The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1893-10-19


never tech it. fur I'm a sNick church
member, and eff did l wouldn't know
whar to start to git drap of Ticker
Much obliged. Good morning.
'Good-by, sir. Wish could accom-
modate ye, but can't
descending the path met a gawk-
ish-looking lad driving an OK team
loaded with wood, up crooked road
toward the cabin. He eyed me askant
but continued his toilsome journey
without stopping to speak
Mcdonald said !, you may think
what you please, but we're right close
to the den, if we only knew how to
locate it
Then / related all the circum-
stances, all the time casting about for
some solution of the mystery which
became more and more convinced by
some vague intuition existed near by.
A few steps from the road that led from
the woods to the cabin there was
thicket that INSTRUCTED the rude track,
just below where it intersected with
the road we were travelling.
Mack, wait here a minute; there is
no harm in little investigation, and |
made my way down to the thicxet, in
which / noticed an old door shutter "
ing negligently, half concealed by the
brambles. Making my way to it,
can efully lifted it up and to my sur
prise found the mouth of cavern,
which, though narrow, showed signs of
recent use. Calling to Mcdonald to
fasten the horses and Join me. we were
soon exploring the cave. A descent of
dozen steps brought us to Il turn in
the cave and rough door. | gave it a
KICK, but there was no response except
hollow revcrberation which indicated
considerable apartment beyond.
Get me rock and I'll break it in
called to Mcdonald, but just then /
was startled by SHREK in the rear.
Don't kill him. Please don't kill
him" and down came the old woman
had seen at the cabin. III you won't
kill him, I'll let You in
We don't want to kill anybody
replied. so go ahead
'She produced rusty KEY, and I'M
locked the door which grated roughly
against the rock as it turned on its rude
wooden hinges.
Come up, Reuben; they've found it
out she cried. But no Reuben an
swered. oh, you've scarf him clean to
death, fur he weren't well nohow,' and
she Owed into the cave and we at her
heels. A slight glimpse of a smolder-
ing blaze guided us and we We're soon
laundering among tubs and kegs, from
among which we dragged the BODY of a |
man.
Wake up, old man, and kindle a |
light said l.
Mister, I'll go, if you'll promise
not to hurt me-
No danger of that. Come on
We'll, sir, he was the most forlorn |
and abject specimen of moonshiner |
ever saw. He Looked as if he had not
seen the light in ten years, and I think
he hardly had. lie had spent his DAYS
IL the cave, since he pretended to leave
for Texas, vcnturing forth only at
night, and then with evere possible pre-
caution.
The cave, partly natural and partly
artificial, extended as far as the CEN
ter of the main highway, which ran
along the side of the bluff at that
point, and our men had ridden over it
hundreds of times. He
brought the water through covered
pipe from spring above the house,
and by cunningly contrived counter
pipe conveyed the smoke and steam To
and up the rear OF that double Chin
new TINS concaalinr avar,. t,,.,, g, -. |
Below he led the Stops down a subter-
ditch to point where the little
brook descended into 4 wild and wood
ed glen broken by many cascades, so
that no trace of it could be discovered
in that direction. The mouth of the
cave was SO carefully concealed that in
hauling wood few sticks could be
thrown off, as if by accident, and car
ricd down after dark, Us were the raw
materials for the distillery, and in the
same manner the liquor could be taken
out in small kegs and carted away.
ut looked almost like a shame to de-
stroy such a piece of ingenuity, but of
course we did our duty, although the
old man fairly blubbered as he saw his
still broken up, his kegs removed, his
tubs of mash overturned, and all his
ingenious safeguards exposed to the
gaze OF the world He was sent ZIP for
five years, but he did not serve out his
time The discovery and exposure, to-
gether with the enforced habits OF
prison life, proved the death of him"
Couldn't Fool Elm.