The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1888-11-22
WINsTON-sALEM, N. G, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22 1885,
BEATING THE REVENUE,

BEATING THE REVENUE
EXPERIENCES OF A FUNNY MAN
IN OUR N. C. MOUNTAINS.
He Tells Some Improbable stories OF
the Folks ard Country but They're
Interesting Reading.
On the North Carolina side of Bald
Mountain, as I turned aside one day
at noon to eat my luncheon, I stun
bled upon new still which the noun.
taineers were bringing up. On the
day previous several men on horseback
had passed me, and Remembered
that the family at the cabin where ]
passed the night seemed to be restless
and uneasy. The revenue men had
got track of the still and had pressed
the mountaineers so closely that they
had hidden it among the rocks and
bushes at the wayside. That outfit
represented the combined capital of
half dozen mountaineers. If they
lost it they would lose their all. - II
Uncle Sam failed to lay hands on it
he would be no worse off. I looked
the outfit over, makingla note of every
thing, ate my dinner. aud had only
got back to the trail again when four
horsemen rode up. l sized them for
revenue men at once, and it was plain
enough they were in i'll -humor. l
don't know that / would have given
them any information had they been
pleasant, but the way they jumped on
me for send off boiled me over.
'sSee here" said the leader, as he
glai ed down at me, ''you're the fellow
we saw yesterday back here in that
elbow
"Well, what of ?"
GA good deal of it. We are govern
ment officials"
Eyes / have seen 'em before. In
fact, used to own one"
"Look out sir / can make it very
serious for you. You must know that
still has been brought in this direc-
ton. The chances are that you have
met the men with it.
"Well ?"
"Well, we are here to find it,
"Am [ hindering you ?"
81 believe you know all about it,,
and should be justified in arresting
you
Every we'll ; I consider myself your
prisoner"
They drew apart and conferred to-
gether for a few minutes, and the
leader said:
"Perhaps / was a little too rash,
and hope you'll excuse me. If you
would give us a pointer it would be a
great favor"
"What information do you want p
"About that still. We know that
it passed Lapham's, three miles back.
We know that it has not passed Har.
rison's two miles ahead. It's likely you
saw the men,"
"About two hours ago?"
Yes"
"Hsd it packed on two mules?"
"That's it,
Four men on two mules p
eyes"
"They must have left the main trail
or you would have seen them"
8Yes."
"Back here about twenty rods
there's raviue to the right"
"That's sol remember
elf / had been one of the men
should have lodged in there with the
party"
"Certain | A thousand thanks to
youp'
They were off on the gallop, and
the sound of their horses feet had moi
yet died away when two men dropped
out of the rocks and bushes to my
left. They were mountaineers and
moonshiners. Both held out theil
hands as I jumped up in alarm, ane
one of them said:
Stranger, that's the whitest thing
ever knew man to do, and we ar
a crowd which won't forgit it !"
He uttered a shrill whistle, anc
two other men, each leading mule
broke cover from a thicket. Tha
outfit was picked up and packed ane
strapped in five minutes, and [ was
invited to go along with the party
We kept the main trail about half {
mile and then turned into ravin
road to the right One man was sen
ahead rs a scout, and as we slowl,
progre sed the others asked where
was from and what my errand wa
and before I had fully explained tn
leader, whose name was Dawson
said:
"Say. he's the very feller we go
word about! Put it thar, younl
feller; and right glad we ar to se
you r
We had progressed about a mil
when the scout came back with wor,
that the revenue gang had taken
half circle and were coming back t
the main road by this very path. JUS
here a small ravine ran to our right
deep and dark. The men were badl
| rattsed for the moment, and SCENE
about to abandon the mules an
take fight..down the gulley, when
said:
"Can't you all push down in ther
and leave it to me again r.
"Would you do it, stranger p
aOf course I will"
/ saw them hidden and then saur
tered on for about two hundred fet
and sat down on a rock. In FIVE mir
utes the revenue men came up.
asked what luck, and they replie
that they had missed the party alt
gether."
"After you went away" / said aft
Bit, I saw two men and two mul,
in the brush on the left of the road
You did p
Eyes. You were gone then, an