Joel Chandl Ter Harris shumor.
,ous and dramatic story, frouble on
Al osts II Iount tain, in the January Cen
Itury, We take this characteristic Incl
dent Of mountain life in northern
Georgia: On one occasion shortly
after the war, Abe had gone to the
little county town on business, and
had been vexed into laying rough
hands on one Of the prominent citi-
zens who was q trihe under the i'll
huence Of liquor. warrant was is
sued, and Dave Mc1,endon, the sheriff
Of the county, stumpy little man,
whose boldness and prudence made
him the terrorof criminals, was sent
T to serve it. Abe, who was on the
lookout for some such visitation, saw
him coming, and prepared himself He
stood in the doorway. with his rife
flung carelessly across his left arm,
"'Hold on thar, Dave, he cried, as
the latter meup. The sheriff, know
ing his man, halted.
"'I hate to fling away my manners,
Dave he went on, 'butfo folks is gittin'
to be mighty funny these days. A
mans obleeged to s'arch his best
frien's lore he kin find out Their which
Always. Dave, what sort Of a docky-
ment is you got ag'in me?'
"l got Warrant, Abe, said the
sheriff, pleasantly.
sEtWo11 noro hyt T. fotch VIZ,
said Abe.
"Oh, yes! said the sheriff, Yes it
will, Abe. BIN a-usin' these kind er
warrants q mighty long time, an
they fetched ieller every whacl1.'
"'Now, I'll tall you what, Dave
said Abe patting his rife, I got u
dockyment here that'll fetch you q.
blame sight quicker'n your docky.
ment'll fetch me; an l tell you right
now, plain an fiat, haint a a-gwine to
be drug aroun' an slapped in jail
The sheriff leaned carelessly against
the rail fence in the attitude of man
who is willing to argue an interesting
question.
"'Well, I tell you how Ifeel aboutit,
Abe, said the sheriff, speaking very
slowly. You kin shoot ME, but Vol,
can't shoot the law Bang away 1T
me, an thar's another warrant after
you. This yer one what I'm already
got don't amount to shucks, SO you
better fling Oh your coat, saddle Your
horse, an go right along wi me thes
ez neighborly ez you please.
":Dave,' said Abe, III you come III
at that gate you er agoner.'
"Well, Abe the sheriff replied, 4
lowed you'd kick; / know what hll-
man natur' on these hills is, an so
thes axed some er the boys to conc
along. They er right down thar in tbs
holler. They hain't got no mo- idea
what come fern the man in the moon;
yit they'd make a mighty peart posse
Tooby shore, great big man likeyou
amt afeared fer ter face little bit er
law
"Abe Hightower hesitated a mo-
ment. and then went into the houe:
In q few minutes he issued and we;t
out to the gate where the sheriff was
The faces OF the two men were a aetudy.
Neither betrayed any emotion or al
luded to the warrant. The sheriff
asked after the crap and Abe told
him it was 'nliddlin' peart, and asked
him to go into the house and make
himself at home until the horse could
be saddled. After a while the two
rode away. Once during the ride Ale
said:
I'm mighty glad it want that tel-
Ter what run agi'n you ulast fall, Dave
"Why?' asked the sheriff
"'Bekaze I'd a plugged him, certain
an shure, said Abe.
"Well, said the sheriff, laughing, i
wuz a-wishin' mighty hard thes about
that time that the tother TELLER had
got 'lected.'"