Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-02-22
"A TALLULAH GIRL.
by WILLIAM =. BROWN.

Jenny more-'nd that ar fact.n
wal, Ncp, thurs one good reesin for
lit, reckin," and Jack Greer folded his
arms and gazed gloomily at his sweet
heart; t,. ~ s 0uvo stopped keerin' for
"No, jackp'
Sho threw herself in his arms with
such sweet abandon that his lame
= doubts fled, despite his transient per
versity of humor. But now grim,
severe, elderly face looked in on them
from round jutling corner of the cliffs,
and man advanced with threatening
gestures.
Jack Greer" the new conner said,
i've tole yer onct my dnrtar WON'T fer
the likes OF you, md tho't I'd LUX We
up: ma hyur ye air slippin' md q
slidin' croun' like n snake in the grass.
after II gal ez don't b'long to ye md never
shall while my heads hot"
Jack, being already angry, flashed up
anew, while Ncp shranlS back for the
moment. The two men glarcd at one
another. In the eyes of Dixie Fonton a
dangerous light appeared, while his thin,
wrinklcd face wore look of vindctlvc
precision. AT last Greer recovered his
balance.
"You can say what yc pleezc. You
are Nep Fenton's father. knows what
yorc rcesins are fer not wantin' nc ter talk
tor Nep, md they're jest about cz thin ez
yorc chanel for strikin' pay dirt out'n
that thar Talulah vein. Hits done
broke up two men afore yc, try:n' ter
git what God Almighty never put thar
"Hyur, Nep," said Dixie Fenton,
.'you come long O. me. The mex time
Jack Greer, ketchcs you foolin' croun'
Tallulah Rock after my gal, you'll about
git number forty-iive slapped clean
throo ye. Talks cheap, but thurs ben
a sight too much wasted. Hits time
now fer sutthin' yclsc."
With this Dixie seized his daughters
hand and pulled her down the steep
trail leading to his cabin below, while
: she cast one melting glance behind, rs
though to convince Jack that, though
thus coerccd, her heart was still faith
full. Jack, still Tuning, flung himself
off in an opposite direction, wi III no yery
encouraging thoughts for company.
These events occurred long before the
Civil War-beforc even the 'sArgonautsn
OF 40 had made California's annals read
like fairy tale. The gold discoveries
IN North Georgia were fresh in the public
mind, and hundreds had gone thithcr in
quest OF fortune, The mining camp on
the Taliulah, where Jack Greer hopcd
and toiled, lay IN lie or more below the
falls, at the foot of which, Dixie Fenton
was working the claim which had al
ready disappointed two former owners.
But Fenton was one of those one
dead creatures, who arc mt once en-
shaved and nourished by the dominant
motive that for the time vigorously
spurs them on. While prospecting, he
&had found gold snake in this abandoned
tunnel, and at once took possession, for
he was quite as supcrstitious as pcrse-
-vcring The disused cabin beneath the
falls was occupied and made CHEEKY
by Nep's bright face and active presence.
Fenton busted himself in the tunnel that
.burrowed under the bullying cliff, known
as Tallulah Rock, returning nightly to
the cabin with monomaniacal chatter
over the Aladdin-likc wealth awaiting
him somewhere beneath that frownipg
precipice. Nep would listen hopingly,
doubtingly and make weekly trips to the
camp below for the miners clothes,
which she washed to keep the pot boil :
ing while waiting for bikes fortune to
appear.
- eall day long, while the waters roared
and the mist whitened over the falls, Nep
coonou3 oo"cut WuSHcOt lTOncu ana
Thought of Jack Greer, who had before
his one idea strengthened, Dixie Fenton
became ambitious for his daughter.
When he had once 'tstruck it rich, y Nep
should be put off to fine school at
Augusta. A rich, gcnteel husband
would follow, as matter of course :;
Dixie, himself. would be a man of i'm
fportance then; and, as for Jack Groer-
we'll, jack was no "blg bug" nor ever
likely TO BIO one; therefore, Jack must
let Nep alone.
Hearts, however, strove to DO trumps
FOR while after Fenton had forbidden
Nep to countcnance Jacks proceedings
Then came sundry surreptitious meet :
iDgs, and afterward the surprise and ex-
plcsion we have seen.
81 tell ye, gal, it won't do, hit Jest
pintedly won't do!' Dixie said to Nep
as they sat before the fire that night.
while Tallulah Falls flung liquid muir.
murings in at the door, and the mists
were draping the cliffs in ghostly fila
ments. 81 panned out moro black sand N
ever ter.day, md thur were half q grain
ter the pan; in testin'. tell We never
goes back on signs, md whur 20 find a
gold snakes hole, somewhur thar the
gold is, shore"
slack SEE ez he air a maxim three
dollars day now,n ventured Nep, loath
TO give up her idea. "He's pittin' of
down yander, md
"What's three dollars a day2" de.
manded Fenton, disdainfully.
"Hit's better'n washin' md ironin', md
: livin' on air, I reckon" Nep felt stub
born, for, to tell the truth, Dixie had not
d made enough the last month or so to pay
for the soap she used.
"Shet yore mouth, gal. What do you
know about luck2 le kin depend on