The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-02-22
IN CUMBERLAND RANGE.
A Traveller Falls in with Moonshiners
end Has to Prove Oh.

As was to take q short cut over spur OF
the Cumberland mountains in northern Ten
nessee, hired colored boy about Is years
of age TO go part Of the distance with me.
He had solemn, serious look, and soon
discovered that he was philosopher. had
been told that there were moonshiners in
the Cumberlands, and that the chances were
/ would be stopped and sharply investi-
gated. When ready TO part from the youth
/ asked:
"Do you think I'll meet any moonshin-
ers7"
THAT depends, sah."
"Oa whatF
ION whedder somebody hidin' behind de
bresh or rocks doan' pop you ober befo' you
kin meet. II he'uns gun hangs fab yo'un
win probably meet.
1t was hot day in July, but asked him
if he thought the weather would hold, and
he looked at the sky aud replied:
"Doan' want to say, sab. II it should
hold you'n wouldn't give me no credit; and
II it should snow, you'n would cuss me all
day. Good day, sab. Keep to de right
arter you cross de branch. II dat doan'
bring you out, den cum back an keep to de
left
had gone about a mile when the trail
branched, and, after debating the case, !
took the right hand again and went for
n
had ha ( of big state at my personal dis
posal 20 get LOST in. The path suddenly
ended aud about that tia mountaineer
stepped from thickes on my left and con-
fronted me, and inquied:
"Whar from. straugerp
| told him.
"What you'n dom hyarp
"Traveling."
look hyarp he said, as he came nearer.
"You's kin either prove up or ye can't"
That's so.n
"You's either all right or you.s cum fus-
sin.m
"Well"
"Kin yer prove up"
"I'll try"
"Then walk along"
He walked beside me, or behind me,
through thickets and over rough ground to
a shanty just at the mouth OF a ravine
There was a man, a woman and a boy OF
~ there and my nose detected the odor of
STILL The three people mentioned stood
at the door as we came up, and the man
queried Of my conductor:
who's he 'unT'
"Gwine ter prove up"
sat down on a rock. and, leaving the boy
to watch me, the other three Withdrew a
few yards and held consultation. This
lated about five mInuees, and when they
returned the man who had captured ne
said:
"We'uns is agreed on it. You's either
revenue or not. You's kin prove upor ye
cln't.n
"Can any of you read" asked.
1--WE kin or we can't, replied the woman,
who was smoking plug tobacco in clay
pipe.
"well, perhaps you've heard of - at
Monroew
1--WE mought or we moughtnt," replied
the husband of the woman.
"Well, here's line from him. If you are
moonshiners you have sold him whisky and
know him to be all right Here's my card,
here are letters addressed to me at Monroe,
and you can overhaul my napsack."
They couldn't read line If writing, and
put up job to catch me- After consulting
together bit the woman said:
what did you say he'uns first name
was-George or William
Neither one; it's Henry"
"And does heun live in a single or double
log housel"
''In a frame house."
NV hich eye is heun blind inY'
Neither one. Come, now, he's a big,
feshy man, wears long whisksrs, is bald on
top Of the head, and has a front tooth out.
His wife is little CroSs-eyed woman, and
has two children"
That settled it, and was at once given a
/ bite to it, and told to make myself at home.
| had some tobacco for the man and pins
| and needles for the woman aud the present
of harmonioon set the boy wild with de-
light.
'"Sposin' you'n had shot heun down
tharln suggested the woman to my captor.
"Then he'un would hev bin dead, OF co'se, -
he calmly replied.
BY and by the men went up to attend the
still, and the woman uurolled the paper of
pins to the last row, opened the paper of
! needles, and, placing the two spools of
thfead beside them, she called to the boy:
Danny, cum hy'ar."
!, "Yaas"
LOOK in my eyes"
! "Yaas."
as IfiRhty"
! "Skeercely, ma'am."
"Well, Izs either Eighty or the richest
| woman on these yere mountain, an l wish
pop would hurry hack an tell me whichIn
|