The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1890-04-03
A MOUNTAIN TRAGEDY.
WALLACE p. REED.


when I rode up to little farmhouse in
the Tennessee mountains, and paused ior
brief rest and drink of water.
Two persons were sitting on the piazza
"a man and woman-plain country
people, past middle age-just such pair
as one would expect to find in quiet
little mountain cottage.
The farmer and his wife offered me 8
comfortable rocking chair, and q negro
woman brought me gourd Of cold spring
water.
It struck me after q few words had
been exchanged that there was something
wrong in the little household, but I
could not see what it was. The man
and woman both had sad faces, and
their hair seemed to be premsturely
white. Their voices we're pleasant, but
they spoke in subdued tone, in me-
chanical way, apparently feeling little
interest in anything that was said. The
man, soon found vas partially psraly-
zed, and moved slowly and with difficulty.
took it for granted that they we're
shy in the presence of a stranger, and at
once proceeded to make myself agreea-
BILE by praising the scenery and compli.
menting the place and its surroundings.
The woman answered me without
enthusiasm, and the man was silent,
except when asked him direct ques-
ton. attempted TO make the two take
q mutual interest in the conversation,
but they did not look at each other, and
what Was said by one was absolutely
ignored by the other.
Such placid Indifference was depressing.
1t was impossible to talk freely under
such conditions, and iu few minutes l
rose to go. My hosts did not ask me to
remain longer, and I felt that my visit
was unwelcome.
AsI rode away up the hill glanced
back two or three times. Just az /
expected, this singular couple remained
seated as far away as they could get from
each other. They were silently looking
straight ahead. Evidently they had not
exchanged word concerning the strau.
ger who had just left them.
All this was so unlike country people
that I began to suspect some mystery.
half an hours ride brought me to the
house of my old friend, Colonel Jones,
where I was to spend the night.
"Colonel," I said suddenly, as we
smoked our pipes after supper, "do you
know anything about the people at the
next house, where I stopped on my way
here this afternoon M"
"Poor Jack Hunter and his wife, ;"
replied the colonel. "Yes, | know all
about them. You took them for very
peculiar people, I suppose?"
Then I told my friend what I had
seen, and how the strange manner OF the
farmer and his wife had puzzled me.
"Poor Jack and poor Mary!" e1claim.
ed the colonel. ~ will tell you their
story"
He filed his pipe again, and after a
moments reflection, said:
''It was during the war when Mary
Holt aud her folks moved to this settle.
ment. In those days Mary was the pret.
tiest girl in this whole mountain range,
and Jack Hunter vas one of the finest
young fellows to be found anywhere.
"You know what is coming. Jack and
Mary being the handsomest and bright.
est couple in the neighborhood, naturally
fell in love with each other, and in six
months they were married. No two
young people ever began life under hap,
pier circumstances. The only draw back
was Jacks temper. He was high spirit
ed, altogether too quick and fiery, and
some of the old folks predicted that this
would cause trouble"
The colonel Whitfield steadily at his
pipe for full minute.
"The prophets of evil we're right" he
resumed. "In those times this was a
sort of neutral ground. 1t was between
the lines, and confederate, and union
soldiers came and went without being
molested. Hunter was red hot seces.
sionist, aud would have joined the army
if he had not been lame in one leg. As
it was he made no secret of his senti
ments, and the unionists kept out of his
way.
"Mary seemed to be devoted to her
husband, and everything moved along
pleasantly for months after their wed.
ding. One day there was change. Jack
had kinswoman, meddlesome gossip,
who hinted to him that something was
wrong. Jack was furious, but his cousin
told him that he had married Mary
without inquiring into her past history,
and then she whispered something that
drove the young man almost crazy with
rage"
My companion rose from his chair and
paced the floor.
II hate to tell about it," be said, "but
must 60 on. Hunter learned from bis
cousin that Mary had been seen holding
clandestine meetings with union officer
10 secluded spot not far from her homo
The husband said nothing to bis wife
He waited and watched. Mary wonder.
ed why Jack had sudlegly grown SC
cross and silent, but she made the best ol
it, thinking that be had some trouble OF
his mind.
"Just about twilight one day Jack
came homo from tho field where be hat
been at work and found Mary missing
He instantly left the house and rar
to the top of a neighboring hill. BE saw
;ust what he feared. Down in the VALLEY