Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1888-10-24
Warned Away.

Warned Away.
Late one afternoon in Septembel
| reached the cabin Of John Hunger
ford, in a cove Of the Kentuck noun
tains. The family consisted of faith
er, mother and three small children
and there we're many comforts abou
the place. Hungerford was an indus
trious, hard working man, and one o.
unusual intelligence for mountain
eer, and the wife and children were
above the average. They extended Q
right royal welcome, and we had been
visiting away for two hours when q
woman rode up on a mule. The
beast was badly blown and wet with
perspiration, and the woman must
have come with important news
Now was developed trait peculiar
to all the southern mountaineers
lucy aio Sohc w q Ihoh anu "oh
an. They are the coolest people in
the face of danger one ever saw.
"Howdy, Johnl' querried the
woman as she drew rein at the door
and as Mrs. Hungerford appeared
she added: "And howdy, Mary ?"
Both answered that they were vel
and John inquired:
GLOW are all you'uns, Sarah p
Gall able to dig, thankee, john"
"Corn an taters turnin' out well |?
Reckon they be, what little we've
got, but barks and roots pays better
Children chilling any this fall, Mary?
mot bit, Sarah"
Haven't heard from them'uns,
reckonf' queried Hungerford after
long pause, during which the woman
tried to size me up.
"Mebbe. Who may hen be"
stranger from the north"
"Sartin ?"
"I'm shore"
"Will he back with ye (stand to
your back in case of trouble) ?"
Haven't mentioned, but reckon"
"Well, then, they'uns is coming up
tonight to put on the hickory"
"Who said it Z"
Heard it at the corners. It's sure.
Bassett has got home, and he'un is
gwine to lead 'em. Are ye prepared,
Jim p
Reckon"
"And Mary?"
"She'un is prepared"
"Well, then, that's all I've got to
say. Hope you'll hurt they'uns till
they'll behave themselves. Goodbye
John-good-bve Mary"
She was off with that. | had dim
suspicion of what was meant, hut the
GOODNESS of the trio puzzled me-
When she was out of sight down the
rocky road / asked
"Is it trouble I"
Stranger" replied Hungerford as
he pulled twig off bush and bit it,
"I've been warned away"
"Why-how ?"
"Took sides with the Oldams against
the Bassetts, and the Bassetts have
warned me to leave"
"And as you have refused to 60
they are coming to take you out and
switch your"
"Exactly-if they kim"
"And they are coming tonight"
81 reckon"
"And you"
l shall be ready"
We sat in silence for a moment.
looked up at Mrs. Hungerford, but
she was sewing away and trotting her
foot as placidly as if danger was at
the other end of the world. The
children soon began game of tag,
and the husband softly whistled as he
switched the twig over the ground.
"Great Scots but you take it cool
ly (" exclaimed, as | noted every
thing.
stranger" answered Hungerford,
as be turned to me, 81 need somebody
to back with me tonight. This amt
your fuss. You don't know the Old
hams from the Bassetts. Deed you
may have stayed with an Oldham last
night. You don't want to mix in.
and yet"
81 don't want to kill or be killed,
but can't | hell you some other way?'
"You kin. He'un is all right, Mary,
/ know he'un was -
"Glad ont" she briefly replied, not
even looking up from her knitting.
Hungerford took the whole matter
as cody ms if it was an ordinary bust
ness transaction. There was only one
way by which his cabin could be ap-
preached. 1t was arranged that | was
to secrete myself in the cow-shed on
the one hand. and his wife in the
smoke house on the other, aud at the