Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-03-06
LEAVES FROM AN OLD DIARY.
sowrsOUrHERN WOMEN. .RHO LkFr AN
,NrEREs rIN8 IMPRFSsfON.
A Muscular Miss Carries u Two Bushei Sack
OF Corn TO tho Top OF y Mountain
Another Ri.ks Her Lite to save Her
Corn A pet CaIf Slaughtered
Suffering OF n Female Spy.

While my command was lying near Kely''
Ferry ON the Tennessee river, below Chatta
noog,, In December 1853, I made several
rambles over the mountains In that vicinity
in search of wild turkeys and deer. ON the
top of the mountain not tar from our camp
was little iarm owned and occupied by a
widow fnrty-hve or fifty years Of age and her
buxom daughters. To reach their log cottage
on the mountain crest was no easy matter
Tito path was tortuous aud Steep and In
several places dangerous, winding along the
edges oi precipices where n misstep would
have sent one headlong down to death hun
dreds OF ioet below. Accompanied by some
others, climbed the path one afternoon and
finally reached the top. We were hospitabiy
entertained, the family preparing us dinner
of stewed chicken, corn cakes aud such other
delicacies IA they possessed.
In conversation with the family l asked
how in tho world they got their provisions
up To their mountain home. They told me
they almost daily went up and down the
mountain path had clibmed an hour or tw o
before, and they did not regard the task as
either very difficult or dangerous. When
ventured to express a doubt about their
ability to do so, they all laughed, and one of
them, strapping damsel of Is,ssid she could
not only climb the path, but could carry a
top of 1t, without difficulty.
Mt once offered To give her bag of corn IL
she would perform the task.
"All right" said she "I'il be at the base
OF the mountain tomorrow at sunrise, II
you'll promise to have the corn there"
promised, and chatted with the family
till aiter sundown, my comrades In the mean
time having lett ne.
was scared at the very thought of de-
scending that dangerous mountain path in
the dusk of the evening. | didn't attempt
1t, but took a roundabout trail that led To the
base Oi the mountain some two or three miles
distant Even this trail was bad one, and
as darkness overlook me | more than once
lost it, but could not go tar into the thicket
on either side without meeting obstacles that
prevented my further progress and Induced
me To carefully retrace my steps to the trail.
1t was weary aud cheeress walk, down,
down, down, with brambles and bushes
brushing against me at every few steps, no
matter how carefully | felt my may along
the trail. IL was said the mountains were
infested with bushwack ers. and as tn sthought
struck mo could have kicked myself for
remaining so long with the nountaineers, or
iOr even climbing tho mountain at all. Sud
denly heard the short, sharp barking oil a
dog that evidently had heard me approach
ing, and took this meals of giving alarm.
The alarm was taken up 10y other dogs, aud
then | wished had risked breaking my
neck by going down the precpitous path /
had assembled. But ii was too late tu retreat
| was half way down the mountain, and the
dogs in 'front.' OF me were perhaps no more
dangerous than those ! would meet at the
house whero had stopped II ventured to
return. so drew my revolver and moved
forward. ] came out into little clear
ing-not half an acre in eNtent-in which
! could dimly sec the outline oi "A cabin. |
had no sooner entered the clearing than half
dozen dogs, barking furiou>ly, came bound
ing towards me. could not see them until
they wcro close upon me. fired and Grip
pied one OF them, and the whole pack ran
yelplng back Ia tho cabin.
/ called hailoo y three or four times,
when was answered by a grufi a" halloo"
from tho cabin as the owner raised the win
dow
"CalI OIL your dogs" said |.
" Who are you, and what do you want p
was the answer.
" lnI u soldier, aud want to get to the foot
OF the mountain. Call oil your dogs, or I'll
shoot them" was my reply.
The dogs were called oil and tho noun
taineer III answer To questions gave me some
rather obscure directions ~ how to get tn the
foot OF the mountain. on | trudged in the
dark through brIars and brambles, and over
rocks and loose stones, losing the trail occa-
sionally, but continuing to go down, down.
down. was at last gladdened by the sight
of the Tennessee river, and after walk
along it, hduks for some distance reached
my camp.
THE MunCrLNR MAID or THE MOUNTAIN.
Next morning almost the first person met
a, the foot of the mountain was the maiden
VINO had boaSted of her ability to carry a two
bushel sack of corn up the steep path that !
had feared to descend empty handed the pre-
ceding evening. She was not larg o woman
not much above tho medium height-but
like Lady Jane in Patience, she was "mas-
sive." without being positively pretty, she
had an Interesting face, dark hazel eyes, a
well formed nose al mouth, aruddy, healthy
complexion, and head covered with a thick
crop of dark hair. There was nothing swan
like about her neck, and yet 1t did not seem
to be unduly developed or out OF proportion
with her broad shoulders and deep chest.
She wore no stays or corset or hustle or any
other kind of fashionable appliance to i'm.
prove or spoil her shape She was none OF
your waSp-waisted maidens, and yet con-
trssted with her swelling hips and massive
chest her girth was not too large to be in good
proportion. She was plainly dressed, her
skirt being short enough To show a foot that
had never been misshaped by attempting to
cram it into a shoe too small for 1t She did
not wear a number one shOe-mOre likely IL
was six or eght-and yet 1t was shapely,
and well-htted 10 the sinewy ankle and
swelling calf, the outline of which could be
seen above it. Her hands were un-browned
and her arms hung gracefully by her side as
she stood there erect but not stii-coniident
but not unduly hold, the impersonation of
mountain maid with a back bone, waiting
for the sack of corn had promised her. |
gave it her of course aud after a pleasant
chat in the course of which suggested that
she might get the corn to the top of the noun
tain II crried The o by tho halfpeck, she
shOuldered the sack and marched OIL under
the load as briskly aud steadily as though she
scarcely felt its weight. Entering the noun
tain path she assembled with steady step until
she reached quite a height, when, throwing
the sack from her shoulder upon rock Dy
the wayside, she sat dow to rest. kissed
my hand To her, and in acknowledging the
salute she pointed up the mountain, and
after a short breathing spell shoudered the
heavy sack and soon disappeared from view
behind one of 'he jutting knobs among which
the pathway zigzagged ! had fully intended
to climb the mountain that day and see the
young Amazon, but circumstances prevented.
never saw her more but have no doubt
she accomplished her seli-imposed task, and
chuckled at the great bargain she had made
in securing so valuable prize on such easy
terms
A DIFFERENT KIND or GIRL
While on fi raging tour among the farms
in Northern Alabama, l stopped at a farm
house, where l met an old man, an old
woman and tall, slim girl, with rather thin
features and flashing black eyes. Without
paying much attention to the family, l went
to the little barn near by and took an inyen-
tory of its scanty contents. The corn-crib
was empty; there was a small stack OF hay
and few bundles of unhusked corn, at
which a cow, with crumpied horn, was
feeding.
The girl watched my every movement,
and seemed to regard me as an impertnent