The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1893-10-28
Hunting a MOOlS1ileT.
BY NJ. ~. FOLSOM.


nue. Collector Chapman, as he leaned
back in his chair. awe knew very well
that whisky was being made in the
neighbOrhood, but so carefully concealed
was the habitat of the nloonshincrs that
we were unable to obtain any clue TO it..
There had been a distillery in that
neighborhood some ten or dozen years
ago, run by IA noted moonshiner-old
Reub Davis-but times had become so
hot for him that he suddenly decamped,
giving out the report that he was going
to Texas. II has been 80 long since his
disappearance that people had almost for
gotten him.
"Still we were puzzled. Our deputies
could find evidence unimpeachable of the
existence of contraband distillery by
hanging around the little cross roads viii
lages and attending the different gat her
ings where corn juice and apple jack
were plentiful; but although the base OF
supplies could be traced almost TO thefoun-
tain head, the exact place Of deposit could
never be found. Many and many n weary
tramp did we take among those rugged
mountains and dark ravines, night and
day, in sun and rain, but still we were
bailled.
FINALLY we decided on making a reg
ular ring hunt for the culprit, and bright
and early one morning i started out with
three Of my keenest deputies, determined
to make haul before night or else spend
the frosty night in the woods. sent
two of the men in one direction and set
out across the Cut Log ridge with Nc
Donald.
"Reaching point near the summit,
caught whiil of the familiar flavor, and
halting began to look around for some
clue az TO its source. Perched away up
on tho mountainside, ovcrhanging Il
brawling brook that came tumbling
down across the road we were travelling,
i spied shabby-looking cabin which
would have appeared uninhabited save
for n little curl Of smoke ascending
lazily from the rough rock chimney.
Bidding Mcdonald remain with the
horses, climbed the mountain, and ap-
preaching the low doorway accosted an
old woman who was looking after her
household work. Everything was rs in
nocent and unsuspicious as if there was
not drop of contraband in forty miles
of the spot.
May get light for my pipep
/ asked.
"'Ya-as; wait a mint and I'll fetch
you splinter
+" No, don't trouble. I'll just come
in and get it myself.
'Oh, the house amt iitten for ye 10
come into, she replied, eyeing me sus.
piciously.
Z" That's all right, ma'am. I'm used
to that sort of thing
''As said this stepped in, and, ad-
vancing to the fireplace, | stopped as il
to light my pipe, but Mt the same time it
occurred to me that the chimney was
unusually thick in the back wall.
"'Your old man isn't inl' said.
Il haint got an old man
You're widow, thcn?'
Yes, so fur as | know. My old
man went off more'n ten years ago.
Said he were a-goin' to Texas. and ]
hain't hearn word from him from that
day till this
"Why did he leavel'
"'On account OF the revynue men. Ge
see he used to make little Ticker
and they found out about it, aud he had
to skin ont
"'What is your namep
" Davis, Sarah Ann Davis. I'm
havin' hard time of it, and have had
these many yeers, with nobody to look
after me but myself; but thank the
Lord, I've managed to keep soul and
body together
All this time she was talking i'm such
meek and innocent way that my sus-
picions were half disarmed; but still
was unsatisfied, as that Whit of savory
steam, that thick back chimney, and the
name of the woman, coupled with the
history of old Reub. Davis, had aroused
my suspicious.
80 suppose a traveller couldn't get
little dram hereaboutsl" | remarked
"'God bless you, not as knows of.
never tech il, for Pm strick church
member and eff did | wouldn't know
whar to start to git drap of licker.'
Much obliged Good morning.
"Good-b by, sir. Wish could accom-
modate ye, but can't
descending the path l met gawk.
ish-looking lad driving an ox-team,
iouNeu "''u "SVN, hP NibOhNu luhu
toward the cabin. He eyed mesaskant.
but continued his toilsome journey with
out stopping TO speak.
Mcdonald said |, you may think
what you please, but we're right close TO
the den, ii we only knew how to locate
it,
"Then related all the circumstances.
all the time casting about for some solu-
tion Of the mystery which became more
and more convinced by some vague IN.
tuition existed near by. A few stcr.
from the road that led from the woods to
the cabin there was thicket that ob .
struoted the rude track just below where
il intersected with the road we were
travelling.
"Macx, wait here minute; there is
no harm in little investigation aud |
made my way down to the thckct. in
which noticed an old door shutter ly.