The Van Buren press., 1893-05-06
STRANGE WEAPONS.
Something About the Mountainees
Means OF Defense.

the chief weapon. and about the only
one in, constant use. Of the typica
southern mountaineer, is the old-fash
sioned 'squir'l rifle" The writer cam,
across some information recently, how
ever, which adds some new phases L
this question: A. man who has livef
all his life among the mountains ant
with the mountaineers, and who ha!
seen every side Of the uneventful vel
interesting life, was asked about theil
weapons and their mode Of using them
Undoubtedly" said he, "the long
rife Is the most natural means OF de
tense which our moonshine-drinking
and d-making friends take TO, and that
they become wonderfully expert in IL:
use can be testified by many people
who have seen them shoot When a
mans provisions depends upon his
craftsmanship it is apt to make him q
good shot, and that is what every
mountaineer about here ID Naturally,
too they prize good rife, and it I.
often said that q man with rife and q
COW is entirely ready to get married.
II the rife is specially good one and
tho COW gives plenty OF milk, he il
looked upon as rich man indeed, and
such riches count up when he comes to
take wife to his bosom. But next to
the rifle they have an exceedingly
queer weapon, and one which have
never seen mentioned in any story, nor
do think many people know of it. 1t
isn't carried with them, and yet they
are never without it."
''Well, what is the answer to your
riddle?" asked.
IA stone. The way some Of those
long-armed lawbreakers can throw
stones is really wonder when you
come to think of it. Give one of them
rock, as they say. and he is as well
armed as he cares to be. They learn
the art when they are young, and by
constant practice become so proficient
in it that they are dangerous people to
triae with when they are loaded. I've
seen man take stone as big round
as two walnuts and kill quail run
ming on the ground 300 feet away. It's
fact They throw like lightning for
swiftness, and their aim is nearly as
true as it is with rifle.
II had heard many tall stories about
these stone-throwing mountaineers be-
fore saw one, and I laughed at them
as you do, and hooted at the idea as alb.
surd. But one day happened to be on
the top of Peters Mountain, sitting in
the door OF the cabin of a lazy old
mountaineer friend, when suddenly he
looked up with an exclamation and
stopped for a small-sized bowlder. Al
most before could see what he was
doing he sent it whirring through the
air, and the next moment o great
chickenhawk came tumbling to the
earth almost at our feet, stone dead in
more senses than one Yes, sir, he had
killed him ON the wing with stone--a
thing you and l would have found
plenty hard enough to do with a gun.
That little incident put an end to my
doubts on the stone-throwing abilities
of the mountaineer.
you can easily see the advantage OF
OF such weapon, for it ia always al
hand, and yet they are never burdened
with It The country is very rocky and
loose stones crop out on every hand,
furnishing ample ammunition when.
ever it is needed. Not only is 1t con.
venient. but it is noiseless and terribly
effective This same friend OF mine,
who is an old man, told me OF an Incl.
dent where it served him good turn.
HE was out in his field one day,
working like an honest man, when a
young fellow came along and began to
quarrel with, him There had been
some trouble between them on account
of the old fellows pretty daughter, and
the young man was sore over his failure
to get her for his wife. Seeing no one
around he decided to help himself to a
little revenge. He climbed the fence
and went nigh unto the father of his
beloved, and fell upon him in real old.
fashioned style. The old man acllnowl.
edged that he had never had such q
'whuppin'' as that one in all his life be.
fore when he told me of it. He was
like rat at u terriers mercy. When
the job was finished to the satisfaction
of the thrasher, he gave my friend a
parting shake and sailed out for the
fence. But though the old man had
been numerically punished, he was
game, and he had gotten to his feet be.
fore the younger one had gone hun.
dred yards Just as he put his hand ON
the top rail of the fence chunk OF
limestone rs big as your fist dropped
with dull thud on the top OF his head,
and as he fell insensiblc to the ground
another broke two ribs for him.
"T jest handed him couple of ground
biscuit, said my friend. laughing mod
estly, and he sort went to sleep right
where he laid
1T took the young man two months
to get well. Perhaps the fact that he
was nursed by the daughter herself
had something to do with it, however,
for in the end he married the girl, and
he says now he's glad the old father hit
him. l thought I'd tell you about it
some day SO you could put in lot OF
apostrophes and bad grammar and
make a dialect story of it
''Another queer thing about these
men is the fact that they know nothing
of self-defense with the fists; not one in
a hundred could rightly parry blow.
With their splendid muscular training,
which naturally comes TO them, Of
course it would seem as II they would
make fine fighters, but they do not.
They can shoot like COW wboys and throw
like catapults, but any city street arab
could give them points on boxing
h. ~sA l.