The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1888-09-22
THEY PRAYED FOR HIM.
A Yankee who Told More Truth Than his
hearers Could Stand.
Experience OF Traveller Among the Prim-
itive Residents of the Smoky Mountains.


itive Residents of the Smoky Mountains.
One afternoon in September, as | wa:
toiling over a rocky trail in the smoky
mountains, which range of the Blue
Ridge separates Tennessee and NORTH
Carolina for many miles, glrl, abou
thirteen years of age, bareheaded, bare.
footed, and having on single garment
made Of cheap stuff, suddenly jumped
into the road few feet ahead of me
fell down, rolled over, lost her hold or
a bundle of roots and barks, and was
up and off like shot. She passed me
without seeming to see me, and the next
minute a bear came rolling out of the
bushes upon the spot she had covered
l had big revolver handy, and Bruin
was dead before he could suspect how
my hair stood on end and my legs
wobbled. He wasn't fifteen away, and
he looked as big as a yearling calf, and
even if | did shoot with my eyes shut
he would have been ashamed of me il
| had failed to kill him with six bullets.
He was kicking his last when the girl
came back, regarding him a moment
with bulging eyes, and then said:
'Iordy but 1 thought l was a goner
Who be you 'un7'
"Oh, l happened along here. Why
didn't you scream?"
"Couldn't. Hadn't wind huff"
CHOW far did he chase you?"
"a right smart"
"Well, who are you?"
"Susan. Come up to the house."
She picked up the lost bundle and
started on ahead, and quarter of a
mile above we came to cove and the
inevitable mountaineer's cabin. The
cove was the same, cabin the same,
the same as a score of
others. Aye! The gaunt, miserably
dressed woman stood in the door, two
children rolled on the ground and a big
dog slouched out OF the cabin and
growled fercely at the approach of a
stranger. Susan led me straight to the
door, and as we halted at the threshold
she explained:
"B'ar was chasin' me. He 'un killed
it with his pepper"
As soon as the matter was under
stood the three of US went back and
made a litter, and after hard tug got
the bear to the cabin. We had just
arrived when the husband came home,
having been off on hunt and the girl
Draced up, got rest for her back
against the house and told the story as
follows:
"Got my roots tied up. Bar come
for me. Took run. Met he 'un. He
'un never run tall. Heard him shoot
pop pop! Went back. Bar was
dead. Told he 'un to come back and
see we 'uns. Give him yer paw, pop"
Stranger" said the man, as he came
to me with outstretched hand, "put 1t
thar! Reckon you saved the gals life,
for shuah. Nam, give him yer paw
''I'se thankful, shore l am," she said
as we shook hands.
| wanted to 60 five miles further uE
the trail to Uncle Joe Billings's place
but there was general protest on the
instant, and the mountalneer exclaimed
stranger, do you 'un think we 'un:
are heathens? We's pore an forlorr
an shncklcss, but we's got feelin's
You's got to stop right yere till to
morrow"
"'Deed he has !" added the wife
"Nobody as saves our Suse from b'a
is gwine to walk off like that"
81 thought l was done gone when
heard him go pop popp said Susan
"and the bar fell down in a heap"
Then there came period of silence
with every one looking full at me.
knew what was coming. 1t had com
dozen times in a fortnight. The ma
was uneasy, while the wife looked puz
zled. By and by the husband hesi
tatingly began:
Stranger, we 'uns is thankful to yo
'un, but-but"-
at don't make no difference, say !!
exclaimed Susan.
eyes her do" replied the father, q
he pulled a piece Of bark from the los
stranger, we'uns want to know if
| ;fD