Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1890-03-29

many of these mountain passes. II is
a narrow defile between the overhang-
ing rocks of mountain, which by
some convulsion of nature must have
split in twain Great, rough stones,
covered and wreathed with laurel frOm
the bottom of the pass to the apex
afford impenetrable hidingplaces from
which the riders can be plainly seen,
while the bushwhacker is as much out
of sight as though he had never ex-
listed. Land Spectators at one time
some years ago we're as badly hated as
were the officers of the law, and they
Jared roughly when caught, although
that fact has changed considerably OF
late. Some years ago a land specula-
tor, whom Twill call Brown, as the story
is still reminiscence to that gentle
man, and a Baptist preacher started
through the mountains toward Cum
berland Gap. They were riding splen-
did horses, and, of course, carried the
old-time saddle-bags with them. They
had not gotten into Crackers Neck fifty
yards before they were halted by sew
eral armed men, whom they did not see
at all until the guns were stuck almost in
! their faces. They were dismoIntcd IN
jiffy, ard while one Of the me- VIZ
through their clothing and saddle
bags the others stood guard over them.
The SPECTATORS papers soon betrayed
his business, but the documents car
ried by the preacher were a puzzle.
/ They were sermons. The speculator
was tied to tree and whipped with
wythes most numerically, after which
his hands were tied and he was seated
on a log while the gang tried to olsen
tangle the preachers documents. They
were written in a miserable hand al
best, as the preacher afterward admit
ted The only thing either Of the gang
could make out was the title to one Of
the sermons, Saved from the Wreck.
After porting over it for some time
the leader said to the preacher;
Say, mister, was it steamboat OF
train you was bowed up ou?"
The preacher then told the men thai
he was man of God and that he was
merely going through the mountains tc
North Carolina, where he was going tC
take charge of a church After talking
the matter over for some time they gave
the preacher his horse and other prop
erty and told him he might go on, but
advised him to go back, as he SOulC
be more apt to find the devil than Coo
in these mountains The Speculation
was cleaned out and started back afoo
and advised never to attempt to come
into that country again, and [ don't be
heye he ever did
This is the character of the countr.
wild, mountainous and almost i'm
penetrable, and thiuly populated by
people who are a hundred years be
hind the times and who to-day are liv
ing over again in a somewhat modified
form the lives Of their ancestors of
century ago. Is it any wonder, then
that the Hatfelds and McCoys, tn
Tolhvers, Underwoods, and others O
like ilk can and do defy the laws ant
laugh at the efforts of courts, backed
as they often are by companies of sol
oilers and even batteries of artillery
Nothing but a greater civilization ca
or Will remedy these troubles, but tina
seems now in fair way of accomplish
ment, as several railroads are projecte
and more thar one commenced throug
the hills aud valleys of this Tich but a
present almost yalueless country.