News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-08-16
THROW UP YOUR HANDS!
A Story of a Meeting With Moon
sinners in Tennessee e.


| claSSeQ With the white as lar as cOlO1
goes, his tastes, habits, characteristics,
and mode of life are peculiarly his own.
If he likes you he will make any sac
rifice to oblige you; if he hates you he
will seek your life with determination
world beyond his mountain home is q
sealed book to him. He lives in himself,
by himself, and for himself.
[ was riding over that spur of the Cum
berland Mountains which Gen. Morgan
(FederaD held so gallantly while Buell.
and Bragg were driving each other by
turns over Kentucky, when [ lost my
way. The mountain trails of the South
are dangerous puzzles to stranger.
They run up and twist-turn-
dodge-lose themselves in dark ravines,
and seem to suddenly end in dark and
lonely gaps. There is a feeling of lone
illness which you cannot shake off, and a
feeling of anxiety which rides with you
and keeps every sense alert. Every rod
of the trail has its ambush, and every
quarter of a mile it's cliff, seemingly
ready to fall upon you. l came to a spot
where three trails branched away. 1t
was luck and chance. I took one which
led me into long, dark ravine, where
the summer sun has never yet touched
the icicles on the rugged rocks, nor cool
ed the mountain rivulet pouring over
the moss grown lodges. After going a
mile felt that I was wrong, and was
| about to turn back, when q voice sud-
denly called out through the semi-dark-
| ness:
stranger, you ar kiveredl Throw
up your handsi'
If that command ever reaches your
ears obey it at once and do your arguing
| subsequently. 1t means that your head
or heart is in point blank range CT bullet
or buckshot, with finger resting on the
trigger and ready to pull it 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 a
double barreled shot gun across point
of rock twenty feet ahead, stepped into
view on the trail and said:
"Stranger, slip down."
I slipped off the saddle.
Now lead your mule up that ravine."
I simply saw a man, six feet high,
straight as an arrow, long haired, whis-
kers unkempt, dress that of a noun
taineer. Yes, 1 saw more. He held the
gun fair to my breast. One suspicious
move on my part and | was dead man.
He spoke in low voice, but there was
that in his tones which chilled me.
Without second look at him took the
mule by the bits and led him up the
ravine. We had not got twenty yards
before scented a whiskey still. At the
end of five rods more we were in rude
camp. Two moonshiners sat on log,
guns across their knees, and back of
L. II OFF
its extract of corn.
"One O. them spies!" said the man
who had followed me as let go of the
mule and sat down on a stump.
ga good ketch!" growled one of the |
sitters.
"Mighty kind in him to come yere!"
chuckled the other.
They we're moonshiners, and they took |
me for a spy sent out by the Govern
ment official of that district. l looked |
from one to the other. There was de-
termination in each look-an implac-
able sterness 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 law breakers-outlaws
being hunted after every day in the
year. Why? Because they were max
ing housekeeping body and soul to-
pether-in the only way open to them.
The bits of valleys in the grim old Gum
berland will grow corn and potatoes,
The potatoes are wanted for the table.
If there is more corn than the razor
backed hog or the Stacking mule can
consume, it is a dead loss. Convey 1t
to market-two days to go and two
to come-and sell it for two bits bush
ell, and the owner and seller would
starve on the way. Make it into bar
rel or two of whiskey, and it will bring
cash on the spot or very near it. 1t is
not to grow rich-not hoping to better
his condition-but simply to live. 1t is
against the law of the land. Themoun-
taineer may go ragged and hungry, but
he must not distill. 1t is the only law
he breaks. Aye, he even lives closer
ments. He breaks it because grim ne
cessity compels him to. He is outlawed
and hunted that officials may make fees.
I knew all this before looked into the
stern, set faces around me, and / knew
why I looked in vain for a CLEAN of
mercy.
81 am no spy I said, as looked
about me. 81 am traveller, making
for Cumberland Gap and I've lost my !
way"
go up that PATH" commanded the I
man who had captured me.
mot until I satisfy you that l am not
a spy"
to one of the others, and shotgun COW
cred my breast.
The leader ran back down the ravine
to be sure that no one had followed us. {
When he returned he said:
"Say yer prayers, stranger. Joe, !
when riz my hand do you plug him.
'sDid any of you ever hear of Joe ]
2" asked trying hard to keep !
steady voice. S
oval, what if we did," asked the
eader t
"About year ago found him in Jail '
IN B.. He had been there for several
months. He was sick and out of money,
md I aided him. Here's his name in I
ny notebook. See?" t
The man with the gun lowered his 9
and came closer and asked: t
"Was anybody else in the jail but s
Toe?" 1
eyes, half dozen-all moonshiners. |
sent in 81 worth of pipes and tobacco, i
nd I got one of them some quinine." t
"He's the chap, sure's shooting!' eX- c
laimed the man as he turned to the q
theirs. Q
"On my soul he isl" added the leader !
s he came up and removed my hat. |
"Durn your buttons!' whispered I
bird. I
In moment more it was all right, and 7
hey were shaking my hand SO vigorous I
y that my shoulder ached. The humble /
abin, a quarter of mile away, WAS I
pen to me forever more, and it was two f
avs before they would let go of me to S
esume my journey. The wife at the
abin had more perception than the +
hen. She looked me over and then C
aid: +
"Oh sassafrax, but you fellers is all Il
lind! Hain't he Yank all over and all q
trough Whar's the sunburn? Whar's t
he lingo2 Whar's the boss pistols t.
'urty muss you'd hev got yerselves into ?
Him Yank, who don't keer if every Il
ranch in Tennessee runs cl'ar whiskey! t
letter not be so handy with them guns L
rter this. 7
The leader walked beside me for five c
lilies when | left, and as we parted he II
aid:
stranger, when L told we to say yer
rayers l meant they should be mighty Il
hort. I'd hev given ye about ten sec
nds, for L wanted to git yer body outen G.
ne way. Yer couldn't hev told us nuth- II