The Delta independent., 1890-11-18
ON THE DEVILS BACKBONE,

"A 1eW years bclOfc lne war was y
clerk in the store of my brothcr-in-law,
Nathan Richie, in Pittsburg. and at
just that age in which Il young man be-
gins to take real serious interest in
girls, and. naturally, to get into all
sorts of scrapcs and troubles there
from.
The Washington county farmers used
to come into town then on their wa
gons, bringing along not only big
loads of grain. wool, flax, poultry, and
other produce, but their wives and
daughters as well. They would drive
in one day. put up over night at the
old Farmers inn," down near the
Smthlicld market, and the next day
would make their necessary purchase
and go home.
/ got to know personally great
many of the farmer folks, and had oc-
casion-or took ito observe that
thel were plenty of very fine young
women among them - buxom, full
bosomed, bight-eycd, red-lipped girls
full of health, vivacity. and natural
honesty. But old man Dan Elders
daughter Jennie seemed to me the
flower of the llock, and l assure you
that, rs far as l could. l made it m
object of interest for the Elder family
to do its trading ut our store.
Jennie and got quite friendly, and
began to have Il hopeful suspicion that
she was pretty near rs glad to see me
when she came to town rs was to see
her. Once l got her and her father to
20 with me TO II theater, the first time
either of them had seen play, but he
get Il notion that there was something
wrong about stage plays and would
not let her go again. Still the old fell
low seemed to take sort of liking to
me. and after he had got to know me
quite well, nearly two years from our
first meeting, he invited me to visit his
place out on Raccoon creek.
About week afterward l hired a
good saddle horse and rode out to pay
that visit. 1t was easy enough to find
"Uncle Dams" place, for everybody
within 4 radius of ten miles about it
seemed to know him, and I reached
his house just at dusk. l thought it
was good omen when the dogs were
so much more friendly than country
dogs generally are in greeting stran-
ger. and was sure of it when Jennie
said archly:
''Old Bose wouldn't be SO good
natured if he did not know that was
expecting you. He must have heard
me talking about you"
That evening the whole family, Jen-
ME, her father and mother an elder
brother, and two sisters-went to n
dance. about two miles distant. and,
of course. l went along. At least
seemed to do so. In point of fact, l
went to Paradise. / sat beside Jennie
In the big wagon, with my arm around
her while we went through dark
patches of forest; danced with 'Jen-
ME. don't know how many times;
waited upon Jennie at supper, rode
home beside Jennie, with renewed
utilization of forest shadows; and even
snatched kiss from Jennie ere she
fled to her room. Under such circum-
stances how could l be expected to
be more than vaguely conscious that
there was big. hulking, clod-hopper
named Jim Arney. who scowled and
glared at me as If he would like to eat
me9 What the mischief did care for
Jim Arney? But the fellow wouldn't
be ignored. The very next afternoon.
feeling that it was nat quite the proper
thing for me to loiter around tho house
all day. l borrowed brother Dawes
rifle and went out to shoot squirrel
or two if could find any. Suddenly
at n turn in the road | was confronted
by Jim Arney on horseback. Eying
me with an insulting affcctation OF
scorn he snarled:
You're pretty looking dandy from
town, amt you?" / replied that can
didly speaking. l really did think /
presented rather agreeable contrast
to him.
He flushed angrily. and speaking in
voice thick with passion. retorted:
I'D break your back if Jennie had
n. said was to leave you alone" I
told him l would secure his pardon for
nll the back-breaking he could do on
Inc. and invited him to "wade in,"
but he rode off on his way. and l went
on squirrel hunting.
Leaving my course to chance l
strolled higher and higher up n gently
slopng hill until l came out suddenly
Mt the top of precipice several hum
dred feet in height, which ! subse-
quently learned was called the Devils
Backbone" The face of the cliff was
as sheer as wall, but rough with
great holes burrowed here and there in
the soft sandstone by the elements, and
with narrow lodges, on which trees
aud shrubs grew. masking all the rocky
dcclivity with foliage. The tops OF
tall trees were down below me, and
far in the depths beyond their roots 1
could catch glimpses of the creek, like
silver thread. Around where | stood
bushes grew thickly up to the very
verge of the prccipice, with trees occa-
.sionally among them leaning over it.
An impudent, chattering gray squir-
rel sat upon his launches in tree on
the brow of the cliff, barking at me,
and l shot him. He fell and lodged
on little ledge full twenty feet below
the top, where stood. made up my
mind to get the body of the little beast,
and tho difficulty and even positive
Danger TO be encountered in doing so
were only indictments to achieve tho