The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-08-08

kthe writer the following particulars re-
EN gsrding an eccentric character well
A2.known in that section M 10 the time Of
his death in the Winter of 1855.
Bethlehem is pretty little crossroads coun-
try village of about dozen houses, with the
usual store. blacksmith shop and tavern, nest
ling under the eastern slope OF the Musconet-
cong Mountain. It is very old, very quiet,
sind has never been distinguished for anything
except n strict attention 10 its own business.
i'm the pleasant and luxuriant agricultural
valley south Of and in sight Of the one church
Efeeple Of this peacefully obscure village Mary
Armitage was born in 1885, and lived until
her marriage with James Bells, in 1857. In
telling her little story, the only romance OF her
life, as she called it. Mrs. BELLS said:
. think began 20 hear about John Mackey
about the same time that began 10 notice a
vague and hay distinction between good aud
evil. He was then held mp before me as ter
ror on the not infrequent occasions when L
misbehaved. Finding that be utterly failed
80 put in an appearance on the frequent occa-
sions when mother or my maiden aunt, Isabel,
would 60 TO the door and call out in an awful
voice:
- Hcre, John Mackey; come and take this
bad girl
- gradually lost faith in John Mackey as a
bogey. As ] grew & little older and able to
carry my misdoings farther afeld, my father
used TO supplement- my mothers lnild reproof
by saying sternly:
- Little gal II you don't stop padding down
yonder IN the creek. and stop Struggling around
on the mountain, Hog Mackey will get you
some of these days, sure
=" As this calamity never eventuated, came
60 the conclusion that Hog Mackey had lost
his taste for little girls, and persisted in my
small mischiefs with great peace and content
ment Finally. having outgrown my regard
Tor childish scarecr0ws at early age, the
1-I-r,
when father came home in the Spring with a
dozen beautiful little white pigs in the wagon
which j was told he had bought from Hog
hackey, or in the Fall when the iarmhands
with the big wagon, and father on horseback,
started into the mountain early in the morn
ing and did not return until the next day.
when the wagon would be full of dead and
dressed hogs that were sent on TO Easton mar
ket, and learned they had been up helping
Hog Maekey kill his pigs.
The Musconetcong Mountain is the best
place ia Warren County for chestnuts and
bickOry-nuts. From the time first began 10
have teeth until the time ceased 20 have any
aud, IN fact ever since, / have been an ardent
lover Of every nut that grows in the forests.
"As long AS there was a nut TO be found in
the woods, that WAS the best place TO look for
me after i had attained an age aud size that
admitted OF my going out Of sight Of the house.
The foot Of the mountain was not more than
half mile away, aud before / was eight years
old ] was familiar with every tree, bush and
rock along the eastern foothills and for mile
up the rugged sides OF Musconetcong.
IL was when ] was about 10 years old that
an event occurred which came near cutting
this story short. and az the same time made me
acquainted with John Mackey. Ny father
and some men 10 the hight of the nutting time
were out on the foot Of the mountain cutting
anc framing timber for new barn. ] begged
-. -
ont with them 10 3ck nuts. under heavy YER
bsl bonds that was on no account 70 20 out Of
hearing Of the axes Of the workers
The nuts were plentiful aud / gathered
basketiul. which / carried and set down by
fathers coat ON a stump Then remembered
O tree that bore particularly big hickory-nuts,
and concluded that wanted some. On reach.
ing tie tree / found that none had fallen.
Then / resolved 20 seareh further feeling sure
there must be more trees Of the same family.
had wandered around for some time with
more or less success and had my apron full Of
nuts Of all sizes. when my obligation not 10 go
CUT Of hearing Of the axes occurred TO me.
stopped and listened, but not sound was to be
beard. save the occasional fall Of fat nut, OF
the guerulous bark Of a squirrel. Then / no.
tlced that ] was in part Of the mountain en-
tirely strange 20 me.
This gave me little trouble I knew that
II turned my back 10 the sun and walked on
must come 70 the valley. ! looked for the
sun and fonna that il was not only pretty low
down. bot il did not seem 20 be In the right
place. turned my back 10 IL and marched off
Whistling contentedly. ] found I was going
NJ bill. hnt concluded had crossed some Of the
little hills without noticing thera and kept on.
and On. and on, until i grew tired, and still
was going up. mp, mp; but the sun was at nv
back, aud knew i could not be wrong Ny
nets grew 50 heavy that made little pen Of
stones ~ the foot Of big tree and poured them
in. intending 10 come after them the next dav.
Then ] wandered on again until il began
70 grow dark, FOR the sun had gone down. /
eonld not understand why could not get over
that hiI and begin going down into the valley.
listened, but there was not a sound. Nv
limits ached 50 that j could hardly drag them
Hi0ng' and was getting very hungry. IL was
nov 20 dark that could not see any distance
m front me. Then il occurred 10 me 10 call ont
and screamed Fstherl" at the top Of my
small voice, just once ! did not do IL any
mere, for my voice sounded so that IL scared
me, . made such noise in the awful silence
Utterly Wesried out dropped down az the
loot OF a tree upon some leaves, and must have
went to sleep Immediately. Once during the
hight awoke, aud feeling very cold got up
and walked around awhile iu the dark. I'm
l0st. because Il is 50 dark said 20 myself;
but ! VIII IND the place when daylight
comes Then said my prayers and laid down
again. ] seemed % have no fear, but I WaE
very angry az myself because / could not find
the way.
When ] opened my eyes again the sun was
shining on the other side Of me from where II
ought 10 be, and was just one great pain al
over me. and oh 10 hungryl &C once began d
crawl about and look for nute, but there were
none there. Directly i was able 10 use NV
feet though they were awfnlly sore. Then
searched further. but not q nut could end
The trees were ali gum and beech, and every.
thing bDt nut-bearers. Then / cried for thu
First time, not 50 much because was hungry Al
because had been Ounce enough to part Will
my apEoninl Of nuts. i now forgot all about
being lost in my search for nuts and looked :
long time FOR the place where / had left M,
eproniul the night before. had now lost al
idea Of direction, because / had lost eonfdenc,
% TIE sun. IL was always on the wrong side
~ last ] came 70 & little hollow and tin,
spring. Here ] got drink, aud felt mucl
Deiter BY limbs were not 30 sore now. ant
my feet did not hurt me so MUCH Then
found some acDrns and sat down 10 eat them
and while doing 80 went TO sleep. When
a~oke u was night again, aud my feet ant
bnilb hnft worse than before. ] wondered how
day could be SO short, but said to myself
mast really 60 home. Mamma will worr,
about me-
tottered on again the best / could. and II
q ie~ minutes ] began 20 see lights. and sud
denly was IN big garden just like our own
Win The house at the upper end. / started I.
run up the porch steps and fell. Down, down
ao|n went fearful distance. and hit m,
bead against something For moment re
elized that l was still in the wood; then for
rrrszrrT rlF.f a