Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1888-06-27
A Peacemaker.


The mountaineer of Tennessee is a
curious combination. Ho is ignorant,
but courteous unlearned, but sharp ;
poverty poor, but open-handed sus-
picious and cunning, yet scorning any
unfair advantage. He is shiftless,
but virtuous; most always sinner.
as the word goes, yet holding to some
of the commandments with a grip
more tenacious than a Christians. |
have eaten his hoe-cake and possum,
slept before his rude fireplace, walked
and hunted with him; studied him
from all sides, and yet he is as much
Of an enigma as the day ! first saw
him.
One evening after hard days
climb in the mountains beyond Ath-
ems, came upon a log cabin near the
road. | said evening, because any
thing after II is evening" in the
South. 1t was about o'clock in the
afternoon. A man sat on a log at the
door smoking and whiting, three
children were playing about, and a
woman sat OH the door sill with ell
bows on her knees and her face in her
hands. AS | came near the man
looked up and said
"Howdy, stranger"
The woman slowly lifted face, the
color of sunhower, gazed at me for
half a minute, and then added
"Howdy."
The children sat down on the log
in bashful way, each sucking 6ng-
er, and the father pocketed his knife,
knocked the ashes from his pipe, and
continued:
make yerself right ter hum,
stranger, Children, bring the gourd,
and you, Jen, hunt up bite to eat"
explained that all | asked was a
drink of water and some information
about the route, but he spoke up with
considerable energy.
you must stop with us tonight.
There's no other place for ten miles
whar they are fixed to take you in"
demurred and he insisted, and |
finally sat down beside him. We had
scarcely begun a conversation, when
the woman looked up and drawled
Say, Hi."
"What? ?"
Better git yer gun"
"Why ~
"Cause Robinson's coming
The man rose up, passed the wom-
an, and the next moment came out
with rifle in his hands. He stood
on the log and looked down the road,
and as cast my eyes in that direc-
tion | saw man leave the road and
take to tree.
eyes, that's Robinson" muttered
my host. stranger, you'd better
squat. Children, lay low Jen, look
out for yourself y
sat down on the ground beside
the log, while the children took cover
on the other side. The woman never
moved.
"Who is Robinson and what does
he want?" fnall ly asked.
Lives down on the creek, and
wants to shoot me, was the calm re-
ply.
"He's gittin' yer range, Hi !" re-
marked, rather than exclaimed, the
woman.
Next moment a bullet whistled over
my head and the report of Robinson's
rifle came to our ears.
"He couldn't hit barn at the end
of his gum? muttered Hi, who stood
with rifle ready to raise to his face.
There was long silence, and then
he stepped down and said;
Guess we'd better 90 in, stranger.
RobiDson's an opery skunk, and is
probably creeping up on us for clus-
ser shot. Just don't mind us, but
make yerself at hum
The door had not been shut to after
us as we entered the cabin when a
bullet struck it, This reused the
spirit Of the woman, and she exclaim-
ed
There, Hi Skivens, didn't allus
say Robinson was a coward p
Yes, you allus did
"And you've got to wipe him out p
"Yes, ] hev. Tain't no use putin
up with him no noah"
Have you and Robinson been at
this thing very long ?" asked as
sat down,
Bout three years.
Its what they call feud, is it T.
That's the name, guess. I'd
have had him twice if my gun hadn't
missed fire, and he hit me once"
"Only trihe, though" added the
woman, as if ! would regard the
wound rs stain upon bis honor.
I'D like to see the man that
could kill pop!" exclaimed the oldest
child, a girl of 10.