The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1891-03-26
IN THE CUn8eRlAN RANGE.
A Traveller Falls in with Moonshiners
ana Has to Prove Up.

As | was TO take u snort cut over q
spur of the Cumberland mountains in
northern Tennessee, | hired colored
boy about ID wears of age to 60 n part
of the distance with me. He had
solemn. serious look, and | soon dis
covered that he was a philosopher l
had been told that there were moon
sinners in the Cumbe:lands. and that
the chances were l would be stopped
and sharply Investigated. When ready
to part from the youth asked:
DO you think I'll meet any moon
sinners"
Dat depends, sah."
"On what?'
'-On whedder somebody hidin' be-
hind dc brcsh or rocks doan' pop YOU
ober bcfo' you kin meet. If he'uu's
gun hangs liah yo'un will probably
meet"
1t was hot day in July. but asked
him If hc thought the weather would
hold, and Ie looked at the sky and re-
piled:
"Doan want 10 say. sab. 3 If it
should hold yuu Il wouldn't give me no
credit; and if it should snow you'n
would cuss me all day. Good day.
sab. Keep to de right arter you cross
de branch. If dat dean bring YOU
out den cum back an keep 10 dc left"
l had gone about mile when the
trail branched. and, after debating the
case, | took the right hand again and
went forward, with the comfortable
feeling that | had half of big state
at my personal disposal to get lost in.
The path suddenly y ended. ard about
that time mountaineer stepped from
thicket on my left and confronted
me and inquired
"Whar' from, strauger?n
told him.
What you'n doin' hyar?n
"Travcling."
nearer, "You's kin either prove up or
We can't
E That's Son
"You's either all right or you's cum
fussin'"
''Wen?n
Kin ye prove up?"
'I'll try"
Then walk aone.n
He walked beside me. or behind me,
through thickets and over rough
ground to a shanty just at the mouth
of Il rayine. There was man.
woman and boy of y there, and my
nose detected the odor of a still. The
three people mentioned stood ut the
door as we came up, and the man
queried of my conductor:
Who's he'un?"
''GwIne ter prove up"
down rnrl-
the boy to watch me, the other three
withdrew few yards and held a con-
sultation. This lasted about five miu-
utes, and when they returned the man
who had captured me said:
"We'uns is agreed on it. You's
either revenue or not. You's kin
pscTc up or ye can't"
Can any of you read?" | asked.
We kin or we can't replied the
woman, who was smoking plug to-
bacco in clay pipe.
We'll, perhaps you've heard Of
at MonrOe?h
I'VE mought or we moughtn't," re-
piled the husband of the woman.
well, here's a line from him. If
you are moOnshiners YOU have sold |
him whiskey and know him to be all /
right. Here's my card, here are let |
ters addressed to me ut Monroe, and /
you can overhaul my knapSack."
They couldn't read line of writing. |
and put up a job to catch me. After /
consulting together a bit the woman /
said:
What did you say he'uns first name
was-Georgc or WiIliam?"
Neither one: its Hpury.n
And does he'un live ia a single or
double log house,"
"ln a frame house,
(Which eye is hc'un blind in?"
Neither one. Come now. he's a /
bio, iieShy man, wears long whiSkers, I
is bald on top the head, and has
front tooth out. His wife is little
cross-eyed woman. and has two chill
dTen.n
That settled it, and was at oLce
given 4 bite to eat and told to make
myself at home. | had some tobacco
for the man and pins and needles for
the woman, and the present Of har-
moncan set the boy wild with delight.
"Sposin you'n had shot he'un down
thar suggested the woman to my
captor.
Then he'un would hey bin dead of
CO, Sc. " he calmly replied.
BY and 10y the men went up to at
tend The still and the woman unrolIed
the paper of pins to the last row.
opened the pa per of needles. and,
placing the two spoois of thread beside
them, she called to the boy:
Danny, cum hy'ar."