Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-11-17

VINO was hlileQ IN an OrcnaTu Dy pusH-
whackers at the beginning Of the war, and
since, for some reason, he comes up from
the grave and stalks through the orchard
with his head under his arm on each ann
versary of his taking off,
Then there are certain places where
phantom dogs-some headless-may be seen
in the dusky twilight-keeping vigil where
their masters have met death by violence.
There are stories of men being chased by
ghosts which would discount Tam O'Shan-
ter, and, strange to say, there is always
some point-some Brig. O'Doon-beyond
which the power of the ghostly pursuers
does not extend.
These stories are by no means common.
Here and there, onlyi is found a person who
believes such things and he usually pays
dearly for his superstition by being made
the butt of jokes by every devilish boy In
the community. He is the man who sees
white figures rising out of and hears I'M
earthly groanS when passing by some rude
graveyard; he is liable to see SKULL with
flaming eyes and fiery mouth and nostrils.
in his pathway. If he be brave and will
investigate, he will probably find an in
nocent pumpkin hull with a lighted cam
die inside and fixed up for his special bene-
fit-if he run away, ghost story is the
result
"a TenderfoOt.''
One reason why so many stories are told
and such general impressions given which
are not correct is that the shrewd natives
frequently work men who come among
them for what is known, in western par
lance, as 'tenderfoot." When for
eigner'' goes among them making inquiries
as though he had discovered a new species
of the genus homo, he will probably 60 home
well stuffed"
A recent case of actual belief in witch
craft came under my observation in the
| circuit court at Jonesboro'. Tenn.
Burns . House.
A man, by the way, an Importation from
a state north of Mason and Dixon's line.
| burned a neighbours cabin because he be-
| lieved the aforesaid neighbor in league with
the witches
Usually, when a horse would get sick, or
| a hog die. or a COW fail to give milk. he
would draw a figure on a board with char
coal. and shoot 1t with silver bullet-that
would kill the witch. Last year more mis-
fortunes than usual befell him. The witches
got on a rampage, and refused to be exor-
cised by the usual methods. "Cnmerci-
full disaster followed fast and followed
faster until at last his suspicious fell on
a neighbor. He went to his neighboTs
cabin while the occupants were away. and
Get 1t on fire. and watched ii burn to ashes.
He was indicted for arson, when he entered
plea that it was done to destroy the pow
er of the witch that had been prosecuting
him. 1t is needless to say that the verdict
of the jury had depressing effect on fur
ther cruSadeS against witches.
Views ON Religion.
To my mind the most striking popularity
Of the mountain people is found in their
Views on religion. Here is where the
mount tain people are earnest. They talk
politics twice in four years; they talk re-
ligion seven days in the week, and many
| are the arguments between the Methodists
and Baptists and Presbyterians on such
/ ~t.~.-
mersion. close communion and predestina-
ton. Sometimes these wordy encounters
end In fisticuffs Of serious kind.
Your mountaineer is a fatalist of the
most ultra type. What is to be will be"
is favorite expression, and he will meet
death with all the stoicism of an indian.
A doctor, not an ignorant one, had cut a
mans leg OF; should he fail to see his
patient on a certain day serious or fatal
consequences might follow. The French
Broad river-one Of the swiftest streams
| in the world-fiowed between them. 1t was
swollen by heavy rains to more than dou-
bic IT'S usual volume. There was no bridge
at which he could cross. no canoe could
| live minute in the flood. He made prep
arations to swim his horse, his friends re-
monstrated and urged that such a fool
said. IF my time hasn't come, 1 am all
right; II 1t has. / can't help it," and plung-
ed into the river By miracle. it would
seem. he avoided the floating logs and de-
bris and reached the other side His time
hadn't come" was the laconic Observation
OF witness The people of the noun
tains believe in literal hell-a lake that
burns with rire and brimstone-and pictures
OF the fortunes inflicted on the lost soul are
| sometimes drawn by local preachers with
a viVidness Of imagination and minuteness
| OF detail that would make a medieval monk
| turn green with envy.
As to MoOnshiners,
The moonshiner does exist, but In small
10
| tons from the fact that his existence usu
| ally attracts national attention. He is a
| dangerous kind of game to hunt: he is q
| sure shot; so Is the revenue officer IL he
| llVes long, and somebody generally gets
| hurt when they meet. The moonshiner does
| not attach much Importance to killing q
| revenue officer. provided he doesn't get into
the federal court for it. Owing to the fact
that the officers have been much abused by
pau men oeputy marshals receive little
sympathy from people of any class. Phillips
BROOKS was making a tour of the western
North Carolina mountains. Riding along
one day his driver pointed to a ravine and
SAID: over there a man was killed the
other day." what for?" asked the bishon
He was a revenue officer" answered the
driver. But what had he done?" asked the
bishop HE was a revenue officer" per-
sisted the driver Then it began to dawn
on the bishop that being a revenue officer
was regarded as crime sufficient to merit
death.
Result Of One Raid.
few years ago some deputy marshals
went to house in Mitchell county, where
J man was suspected of Illicit distilling.
Nobody was in sight, except the buxom
daughter of the suspect. Where is your
father" queried one of the officers Dun
no." was the stolid answer. Has he been
gone long" Right smart while" was the
reply. (which way did he go?" Never
seed him leave the house" The officers saw
smoke on the side of the mountain and
started in its direction. The girl picked up
! horn and gave long toot. The officers
knew their game was warned. They start
| ed on. however, with a hope of capturing
| the still. You fellers had better not go up
| thar" said the girl; but they went on and
she followed They came to the still-the
| fires were still burning. but the chemist had
| flown. Chop 1t up" said the leader. A
deputy marshal gave one stroke with the
, ak, when the sharp report Of a squirrel
rifle was heard and he fell with a bullet
: between his ribs Thar" said the girl, II
/ told you fellers not to come over here, cause
| pap lowed he'd shoot the first durn man
| that stuck an ak in his STILL"
But the moonshiner Is the exception not
the rule. For the most part, these mountain
| people are quiet. Industrious, intelligent and
moral. Beyond the facts that men are brave
and women are virtuous, they care little
| for pedigrees; they are generous to a fault
| and dangerous only when angered