The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1888-01-26
ON THE CHILHOWEE.
HOW A PARTY OF GEOLOGICAL
SURVEYORS SPENT A NIGHT.
IS At Our Arrival There Was a Tow Ill ad
Thrust from Behind Every Available
Hiding Place on the PremiSeS.'

several hunters stood watching my queer
looking instruments while saddled Jack"
and made ready for descending the noun
tain.
Jack is one Of those solemn, melancholy
mules with a face that bears the mark
of an unuterabe sorrow. To see him
standing with ears pendant and that eX
preston of woe upon his face will move
the stoniest heart that beats. And then
sometimes, as if the anguish can be borne
no longer, from his inmOst being there
comes mutfled moan, his head lifts, his
cars 60 back, while the moan swells into
piteous lamentation that seeks in vain a
vent for his wretchedness, for with a
stifled sob the head droops, the ears fall
and the agony settles upon his face again.
One of the men was Observln;- Jacks s
solemn visage closely when presently he
slapped his hand upon his knee Sc sesh,
l be durn!' was the exclamation. Yer
hol' yer age we'll ole feller, but knowd
yer by yer face" he added.
His companions pressing around con-
firmed his conclusions. 1t was at once
evident that he had mistaken the official
brand "G s. for &C. S. and fancied
that Jacks long face was from the mem
ory of that lost cause which he was sup
posed to have aided and abetted twenty
five years before. By this time the bag
gage was upon the patient beast and in
curry was made for the nearest house.
'.W-a-a-l, Silas, he live in the cove yam
der an about as nigh as We can git" an
swered one as he rolled his Quid of tobac-
co and expectorated profusely.
Nv Wa-al." Il reckin | can take yer in, ;"
at length came from lank, sallOw faced
hunter, to whom the others turned for an
swer. Il reckin ] can, eff yer can put up
with our far case the ole oman is kinder
poly. Things is gone agin her, an she
air mighty upsot,"
Certainly We could put up with his fare,
and were soon clambering down towards
the little cabin on the mountain side.
'.St-ra-n-g e-r, "drawled Silas presently,
stopping short, 1.-The ole oman air mighty
upset, things is gone agin her." and with
out waiting an answer he trudged along,
eying the while my ancient mule.
Silas was even more quiet than his quiet
brothers, and asked not question as he
led the way through the forest. But as
we neared the little clearing where the
house stood he paused again.
Str a-n-g -er, thingsi Is gone agin her she
air mighty upset" came the Ominous SEN
tence once more. and as looked at Silas'
face it seemed only less long and sad than
Jacks But we had entered the clearing,
and there on the verge of the cliff, perch
ed like a fluffy owl on limb, Was his lit
tie log house So near the brink it rested
that a tree had been felled and rolled to
the edge of the rocks to guard unWary
steps over the log a pole was held in
forks, and twining around and around
this a gourd vine had stretched its ten
drills. ray of sunlight touched the broad
leaves and yellow blossoms, and through
these the purple lowlands could be seen
stretching away beyond the shadow of the
mountain.
Sias babe US wait outside while he went
within to announce US. But he had not
spoken before a sharp, ,scolding voice open
ed upon him.
''Waal here yer come a sneakin in like a
hangdog, been atrapesin' about the noun
ting all dag an marry mouthful o vlctuals
in the house an marry stick O wood ter
git supper
A mumbling within seemed to interrupt
her but the next moment she began again.
Nav. Haint l tole yer time an agin
not ter fetch NOBODY here. It's all can
do ter keep these ten chillen's soul an
body together, an now yer fetch whole
pasSel O men here, an We haint got moth
in nohow.''
Again the mumbling seemed interced-
ing for US, but it was no use, for the sharp
voice cut him off.
The situation was unpleasant. There
was not another house within several miles
and night was almost upon the mountain.
The prospect of sleeping on the ground
supperless was not enticing, and when
presently the woman, with the ubiquitous
baby, appeared at the door we put forth
all our persuasive power to win her. Per
haps it was our beseeching or the compli-
ments lavished upon the little brat, but
shall always think it was Jacks sad, mel
| ancholy face that touched her heart.
Telling Us at length to dismOunt, she
placed chairs out in front of the cabin fol
| our comfort, and then hustled about pre-
pairing fire and supper. The baby had beer
| given to little tow w-headed urchin, and
moving out directly in front of US he set
| tied into a statuesque stare, never needing
at all the bowling humanity in his arms
At our arrival there had been tow-heaC
thrust from behind every available hiding
| place on the premises, and | was just won
dering whittier they could have vanished
when great hallabaloo arose.
Here Tige. Here Smut Catch 'en
thar Catch EN- - followed by scream:
and whoops and barking, cackling anc
fluttering The next instant half growr
chicken flew round the corner and panic
stricken sought refuge under my chair
then futtered on into the house. Surel,
something terrible was happening and
was in the act of rising when a pack o
ours dashed upon its hot trail, and run
ming under the chair and between my leg
upset me in heap. By the time th'
whooping mob of tow heads had stumbled
over the debris the dogs were in the hous
and the old woman was adding her voice
to the uproar Had the chicken but pres
ence of mind it might easily, in the confu
sion, have escaped to the mountain. Blu
an old hen would have lost her wits il
that tumult. Presently a long draw
squawk suggested that my supper wa
captured and the surmise was confirmed
when a headless chicken jumped eccen
trically into view.
Having done their duty the eight tow
heads joined their brother, and standing
about in half circle pinned me dow
with their eyes. In vain tried to star
them out of countenance. / leaned for
ward, knit my brows and tried to loo
terrible; but they might have been S
many bronzes for any impression NJ
dramatic effect had.
Silas having carried in his armful @
wood and a basket of apples shaken fror
a tree near by, moved chair outside an
lit his pipe.
care all these children yours?'' l asked
Wa-a-l, they say they is" was tn
ambiguous answer.
Several of them twins, l suppose p
"Naw, not atzactly, but mighty nigh.
''Fine land along the mountain, VIII