The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1892-09-15
"PEEe; ersry hour e &c ,., dHy rn pray

go
sPtke, crcrD hour In ne dan RI pFap
Dad 70 damn the C0MiCdacv."
AT the beginning Of the war the
Widow Hurd and her family lived mp in
the mountains about twenty miles south
east Of JacksbOro and on little branch
Of Clinch river, which tears through the
Cumberland range an hours march
away. THE Widow Hurd was woman
Of marked character. When achild she
had lived for some years at Tazewell.
where she learned to read and write. ac-
complishments which In themselves
were sufficient to distinguish her among
her unlettered neighbors Twenty years
before the war. her husband had been
killed In an election quarrel ct Jacks
boro. leaving her three childTen-tWo
boys and a girl. the latter being tEs
youngest and ct this time In her twenty
FIRST year. Mrs. Hurd. thrown on her
own resources, cultivated her billy farm
with more success than her husband
had ever done. Her prosperity was in
marked contrast with that Of her shift.
less neighbors. oil Of whom declared
that ''the Widow Hurd was list a-spilin
her young uns" when she sent them for
several years to school in the beautiful
mountain town where she had herself
received her limited education.
Minny Hurd was the belle Of the
mountains. and the admiration she ex.
cited in the breasts Of the young men ~
that region led to more than one Ct.
counter. Jack Hurd and his brother.
Pike. were as near Of an age as brOtheEs
well could he who were not twins, and
tie resemblance was quite a. striking
a. II they had been. They were tall.
athletic young fellows, with the keen
gray eyes and thick dark hair 90 char.
acteristic Of the pure blooded mountain
men. II was through their mothers In.
duence and the memory Of their fathers
sad ending that they avoided drink.
These brothers had slept together
since childhood, played together and
worked together. and so 1t came aIUut
that they not only looked alike. but they
thought alike. and the neighbors OftPn
jokingly said that ''the Hurd boys were
too doggone fond Of each other ever 70
git married But when the first rum.
blings Of the war went echoing through
the mountains change came between
the brothers. Wiser men than tho
young Hurds would be puzzled to give
4 good reason for their synpathies and
prejudices. but the widow noticed that
Pike. her youngest boy, was away u
Williams store . great deal. where .
Knoxville paper that favored secession
was taken and read by the proprietor to
the crowds Of mountain men who now
made that place rendezvous.
MTA Hurd also noticed that there wa
. cloud between the boys They began
to work apart, and their relations b.
came more and more strained, though
never frUm first to last did q haFsh word
pass. nor was an angry look given.
MFs. Hurd. from whose lips I learned
most Of this story. was o strong Union
woman. but she avoided a. much -
possible the discussion Of the all absorb
ing question then agitating the land and
dividing her boys.
pike grows more and more in temper
like his pore father that's dead and
gone said MrA Hurd one day to her
daughter, ''and I'm powerfully skeeFt,
Minny, that hell start of fust thing We
know and become sOjer."
HE told me" said Minny. ''that ho
thought be felt 'bleeged to 20. Last
night he cleaned up his rife and fixed
his saddle. and ! noticed that he sot the
traps away when Jack. be showed up
Hits mighty hard TO think that them
two boys that's allus been 90 loVin is now
% got agin each other. The wah amt
. comm harnO how, and can't zee that
we uns Is called on to bother"
Minny Hurl had good reason for this
belief. As yet the war was far oG. A
great battle had been fought IN virginia.
and stories Of slIirnishes In the noun.
tains away to the north were told 10 tbs
anxious groups that now daily assembled
ct Williams store and often remained
TIL tar into the night discussing the stu
alton. But there was no elevation o.
valley Of the Cumberland range that
was to escape the contest. no family
among the scattered settlements that
was not to be drawn into the struggle.
Jack Hurd was quiet. undemOnstra-
tive man, but like all such natures be
had strong feelings. and once he had
made up his mind It was impossible "a
change him. TWAS known TO his fam
ny and friends that Jack Hurd wa
powahfully sot agin the Confederacy.
and equally well known that Pike Wa
cot agin the Union but this difference
between brothers was 90 common - "a
excite no comment.
One moonlight night late IN October,
Jack Hurd was coming home from thu
store. where be had been 10 listen, when
On the narrow trail leading down to Id
mothers farm ho came face to facs
with Pike, who had his rife on BID
shoulder and was leading his aAddled
hoEse.
.Psrs iiEes sf 20 was sgwins 70 ride"
eyes; IL agvino TO .ohds.- oOusAsd
(Which wayr
Knoxville way
so ahuah. Pike"
sYes, Jack, To- shuah.s
And yen line tho ConfedacyEs
-Yes. allow 70 do hit
sand the inUthsrg-
Jacks voice wins husky q be asked
lhia question, and Pixies voice trembled
- DO replied;
srSe done gone tole her and Minnyi
both took on mighty bad: but tTied "a