The Portland daily press., 1888-07-02
HI AND JEN.
An Evening In the Tennessee Noun.
tains.
[M. Quad, in Detroit Free Press

lci' Qudus III DtllOlb rIee fTcSS.l
The mountaineer of Tennessee is a curl
GUS combination. He is ignorant, but cour-
teous; unlearned, but sharp; poverty poor,
but open-handed; suspicious 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 grip more tenacious
than Christians. have eaten his hoecake
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 Athens, came upon
log cabin near the road. | said evening.
because everything after II is "evening" In
the south 1t was about o'clock in the
afternoon. man sat on log at the door
SIN sking and whiting, three children were
playing about, and woman sat ON the door
sill with elbows on her knees and her face in
her hands. As came near the man looked
up and said:
''Howdy, strangers"
The woman slowly lifted face the color
OF sunfiower, gazed at me for half minute
and then added:
"Howdy?"
The children sat down on the log in BASH
full way, each sucking a finger, and the father
pocketed his knife, knocked the ashes from
his pipe, and continued:
Make yerself right to hum, stranger.
Children bring Stn the gourd' and you Jen.
explained that all asked was 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 l finally sat
beside him. We had scarcely begun a con-
versation. when the woman looked up and
drawled.
"Say, HI"
"What?"
. Better git yer gum"
"Cause Rcbinsons coming"
The man rose up, passed the woman. and
next moment came out with a rifle in his
hands. He stood on the log and looked down
the road, and as l cast my eyes in that direc-
ton / saw a man leave the road and take to a
tree.
stranger, you'd better squat Children Law
low! Jen, look out fur yourselfl'
! 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?" finally asked.
Lives down on the creek, and wants to
shoot me" was the calm replys
Hes gittin' yer range, HIP remarked,
rather than exclaimed the woman.
Next moment bullet whistled over my
head and the report of Robinson's rife came
to our ears.
"He couldn't hit barn at the end of his
guni' 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 go in. stranger, Robin
sons an onery skunk, and is probably creep
in up on us for cluSser shot. Jist don't
mind us, but make, yerself at hum"
The door had not been shut to after us as
we entered the cabin when bullet struck it,
This aroused the spirit of the woman, and
she exclaimed:
''There, Iii Skivens, didn't allus say Rob-
inSon was coward!'
Eyes, you allus did"
"And you hev got to wipe him out?"
"Yes, hey. Taint no use putting 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?''
That's the name, guess. I'd have had
nm twice If my gun hadn't missed fire, and
he's hit me once"
Only trihe, though" added the woman,
as L would regard the wound as stain up
"Pd like to see the man as could kill pop p
exclaimed the oldest child, girl of 10.
60 long, Nancy, and take that with YOU I"
said the mother, as she bestowed a sound cuff
on the ear.
Robinson now fired bullet through the
only front window, and uttered war-wheop.
Coin to stand ii" queried the woman, as
she looked over to her husband.