The Van Buren press., 1893-10-28
AFTER A MOONsHlNER.

AV L LII "A
Revenue Omcer's Experience IN
the 0eorHia Mountains
sy,.dtus N Illicit sslIl-It Tsek Cssvss
MAJ to Devise II and . Cisves
O0eor 70 Rfnd and De-
sfroy II.
I'VE were very much puzzled over
certain locality in the Cut Log region
Of the Blue Ridge mountainA1 said
Revenue Collector Chapman. Is he
leaned back in his chair and chatted
with q New York Post correspondent
I'VE knew very well that whisky was
being made in the neighborhood. but
20 carefully concealed was the habitat
Of the mo0nshiners that we were uu-
able to obtain any clew to it There
had been = distillery in that neighbor-
hood some ten or q dozen years ago,
run by q noted moonshiner-old keuo
Dayis-but times had become 50 hot
for him that he suddenly decamped,
giving ont the report that he was going
70 Texas 1t had been 20 long since
his disappearance that people had al
most forgotten him.
s.Still we were puzzled. Our depu-
ties could find evidence unimpeachable
Of the existence of contrsband dis
tillery by hanging around the little
crossroads villages and attending the
different gatherings where 'cornjuice'
and applejack were plentiful; but nj.
though the base of supplies could be
traced almost to the fountain head, the
exact place Of deposit could never be
found. Many and many weary tramp
did we take among those rugged noun
tains and dark ravines, night and day,
in sun ard rain, but still we were
baAied.
FINALLY we decided on making
regular ring hunt for the culprit, and
bright and early one morning Istarted
out with three Of my keenest deputies.
determined to make haul before night
or else spend the frosty night in the
woods. l sent two Of the men in one
direction and set out across the Cut Log
ridge with Mcdonald. Reaching =
point near the summit, caught whiff
Of the familiar flavor, and halting be-
gan TO look around for some clew - to
it's source. Perched away up on the
mountain side, overhanging brawling
brook that came tumbling down across
the road we were travelling, spied
shabby-looking cabin which would
have appeared uninhabited save for o
little curl Of smoke ascending lazily
from the rough rock chimney. Bidding
Mcdonald remain with the horses, !
climbed the mountain, and approach
ing the low doorway accostcd an old
woman who was looking after her
household work.
Everything was ~ innocent and un-
suspicious a. II there were not drop
OF contraband within forty miles Of the
spot.
8 May get light for my pipe?' !
asked.
".Ya-as; wait a mint and m fetch
you splinter
No, don't trouble. I'll just come in
and get it myself.
/" oh, the house amt fitten for ye TO
come into.' she replied, eying me sus-
piciously.
:. That's al right ma'am. I'm used
~ that sort Of thing .ar
.'As said this stepped in, and. ad-
vsncing to the fireplace, stopped as II
TO light my pipe, but at the same time
IL occurred to me that the chimney was
unusually thick in the back wall.
s.'Your old man isn't in?'
.s.Lord, hain't got no old man.
:. You're widow, them?
"sYes. SO fur as know. My old man
went of more'n ten years ago. Said
he were a-goin' to Texts, and l hain't
hearn word from him from that day
70 this
'''Why did he leave?' tF.
".On count OF the revenue men. Ye
see, he used to make little Ticker and
they found out about it, and he had to
skin out n
"'What is your nameT
"sDavis, Sary Ann Davis. I'm hav-
in hard time OF 1t and have had these
many years, with nobody to look after
me but myself; but thank the Lord,
I've managed to keep soul and body to-
gethcr.' 81 A&
"All this time she was talking in
such meek and innocent way that my
suspicious were half disarmed; but
still was unsatisded, as that Whit of
savory steam, that thick-backed chin
ney, and the name Of the woman,
coupled with the history of-old Reub
Davis, had aroused my suspicious
'.Isuppose .. traveller couldn't get a
little dram hereabouts? remarked.
"'God bless you. not as knows Of
/ never tech it. fur Pm q strick church
member. and ef ! did l wouldn't know
whsr to start to git drap of licker.'
!. Much obliged. Good morning
/" 'Good-by, sir. Wish could accom-
modate ye. but can't
"Descending the path I met 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 stnpping to speak.
'McDonald,' said /, you may think
what you please. but we're righe clos