The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1888-03-02

life in the Great srnohy Mountains.

IL Bau Decn q nara winter along Ihe
slopes Of the Great Smoky Mountains,
and still tile towering treeless domes were
covered with snow and the yagrant winds
were abroad, rioting among the clifiy
heights where they held their tryst, or
raiding down into the sheltered depths of
| the Cove, whittier they seldom intrudcd.
Nevertheless, on this turbulent rnsh was
borne in the fair spring of the year The
| fragrance of the bidding wild cherry was
to be discerned amidst the keen slanting
javelins of the rain. A cognition OF the
| renewal and the expanding OF the forces
| of nature peryaded the senses as distinctly
as if one might hear the grass growing, or
feel along the chill currents Of the air the
vernal pulses thrill Night after night in
the riffs of the breaking clouds close
TO the horizon was glimpsed the stately
| sideral Virgo, prefgnring and promising
the harvest, holding in her hand gleam-
ing ear of corn. But it was not the con-
steliation which the tumuituous torrent at
the mountains base reflected in a starry
glitter. From the hill side above light
cast its broken image amongst the fipples
as it shone for an instant through the
bosky laurel, white, stellnlar, splendid
only tallow dip suddenly placed in the
window Of a log cabin, and as suddenly
Withdrawn.
For gruff voice within growled out a
rcmonstrance: what ye dom that fur,
Steve? Hev that thar candle got enuy call
ter bide in that thar winder?"
The interior, contrary to the customary
aspect of the humble homes of the section,
was IN great disarray. Cooking utensils
stood uncleancd about She hearth, dishes
and bowls of earthen-ware were assembled
upon the table in such numbers as to sug-
gest that several meals Lad been eaten
without the ceremony OF laying the cloth
anew, and in deianit Of washing the crock
cry ii had been re enforced from the shelf
so far as the limited store might admit.
Saddles and spinning wheels, an ox-yoke
and trace chains. reels and wash tubs
were anonymously pushed together in the
corner. Only one Of the three men in the
room made any effort to reduce the eonfu-
sion TO order. This was square faced
black bearded thick set young fellow who
took the candle from the window, and now
advanced with it toward the hearth, holding
it at an angle that caused the flame to
swiftly melt the talow, which dropped
generously upon the floor.
Il hev seen Eseliny do it. he said ex-
citediy, iustifying himself. Il noticed her
sot the candle in the winder jes las night
arter supper" He glanced about nncer-
tainly, and his patience seem to give way
suddenly. "Dad burn the old candel |
dun knot whar ter set it, . be cried desper-
ately, az he flung it from him, and it fell
upon the floor close TO the wall
The dogs lifted their heads to look, and
one soft-stepping old hound got up with
the nimbleness OF expectation, and, 18th
= preseiemt gratitude astir in his tail, went
and snuffed at it. His aspect dropped
Suddenly, and he looked around in reproacli
at Stephen Qnimbey, as if snspeeting a
practical joke. But there was no merri-
ment in the young mountaineer's face He
threw himself into his chair with heavy
sight, and desisted for a time from the UNI
accustomed duty of clearing away the
dishes after supper
can amt ye got the gnmption ter
sense what Evcliny sot that candle III tho
winder fur his brother Timothy de-
manded, abruptly-''ez sign ter that
thar burned Abs lom Kittredge''
The other two men lifted their heads
and looked at the speaker with poignant
intensity Of interest 81 lowed ez much
when | seed THAT light ez ! war kemin
home las night" be continued: 'it shin
ed spang down the slope aerost the river
an through all the laurel; it looked
plumb like a star that had fell ter yearth
in that pitcL-black night. | dun know
how s'picioned it, but ez stood thar an
gazed kuowed somebody war a-standing
an gain too on the loot bredge a mite
ahead o me- | couldn't see him. an he
couldn't turn back an pass me, The
brcdge bein' too narrer. He war Jest oblig-
ated ter go on. | hearn him breathe quick;
then--pit-pat, pitpat, az he walked
straight toward that light. An he be
'bleeged ter hey hearn me, fur after
crost stopped. Nnthin'. Jes whisper
o wind, an .ies a swishin' from the RIVER
| knowed That he had turned off inter the
lanrel. An went on, a-whistlin' ter
make him low ez never s'picioned nuth-
in. An KEN inter the hoEse an toll
dad ez he'd better be a-lookn' arter Eve
liny, fur b'lieved she war a-scttin' her
head ter run away an merry Abs'Iom
Kittredge.''
"Waai, amt right up an down sali'-
fled we oughter done what we done,'' ex
claimed Stephen, fretfully. 1T don't
pear edzactly right fur three men ter fra
on one
Old Joel Quimby, in his armchair in
the chimney corner, suddenly lifted his
head-a thin head with fine white hair,
short and sparse, upon it. His thin, lined
face was clear-cnt, with pointed chin
and an aqniline nose. Tie maintained an
air OF Indignant and TeDellious grief aud
ta Il l,,tt,orto emf silent a ona rla1 and knot