The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-10-28

I'll show you whRr she's buried direckly.' y
We had proceeded but a few yards whom
we came to a deserted cabin, the windows
of which were tightly closed. In front Of
this cabin was a mound, and at its head a
rude slab on which was painted in bold
letters:
SUSIE;
..The only one who ever loved me-and:
L shot her.
JOHN WILSON"
............s.............
had q sense Of horror as read the
strange inscription. The story possessed
peculiar fascination for me. Partly from
my guide and partly from others learned
the facts. and here they are:
youth, he came to this mountain and built
his,cabin. Then, on the creek in the valley,
three miles below, he opened country
store. He was far superior to the simple
mountain folk, and his immense strength,
his strong intellect and his knowledge Of
books made him leader. No one knew
from whence he came, except that he was
raised in the city, and at first his neiohbors
were distrustful of him. But this soon
/ wore away and nothing could be done on
the mountain side in which he did not take
the most prominent part. he brought
lived in the cabin he had built. The years
passed by, and for that country, where
money is scarce and needs are few for which
money is wanted. the store keeper grew to
be wealthy man. he was natural ath-
lete, and could run faster, leap further,
man in the sparsely settled country.
For years his life was happy one, and a
little daughter was born unto the young
couple; In the morning and evening Viii
sons cheerful whistle could be heard as he
passed from the cabin to the store and back
again. As the baby grew he used to take
her on his back and carry her to the store,
where she was content to play until he was
ready to 60 home. She was the pride of
the mountain side. But one day a stranger
dressed, and the simple mountaineers re-
{ garded him with suspicion. The next day
he was gone and John Wilson'S wife had
disappeared, never to return. No one knew
anything further; but the storekeeper no
longer whistled as he went to the store. An
except to little Susie. who was always by
his side, or being carried on his back. II
she hid behind the boxes in the store. il
was pathetic to hear him call, ''Susie, my
babyp' And the child would run out and
throw her arms around him and laugh,
while the tears would como unbidden to the
strong mans eyes as he stroked her hair
and chided her for frightening him by run
ming away. When she was oldor they would
sit in their cabin door, and he would teach
her to read. Never for moment we're they
separated, these two; and az the years
came back to John Wilson.
When IA years old Susie was sent to the
city to school, and there she remained four
years. Once month her father went to
visit her, and then he would come back and
take mp his ordinary duties In q perfunctory
H n n il nhk r xuor ovySkh foyH
ter IN the distant city. Every night little
not long before The government officials
learned that the strongest organization Of
the moonshiners in the state were operat-
aims, and they believed that John
Wilson was the leader. During
&all these years he had held aloof
from these mon, except that they knew
him to be man who could be trusted, and
when he built still down on the creek be-
him Is their leader. why he went into &
no one will ever know. Raid after rad was
mAde, but John Wilson was too shrewd to
be captured, and the officers went away
without having detected him or any Of his
men.
For two years he ran his still, the largest
in the mountains, when his daughter. now
grown into young womanhood. returned
from school, She was beautiful girl, and
in her pretty dresses seemed strangely ont
of place among those rude mountain folk.
did when a child, and the two were again
inseparable. He could not bear to have her
Iout Of his sight. The moonshinero how
ever, continued to make the Wilson cabin
their rendezvous.
why do these men como here, fathers'
his daughter asked.
81 have business with them, my child. II
f,sa1 I m m n hor hUAT
would be Q poor man in the city. Next
wear will have enough, and We will move
TO the CITY,"
With this she was content. but ~ the
weeks passed by she learned the truth, and
osgged her father to stop.
"Only few weeks now, my child,n he
1ould answer. s.
One night two men came running to the
louse. She heard her father 90 to the cor
ler where he kept his rifle; then he hurried
put Of the door. Dressing quickly, she ran
% catch him. She had learned where the
still was. and she OWNED that there vas
rouble there. She ran as she never ran be-
sOre, for fear lent speed to her feet, Ap-
,roaching the still, she saw the revenue
,mcers riding up the creek just behind her.
Never needing the rife barrels resting in the
srevices between the logs Of the still houae,
The ran on. when the sharp crack Of ride
anR out on the night air. She threw mp her
lands and fell on her face, shot through the
leart. It was her father who had fred; and
% he pulled the trigger he aaw it WAS
.oman's form. and OWNED who it was, but
was too late. He fell by the side- Of his
run. After sharp fight in which NO ono
vas wounded, however. the revenue officers
etreated. His companions picked John
Wilson mp and carried him to the nearest
abin. They did mot know what the trouble
yas until. going along ths creek With the
unconscious man, They found the body Of
% daughter. They picked har mp and tam
leEly bore them both away.
The nsxt day the girl was buried near the
nbin. For weeks the father lay in delir-
nm; and whsn he got well - wsnt 10 the
rave Of his laughter and plaoed Tho had
tone there chat ] had seen. The cabin and
tore were clossd; the still ms burned. Hs
i've IN . oavs. He never speaks to any
anEtal, living on Wild berries ana II aa1e
has - KILL Hi ria i hiscaly ounpan-
=. nd - this - yin talk = 4 e -