The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1888-08-01
THROW UP YOUR HANDS!

and the ,nountaineer.r The latter belongs
IN distinctive race. While he may be
classed with the whites as far as color
ooes his tastes. habits, characteristics
and mode Of life are peculiarly his own
II he likes you he viii make any sacri-
fee 80 olslige YOU; If be hates you lac viii
seek vour life with determination
which nothing can damp. The great
world bevond his mountain home Is
sealed book to him. He lives in himself
bv himself and for himself
was riding over that spur OF the
Cumberland Mountains which General
Morgan Federal held 80 gsliantly while
Buell. and Bragg were driving each other
bv turns over Kentucky, when lost my
way. The mountain trails of the South
are dangerous puzzles 10 astanger They
run NJ and down-twixt-inn-dodge
Jose themselves in dark ravines, and
seem to suddenly end in dark and lonely
gaps. There is a feeling Of loneliness
which YOU cannot shake of. and feel
inc Of anxiety which rides with YOU and
keers every sense alert. Every rod OF
the trail has its ambush. aud every guar
ter Of q mile it cliff, seemingly ready TO
fall upon you. / came 70 a spot where
three trails branched away. 1t was luck
and chance. / took one which led me
into a long. dark ravine, where the sum
mer sun has never yet touched the icicies
on the rugged rocks. nor cooled the
mountain rivulet pouring over the moss
grown ledge. After going a mile ! felt
that was wrong, and was about to turn
back, when voice suddenly called olt
through the semi-darkness
stranger, You air kivered Throw up
you- hands =
II that command ever reaches your
ears obey il al once and DO your arguing
subsequently,. IL means that your head
or heart Is in point-blank range Of bullet
or bucksho., with finger resting on the
trigger and ready to pull if you don't
obey the summons.
Up went my hands.
After a long half minute a mountain
Ger. who had sight on me with doab-
le-harrelled shotgun across a point Of
rock twenty feet ahead stepped ino view
on the tnlil and said
stranger. slip Ian
Il slipped off the saddle.
wow lead your mule up that rayine."
simply saw man six feet high,
straight a. an arrow, long-haired, whis-
kers unkept, dress that Of a mountain
eer. Ges, I saw more He held the gun
fair to my breast. One suspicious move
on ny part and I was dead man. lie
spoke in low voice, but there was that
in his tones which chilled me Without
a second look at him | took the mule by
the bit and led him up the rayine. We
had not got twenty yards before ] scent
ed whisky still At the end Of five
rods more we were in rude camp. Two
mo9nshiners sat on a log, guns across
their knees. and back Of and below them
a still was running off its extract Of corn.
''One o them spies - said the man who
had followed me a. let 20 Of the mule
and sat down on stump.
a good ketch :" growled one Of the
si;ters.
Mighty kind OF him to come we're :"
chuckled the other.
They we're moonshiners, and they took
me for a spy sent out by the government
official Of that district | looked from
one to the other There was ! determin-
alton in each look-an implacable stern
ness Of expression which would have
warned genuine spy that his hour had
come. Not one glance Of pity-not one
line Of mercy. A prisoner at the stake
among the Apaches would have had more
hope,
These men were NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
being hunted every day in the year.
Why Because they were making liy-
ing-keeping body and soul together-in
the only way open TO them.
The bits of valleys in the grim old
Cumberlands will grow corn and pota-
toes. The potatoes are wanted for the
table II there is more corn than the
razor-backed hog or the shackling mule
can consume, it is a dead loss Convey
it to market-two days To 90 and two to
come-and sell il for two bits a bushel,
and the owner and seller would starye
on the way. Make it into barrel OF
two Of whisky, and ii will bring cash on
the spot, or very near it. 1t is not to
grow rich-not hoping to better his con-
dition-but simply to live. 1t is against
the law Of the land. The moun;aineer
may 90 ragged and hungry, but he must
not distill II is the only law he breaks
Aye, he even lives closer than most of US
to the commandments He breaks il be-
cause grim necessity forces him TO. lie
is ouilawed and hunted that officials may
make fees.
knew all this before looked into
the stern, set faces around me, and l
knew why looked in vain for a gleam
OF mercy.
Il am no spy ! said, As ! looked
about me. Il am traveller, making
for Cumberland Gap, and have lost any
way
~io up thlt path - commanded the
man who had captured me-
Not until satisfy you that am not
a spy"
"Kiver him, JOEL whispered the man
10 one Of the others, and shotgun COW
cred my breast
The leader ran back down the ravine
10 be sure that no one had followed US.
When he returned he said:
SAY yer prayers, stranger Joe, when
riz my hand YOU plug himr'
"Did any of you ever hear Of Joe
Rickaby?" asked, trying hard to keep
a steady voice.
wall, what if We did?" asked the
leader.
About a year ago found him in jail
in B.. He had been there for several
months He was sick and out of money,
and aided him. Here's his name in my
notebook See -
The man with the gun lowered his
weapon and came closer and asked
Was anybody else in jail with Joe %
"les. half a dozen-all mOonshiners.