The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-08-18
LOVE IN THE MOUNTAINS
BY N. QUAD.

The next day after the affair at Bur- toms, in Tennessee, went over to An drewS Fork, seven or eight miles away, and was made heartily welcome at the largest of the three cabins. An- drews had daughter about twenty years old, and I soon understood that she was to be married next day. h. deed, the lucky young man was on the ground and waiting. He was six footer, slim as 6 toothpick, awkward as a calf, and dead in love. The girl was more shy, but not to be bluffed by my presence. When I entered the front door, the young man, who an- swered to the name of Davy, ran out of the back. He felt confused and em- barrassed, and, taking his seat on log about thirty feet from the house, he hid his face as much as possible be- hind a sapling. Andrews called to him, then Mrs. Andrews called, but he put his finger in his mouth and would not come. Then his Susan went out and said:
 "Now, Davy, what's the scrimmage? He'un hasn't come yere to hurt we'- uns."
 "I ain't scart."
 "Then come along in. All of us will be ashamed of ye."
 "Got headache" said Davy, as he hung back.
 "Honest2"
 "Yes, orful honest. Feels like it 'ud split"
 "Shucks! You's bashfull You's afraid he'll poke fun at we'uns! But he won't, Davy. Pops dun told him we're to jine, and he says it's right. He'un won't laf, Davy."
 "Fur shore?"
 "Fur snake shore. Come in, Davy."
 She came leading him by the hand, and did my best to put him at his ease. In this succeeded so well that after dinner he took me into his con- fidence. We were lying under tree, and had given him the first cigar he ever saw, when he suddenly said:
 "Would you-you-run awayW
 "What! From getting married?"
 "Yes."
 "No, sir-e-el You are a lucky man to get such girl as Sue"
 "But folks'll laff."
 "Let 'em laugh"
 "And wink and litter and make fun"
 "Pooh! What of it?"
 "It's jist orful, but mebbe I kin do it. Pve killed bars and rattlers and wildcats, and Pve had fights and rows, but this skeers me-"
 got him braced up after an hours talk, and then we took a cut through the woods to see the new cabin which had been erected for the bridal couple. It was an humble structure made of poles, with no door to the doorway and no sash in the window. The ground was beaten down hard for a floor, there was rude fireplace at one end, and bedstead had been made of poles laid in crotches. Davy's mother had given him bear skin, 6 kettle, a skillet and a jug, and these were placed in a corner. Susan's parents had given her pan, kettle, three tin plates, two spoons, two knives and forks and a bottle of vinegar, and these were placed in another corner. That was the whole outfit.
 The mountaineers were my friends. They had gone to every trouble to oblige me, and here was an opportu- nifty to requite their kindness. There was genuine country store about a mile away, and I got rid of Davy and went down there. I had little talk with the store- keeper, and wrote out list of things and rendered the pay, and his voice actually trembled as be said:
 "Twelve hull dollarsl Stranger, ye can't mean it P
 "Oh, but I do."
 "And all free gift to Dave and Sue?"
 "Yes.n
 "Wall, 1t beats sarpintsl Deed, it beats bars and wildcats! Put it thar, strangeri Pve seed strange things in my time, but this clutters mew
 That evening Andrews and his wife had to go over to sit up with . sick neighbor, leaving me alone with the lovers. After the s.sputter" had been lighted Sue said to me:
 "You won't keer, will you?"