The Dickinson press., 1893-12-02

Thanksgiving is close ut hand.
"If any of you have ever t.aveled IN
:hc extreme eastern or northeastern
counties you know there are some
pretty tough localities in that region.
There are some places where q man
would be almost mobbed for wearing
a plug hat, and one who would venture
to go to an evening party wearing
swallow-tailed coat or a white necktie
would be pitched into barrel of soft
soap. l have been told there are back
settlements where they haven't learn
ed yet that slavery has been abolished.
"At the time 1 speak Of l was mix
ing business with pleasure, so to speak.
I was on one of my regular trips, but
it was the day before Thanksgiving
and had accepted an invitation to go
and eat turkey at the house Of hos
pitable old farmer where little,
saucy, black-es ed-but never mind
that"
~rell us about the saucy little black.
eyed"
"Oh, she has nothing to do with this
adventure.
II was travelling for wholesale
house in one of the live towns in Up
per Ohio, and had left Cattlesburg two
uiNS DclOIC lAl tuduC way ny easy
stages through the little Kentucky
towns toward the southwest l had got
| into Carter county and was on my way
from Rush Station to Mount Savage.
1t was nearly sundown and I was
riding horse that ought to have been
worked up into glue and razor strOps
ten years before
| Between those two little towns I
have mentioned is ridge three miles
long that has always borne a bad
name. 1t is desolate, uncanny stretch
of road, and more than one man has
gone along there and never been heard
of afterward
II looked at the setting sun, and then
looked at the lonely road back of me.
I was little afraid to go on, but was
both afraid and ashamed to turn back,
and after examining my revolver to
see If it was in good working order
pushed on up the ridge. Perhaps you
think, boys, because You don't know
how to pray, that no other drummer
does. All I've got to say about that is
that I prayed then as earnestly as
ever tried to sell a bill of goods to a
ragged-haired merchant in a 10x12
store near 4 Kentucky iron furnace
and that is saying good deal.
Il had gone about half Il mile up that
ridge when l heard voices, pitched
in different keys. making a most un-
cartbly sound. and just then, as
turned n bend in the road, l saw four
men a short distance ahead. They were
at the side of the road, and seemed
to be in Il STOPPING posture. They
caught sight Of me at the same in.
stant. and the noises stopped. l could
feel my hair raising on end. There
was no use of my turning back. II
had started TO run they could have
oyerhauled ME in no time with the foul
fresh and powerful horses that were
xtoppe1 some time before, and all was
quiet.
The old house looked about the site
where its deforlnity lay outlined by
the simmer of November moon Ii
WIS the same as when a woman. upoI
whose face care and wretchedness had
made hard and hiieous scars. sees the
change reflected for the first time IL
s her mirror.
These people go 10 bed early" sale
the old house. Il wonder il they have
always done SO. / suppose / shall hav,
) to do the same. And l suppose 1 shal
] have to become acquainted with them
: There is no such thing as ever gettin,
5 back to the pllc. 1 once occupied"
] Il remember w1en l first wcnt there
1t was in a locality where only finely
dressed people came. The equipage