The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1891-03-13


Over there people have pleasant little custom
ofanswerng every question with anotherwhich
always is:
"What's your name"
For six hours the Judge had been giving his
name to men, women and children, and about
dusk he made up his mind to give it no more
Such decision was like the Judge, and 1t was
like the Judge to stick to it. About 10 o'clock
that night he rode into Hazard and hailed
French's store. a voice came from the inside
with the inevitable query.
ooh you wouldn't know if were to tell
YOU" said the Judge impatiently. lie told
them he wanted to stay all night; and while he
was in conference with one of the clerks behind
the barred door the other had gone to inform
French, whose house joined the store, that q
stranger was seeking lodging and refused to
tell his name. French gave orders that the
Judge be sent to another house, saying that in
the meanwhile he would investigate him. The
Judge went as directed, was again asked his
name and again refused to tell.
''You can't stay here" said the obduratc
host, "unless you tell your name"
every well'' said the Judge, II will move
on"
Bv that time French had him surrounded by
nine men and nine Winchester rifles. They let
him go on, however, and off the Judge started
to Jackson 10 miles distant, at midnight. The
nine men followed him, and several times held
consultation, it is said, whether or not they
should shoot him, but as the Judge rode straight
on, they concluded to let him go unharmed.
That was narrow escape for the Judge
The Trenches were expecting an attack from
the Eversolcs at any time. Coming in at that
hour he was thought to be SPY. Moreover
he had ridden over road by night, that French
afterwards said he himself would have feared
to ride by day.
There is desperate in that region whose
name is Jim Fox. He is the only man of that
name in the mountains; member of the Ever
sole faction, and ticnd who in a drunken fit
is said to have fired at Frcnch's little daughter
as she was looking through the yard fence
The bullet struck the fence so close to her that
the splinters few into her face. While the
war was going on Mr. James W. Fox happened
to ride up to French's house one evening after
dusk, having been told that he could secure a
fresh horse, from him and not knowing that
French was the leader of one of the factinos.
At that time French was living out in the
mountains.
'Is that you, Mr.. French" he called out IA
mliarly, as man stepped out on the porch.
"Yes," replied French, chat is my name;
what is yours?'
"Fox," was the answer.
French started a little-"Not jim Fox?"
eyes" came the answer, "Jim Fox"
French was in doubt moment, but soon con-
cluded that the man was not his enemy, whom
however, he happened never to have seen. lie
took Mr. Fox in, gave him his supper, and sent
him away on fresh horse.
al did not tell him, said he, chat thought
at first he was the other jim Fox, because |
thought it might make him feel bad"
That was consideration for guest not
unusual in the mountains and this, by the way,
leads me to say that many of the men engaged
in these warfares are to all appearances kindly,
genial men. One of the principals in this feud
is at present book-kecpcr in this town. He
is polite intelligent, one of the quletest men
imaginable, and his voice is as mild as wom-
ans. Only from his eye would one get the
idea that it might not be healthy to make him
angry.
Sometimes the mountaineers go to school
in the Blue Grass region. a few years
ago Prof Kirby, of Kentucky, was enrolling
his class in the State College at Lexington.
'What is your name?" he said to long,
lank youth with tousled hair.
CLUB" was the drawing answer, in tone
that drew the attention Of every one III the
room. The professor arched his brows slightly.
"Your first name, please" he said.
''Hickery."
There was d roar at this, which somewhat
discounted the young mountaineer.
81 suppose, Mr.. Club" said tho professor
kindly, "it is pretty mountainous where You
come FROM"
ayes, my Teller, -have-ter lock purity
straightup to see out whar come from"
Once Presbyterian mission of the Blue
Grass region secured two young mountalneers,
and took them to Richmond, KY, to educate
them for ministers. They were placed under
charge of Mr. Tate Irvine, of this city, who
was at that time an instructor in Central Col
lege. One was tall, lean fellow, with liant
ern jaws, stiff, upright, black hair, whose
name was Micajah. The other was stubby,
short and stolid-Dud by name. The first
hint of coming intellectual power apparent in
the dull pair, radiated from Micajah about
month later. TWAS an outburst that startled
the school and professor as well. Mr. Irvine
had given the pupils the task of writing an es-
saw on squirrels, and each was to close with an
account of a personal hunt. It was evident from
Micaiah's nervous manner that he had some
thing unusual on hand as he read he grew more
excitedand his treble voice became shriiler and
Shriller. II 1ounu CT squirt Nc saia. LAG
wuz a-sitt'n on tree" and then with tremen-
dous dramatic effect, he gave out the following
couplet:
s.His ha,r wrz stiff, his tail was a-shakin,
riz my gun m saved his bacon"
As time went on Micajah's interest in his
books grew slowly less and less, and finally