The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1888-11-15
The Bibbs And The Carriers,

was Cii dnu WDllt ualItu, though ,
still vigorous, while the others were
men OF middle age. All had guns
and knives, and thong looking
lot they were as they surrounded
me. There was moment of 81
lence IS we surveyed each other
and then one of the men asked.
'Who be you'un?'
/ told him.
"Ob, yes" he replied as he held
out his hand. so you'un is he'un
be it7 Glad to see you. We'uns
hav all heard of you'un.'
All shock hands with me and |
pessed the time of day, and pres
entity / asked.
"Out for hunt?'
Eyes"
CATER bearY'
Bigger nor that, strangerp'
All chuckled as if highly pleased
and after enjoying my embarrass-
ment Tor minute the spokesman
said:
eve mouth ak We to mix in,
stranger, but it's none O your con-
sider.''
"What is iti'
We're hunun' Hack Blbbs an
his pap"
"Going to kill them?'
"If we kin. That's what we're
fyere fur. That's why we're come
from t'other side of the big hill"
"Why, l was on my way to
Bibb'."
Reckon ye we're, stranger. That
why we stopped ye. Didn't want
ye to suffer in the scrimmage."
It was feud--a vendetta. I re
allied it now. They had set out to
kill men just as you would to kill
pigeons.
"Tell me about this" l said as we
sat down on rock and I passed
out some tobacco.
"W ALL" replied the spokesman,
eme n the old man ar Carriers. The
others jined in to help. We've bin
down on the Bibbs fur-let's see
how long is it. pap?"
"a year afo' the wab," answered
the old man.
"Call it thirty years." resumed
the son. "That's right smsrt, l
reckon. And we've killed four on
em--four Of the Bibbs. And sey've'
killed three of us--three of the Car
ters! Thar hasn't bin any scrim-
mage of late, cause Hank Bibbs
has bin gone aud have bin gone
and the old folks here got moas' too
old. But Hank has cum back, and
hev cum back and 50 we reck.
oned on gwine over thar and wipin'
the last of sem out"
Glow did t4is affair start? What
was the beginningT
The start! Let's see! 1t goes
back too far fur me. Say, pap
what begun this yere fusY'
"Jim Bibbs pizened my mewl
cause | beat hi n chopin.
"Are you shure Of it?' asked.
, ashore? Of course I'm shore.
The mewl was found dead, and il
Jim Bibbs didn't pizen HIM who
dldp
} eBut was he poisoned?'
"If not, what made him diep'
perhaps he was sick, or got 8
fall or died Of old age"
ssSay, pap" said the son, Np'raps
of
. 'Mout be, Cyrus. | never thor'
of it"
: "Look here, men, l said after We
had talked q little further, ''this
thing is ali wrong and ! want to SEE
it righted. / want to see Bibbs be
fore you do any shooting
4 "What furY
s "To see what he has against you
h and to see if you can't be friends
S You have all been wrong from til
n start
n "But didn't my mewl die3' aske'
the old man.
Yes, but you didn't know tha
II one of the Bibbs' was within do7
! en- miles of him. Did you try t
= fnd out if they were gui'typ
Il 81 hadn't no show. l jist too
g down the gun and pepered Bi
Bibbs. Then one of his brother
pepperod my son Enos, and so we,
e been peperin' ever since"
If "And all about an old mulew
3. "WslI. nevis was skace ther
% and it was the principle of the thin
We see. Mabbe we've been too first
q ly (hasty), but the Bibbs hahn
q never cum to talk it over"
After little more talk it wa
IS agreed that should go on to tn
10 Bibbs and tell them what was U
r. and ask the two men to come dow
n to little branch which crossed tn
g road ahead of US. They were guar
. anteed protection and the Who'll
5. matter could be talked over with
view to permanent peace. | foun
the men--father and son, sitting il
z front of the cabin. Before / ha
IS said twenty words both rushed TO
J their guns and it was half an hou
before they could reason.
: "Didn't they'uns begin to shoe
II we'uns fustr' the old man KEEP
II repeating, but after awhile h
cooled down and it was finally agrees
IT TO 90 down and have talk. Their
n was no thought of ambush or trick
cry. The Carriers had passed thei
d word, and that word was sacred
Y It was curious scene when al
9 came together. There were tn
e two old Observation-Disclosures
O wrinkled and getting ready for th
grave and each had hated for thirt,
i, years. There were the two sons
strong, agile, fearless, who had tn
:, memory of seven killings on thei
,, minds as they looked into eacl
: Others eyes. The men with tn
= Carriers cast down their eyes as j
ashamed.
"Mr. Bibbs," / said as we ga
down, ''do yon remember how thi!
all started?"
Let's see? It was way back
My Bill was out hunting and PaI
! Carter peppered him. Bill said sc
s afore he died"
And then pepered Buck Car
e ter to git eyen."
"Did you know that Mr.. Garter
] had mule poisenedT
Never did! i
Didn't you hear of his mule dy
ine?"