National Baptist world., 1894-09-07
SMUDGING A HA'NT.
An Adventure in the Mountains
Of Tennessee.

All the boys in Wildcat cove be-
ieved implicitly in the existence of
ghosts. Why should they not when
their elders put such perfect faith in
genuine "ha 'nts?" From generation
60 generation thrilling tales of ghostly
wanderers were handed down as the
richest possession Of some particular
cove or mountain.
A cove in Tennessee is a long, deep
valley among the mountains. Wildcat
cove, extending away back among the
cliffs of the Tennessee mountains. was
exactly the place a haunt might be
supposed to enjoy. But until Bud Sims
and Coon Ta bor's memora bic encoun
ter on the ledge above Lost creek, no
one had ever met the ha'nt of Wildcat
cove face to face.
1t was just the day fora grand hunt,
and Bud and Coon determined to make
the most Of it, Long before the sun
had found it's way over the top of Wal
den ridge, while the morning sky was
vet chill and ray, the boys were on
their way to the head Of the cove.
When they reached the banks of Lost
creek the eastern sky was sea of rip
pling pink, tiecl1ed with soft, dim
daIshes Of changing gold and gray, and
by the time they str OK he ledge, far
over the distant ridge beyond, the sun
was rising slowly over the dark noun
tain and the cloud mists were rolling
up from the valleys.
Half way up the cliff the boys
stopped for a moment to rest, for the
path was unusually rough and steep.
The point which they had in mind was
two miles further on, in the range, as
the woods where cattle feed or range"
in winter, are called.
Although where the cove was wider
it was now quite light, down here in
the ravine through which the creek
rushed, foaming and rough, to its un-
derground prison beyond. it was only
dim twilight as yet. They had
climbed quite a distance already. and
below them the waters of the creek
roared and rushed. Far above on
either side rose the ragged lodges OF
rock which formed the cliff-lined walls
Of the cove. Behind the jutting rock
WHGTc tHG bOyo NCIC ACobAllS was q
narrow passage leading into deep
hole in the cliff.
Genuine mountain boys as Bud and
Coon both were, they of course We're
familiar with every inch of ground fol
miles around. There was nothing
alarming to them in this dark hole
they knew it well. 1t was only a lis
sure in the rock, such as could be
found in all the limestone cliffs among
the mountains, and it extended. SO fal
as they knew; only some thirty fee
back from the ledge. 1t was not wide
enough for even a boy to squeeze
through with any degree of comfort
and at last grew SO narrow that ever
the curious Coon had been able to g(
40 further.
The boys had always thought tina
the passage probably led to the under
ground course of Lost creek: for tn,
waters below suddenly disappear be
meath the cliff. and where they appea
again has never been discovered.
There was no sound in the ravin,
except the roar of the waters below
The people in the valley had not begun
the days work as yet, and the field
were quiet and deserted.
Coon broke the silence. Bud was tn
elder, but Coon usually took the lead
"Hit air on this ledge as the ha Mt
been walkin', Bud. Old Man Water
seen hit no later'n a-Chewsday week.