The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-11-08
HUNTING A M0oNSHINER.

ne leaned back in his chair. ''W,
knew very well that whisky was be
lns: made in the neighborhood, but 81
carefully concealed was the habitat O
the moonshiner that we were unable
to obtain any clue to it There haC
been a distllery in that neighborhooc
some ten or a dozen years ago, rur
by a noted moonshiner, ODD Reub Da
va, but times had become so hot fol
him that he suddenly decampeo, givins
out the report that he was going L
Texas 1t had been SC long since his
disappearance that people had almost
forgotten him
Still we were puzzled. Our depu
ties could find evidence unimpeach
able Of the existence of a contrabanC
dlstillery by hanging around the little
cross-road villages and attending the
different gatherings where corn.
juice and appiejack were plentiful
but although the base of supplies
could be traced almost to the foun-
tain head, the exact place of deposit
could never be found Many and many
a weary tramp did We take among
those rugged mountains and dark ra-
vines, night and day. in sun and rain
but still we were baffied
Finally we decided on making a
regular ring hunt for the culprit, and
bright and early one morning l start
ed out with three of my keenest dep
uties, determined to make a haul be-
fore 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 NIcDon-
aid.
Reaching a point near the summit.
/ caught 2 Whit Of the familiar fla
Vor and halung began TO look around
for some clue as to its source. Perched
away up on the mountain side, over
hanging d brawling brook that came
Tumbling down across the road we
were travelling. ! spied a shabby look
ms cabin which would have appeared
uninhabited save for a little curl of
= smoke ascending lazily from the rough
rock chimney. Bidding Mcdonald re-
main with the horses, I climbed the
mountain, and approaching the low
doorway I aecoSted q woman who was
looking after her household work
Everything was as innocent and IN
suspicious as if there was not a drop
OF contraband in forty miles of the
spot
May 1 get a light for my piper 1
asked
'Ya-as. wait mint and I'll fetch
you a splinter
No, don't trouble. I'll just come
in ana get il myself
oh, the house amt fifteen for We to
come into she replied, cycling me sus-
piciCGsly.
That's all right, ma'an. I'm used
to that sort of thing
-As ] said this 1 stepped in, and
advancing TO the fireplace, I stopped
as if to light my pipe, but at the same
time il occurred TO me that the CHM
ney was unusually thick in the back
wall
Your old man isn't in?' I asked.
Lord, l hain't got no old man
You're a widow then2,
Yes so fur as / know Ny old
man went off moren ten years ago.
said he were a-g0in' to Texas. and 1
hain't hearn a word from him from
that day till this
Why did he leave?'
On count Of the revenue men. Ye
see, ne used to make a little liquor and
they found out about it, and he had
TO skin out
What is your name"
Davis, Sary Ann Davis I'm
havin' a hard time of it and have had
. these many years. with nobody to
look alter me but myself; but thank
the Lord I've managed to keep soul
and body together
AN this time she was talking in
such a meek and innocent way that
my suspicious were half diSarmed: but
stili l was unsatisfied, as that Whit of
SaTory steam, that thick-ba cked CHM
ney, and the name of the woman.
coupled with the history of old Reub
Davis, had aroused my suspicious
suppose traveller couldn't get a
little dram hereabouts 1 remarked.
God bless you, not as I knows of,
never tech it, fur I'm strict church
Of Il I
whar to start to get drap of Ticker
Much obliged Good morning
Good-oy, sir. Wish l Guild accom-
modate We, but l can't
Descending the path 1 met a gawk-
ish-looking lad driving an OK team,
loaded with wood, up a crooked road
toward the cabin. He eyed me askant.
but continued his toilsome journey
without stopping to speak.
" Mcdonald said l. YOU may think
what you please. but were right close
to the den, if we ,ly knew how to
locate it.
+Then l related ali the circum-
stances, all the time casting about for
some solution Of the mystery which
became more and more convinced, by
some vague intuition, existed near by
A few steps from the road that led
from me woods to the cabin there was
q thicket that INSTRUCTED the rude
track Just below where it intersected
with the road we were travelling.
'' Mack. wait here a minute; there
is no harm in a little investigation
and / made my way down to the
thicket in which l noticed an old door
shutter lying negligently. half concealed
by the brambles Making my way to
it I carefully lifted it up, and to my
surprise found the mouth of a cavern.
which. though narrow. showed signs of
recent use. Calling to Mcdonald to
fasten the horses and join me. we were
soon exploring the cave. A descent of
q dozen steps brought us to a turn in
the cave and a rough door. / gave il
a kick, but there was no response,
except a hollow reverberation which
Indicated a considerable apartment be-
yond
"-Get M a rock and I'll break in
1 called to Mcdonald. but Just then l
was startled by Shrek in the rear.
Don't kill himl Please don't kill
him. and down came the old woman
had seen at the cabin. If you won't
xiii him. I'll LET you in
We don't want TO kill anybody
! replied. so 60 ahead
s'sSshe produced a rusty key and un-
locked the door which grated roughly
against the rock as it turned on its
rude wooden hinges
Come up, Reuben; they've found it
out she cried, but no Reuben answer
ed. ooh. you've scarf him clean to
death, fur he weren't well nonow'
and she dived into the cave and we at
her heels. A slight glimpse of
smouldering blaze guided US. and we
we're soon laundering among tubs and
kegs, from among which we dragged
the body Of q man.
Wake up, old man. and lSindle a
light said /