The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-11-09
KILDEE'S LOVERS.
A Tale of Vale Crucis, as Told by
an Old Mountaineer.

During the summer of 1888, it was
the writer's pleasure to accompany the
Democratic Gubernatorial candidate of
North Carolina on his canvass through
the wild, mountainous country in the
western portion of that State. The trip
was made by private conveyance, and
everywhere we were received with that
rough but hearty cordially peculiar to
this mountain people. At night, when
we tarried at some lonely, wayside
cabin, nestled in the heart of the great
Blue Ridge. every thing was done for
our comfort and enjoyment. The finest
game the mountains furnished, the
sweetest honey the bees made, the rich
est milk the cows gave, were set be-
fore us
At night, sitting around blazing log
fire, we were often entertained by tales
of mountain life told by the mountain
GERS in their own inimitable way. The
experience with the ferocious animals
that once infested the country were eX-
citing, the recitals of scenes when the
red man ruled supreme were harrow
ing and blood-curdling; but the follow
ing little history of the life of one of
these mountain people, usually so free
from any thing like romance, told us
at the little place called Vale Crucis.
in Mitchell County, was especially in
teresting to our party.
THE TALE.
"Jedge," said an old mountaineer,
apparently eighty years of age, address
ing the Gubernatorial candidate, ''thr's
ar leetle grave up Their mountain-side
which I'll take yer ter arter risin'-time
ter-morrer 1t hev been ar mighty
long time ergo since it war made; but
even now when / sits down an thinks
bout Their life of Their one that lies
in that lonesome place, whar Their
wolves howl an Their wind blows so
cold, can't keep back Their tears; no,
Jedge, l can't. An Their amt none of
this here stuff what yer read bout in
books in this what I'll tell yer nuther;
Their whole thing is true, sho' as the
Lord made me, ev'ry word, an ez nigh
ez can tell it ter you.
when l was ar boy long, long time
ergo, ole Squire Smith he lived at Pig
Pen Gap, bout ten mile down Their
creek. He had ar leetle gal named
Mary. She had them great big black
eyes what nd shine like ar bucks on
ar dark night, an them long curls that
'ud fly in Their win. She wuz ar mighty
spry creeter. She could run an elm
ar tree wus'n ar squirrel with ar dog
arter him. An cause she could do all
SIGH, we-uns allus called her Kildee.
"Ole Squire Pearson lived up Their
branch not so mighty fur. He'd come
thar ar good many years afore, but
nobody didn't seem to know nothin'
much bout him. He had ar chap
named Bill. Me an Bill was pardners,
but, ledge, we warn't no more like
than ar pig an ar punkin. Bill he
war Their best Teller you ever seed. He
wouldn't hurt nothin'. If we'd start
out huntin' and fin some game, Bill
wouldn't want ter shoot it. An then
like me. When we'd go ter git chest
nuts an SIGH, he'd furgit all bout
what he cum after an go set down on
ar log; he wouldn't say nary ward but
look right at Their ground. Pear'd like
he war thinkin' bout somethin' way
off. An 'ther he'd set till I'd chuck
him with ar burr an say: Wake up
I'd allus be askin' him what allied him,
an he'd say 'Nothin'.' But 1 thought,
an knowed Their was; an so one day
when we were out fishin' an Bill was
settin' on Their bank, dun forgot bout
fish an was lookin' in Their water, l
went an set down right close ter him
an SEE: Bill. we-uns have been tighten
good chums nearly ever since we wuz
a whimperln, but yer hain't never
toll me what in the worl' it's you
air allus studyin' bout. Now come,
ole Teller, an tell me what It's. 'Pullin.
hisself tergether, turnin' roun' and
lookin' me spang in the eye, he sed:
Ike, Dad has allus tole me this yer is ar
great big worr, an that he lister, way
long time ago, live in one of them big
things what yer call cities, whar thar's
mo- folks lives tergether than thar be
in Mitchell County two times big. An
Their folks what live thar have got
larnin'. | amt got no min as to what
Their thing be, but Dad SEE it am mighty