Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-09-23

- Romance II I Ragged Mountain IN
Middle Virginia.
'DuDcR' AND "DocHrs' couRsHlp.
low the Union Was Efecssd and True De-
s~tis Of the Ceremony ut Church
In the valley.
written for tho Dispatch,


When I am wearied by the mannerisms
OF my kind and want real human nature
80 to see my friends on the mountain.
Tney are q bracing, plain-spoken folk,
their speech like a blow from the shoui-
DER straight TO the point. And even
nearer to me than the mounta.neers is
the mountain. 1t always receives me in
sympathetic mood, taking the color OF
my hufnor. When discover that life is
. mistake. creation a malicious prank. 1
60 up the mountain. And l 10 up the
mountain when my heart swells warm in
good fellowship with all humanity. There
! can nurse my woes into ecstatic frenzy
or have the echo OF my laugh answer me
from the knobs and bottoms
I go UP the mountain when / am gay.
or sad or bored. or simply idle, and l
thoug1s ] knew It thoroughly. But one
day I assembled higher than usual and
found myself in stranger land. Fol-
lowing the path that grew sleeper and
sleeper. I passed all the familiar land
markA Aunt Nancey's cabin, Pixies rock.
and Ghc hemlock grove: finding myself
at last In waste OF scrub pines. As l
reached the very summit 1t began 10
rain. the gusty. passionate rain OF Au-
gust. Coming down in great slanting
sheets 1t saturated me with hearty Ill
Gll.
i stumbled down the mountain amid
whirl of leaves and tMigs: making
straight for the valley. I had left the
path. and suddenly found myself break
ing through n brush fence and half way
across a clearing" The place was UNI
familiar 20 me. \ cabin, preserving
miraculous balance. tilted forward from
the steep side OF the mountain. Its plank
roof was weighted down by rocks. and
the lpg chimneys leaned out on either side
like tll-set ears.
MAN AND GIRL.
The door was opened for me by an old
woman. who shut il as soon as j had
entered. She gave me n chair, and hoped
that l was "peart." Plank shutters had
been put before the windows, so the rain
might not come in. When my eyes be-
came accustomed 10 the dim light, i saw
that man and girl sat on a bench in one
corner. The girl was small and slight,
and her hair hung short, like q child's.
about her throat: but her eyes were wo-
manly. The man was n specimen of hardy
life; with a broad. deep. full chest, great
hands. all Drawn and muscle. and head
set well back. covered with short, crisp
curls. that In themselves spoke of his
splendid vitality. This couple gazed curl
ously at me for a time. but they did not
speak.
The old woman began talking in
cracked. tremuious voice. She had fine
eyes. shrewd. undimmed. and full of wis
dom. Her head was tied in n snuff colored
cloth that disclosed al the back n hard
knot Of gray hair, She was 50 bent that
her waist had sunk out Of sight. and her
dress had shortened at the back. exposing
the white knit-stocklngs. She talked 10 me
about the folks thereabouts. and. fndin-
that many OF them were intimates OF
mine she told me all the gossip of the
mountain.
The rain poured IN steady stream,
beating through the chinks between the
logs. down the chimney. and against the
plank shutters. The old woman talked on,
treating me TO sage advice and sound
philosophy. The two in the other corner
sat silent; neither had spoken since
had come In. But noticed that the mans
fingers moved rapidly all the time, and
that the girl kept her eyes on them.
TALKING TO HER.
That's the way he talks to her" the
old woman SAID 10 me: Hes the unfor-
tunest crltter ever was: carnt speak nor
hear. But chen Dochy knows well enough
what ne means by them ffnger-trcks.
They've been keepin' comp'ny goin on
four years. Bulge an Dochy has" she
went on without lowering her voice.
she's my gurl: an Budge's father was
my brother JEFF. That makes 'em kin.
Bulge have stayed long or Dochy an
me ever since her Pa been dade. Seemed
kinder likely they'd be carin' for one
mother"
wanted 10 ask why they had not
been married: but ! had discovered that
the old woman was stone deaf. Win
quick perception she guessed my question:
"Budge is kinder foolish" she said, an
SOMEHOW ne amt never made hxin's fer
Their gettin jined. Certny faint Dochy
business tn see about IT.
A dog whined outside; and. at a motion
from his sweetheart, the man got up
10 open the door. / saw then that ne
had a wooden leg.
s.He fell offer Pixies Rock into Harriss
Level, an broke hes Leg" the old woman
said 70 me- | knew the place y boulder
hangs far over. above Hat stretch OF
land that scoops right into the mountain
eide. This level Is fertile. and there is
mute a settlement living on it. 1t is the
metropolis of the mountain, boastng the
"store" and schoolhouse. 1T war right
bad broke" she went on; an Dr. Joe
had to cut IL of--thar, you see cream
above the knee jint. 1t war bout then
that Bulge an Dochy foun' out they was
Iikin' of one nother-jest bout the time
wben he broke his leg. and Or. Joe got
him another from the Valley. DR., Joe
rould ha' got 'en jined by the preacher.
an I asked him 20 do II. But he SAID
as how Bulge was simple. ana they was
too near kin Pears TO me II theys earn
NJ one mother carut be no harm noway,
Ehatsomever comes BOUT.
HOW 1T CAN BE FINED.
She nausea and reflected. then turned
u her daughter: Its bout time you
was gettin' supper" she said; the sun
nrappln': itll soon be the edge er dark
ness"
room petulant frown crossed the
mans face. but passed. leaving Il chilli
,shly bright. rs II had been before. the
old woman sat thinking for some minutes.
then she said 10 me: 49, 49,.
81 see how 81 ken be fixed; I've bin
etudin' bout ~ you ken see bout the
prescher jinin' them she looked at nc
eagerly. you don't see no harm In their
hein' kin. do you nor Bulge bein folilsh.
nuther?" i shook my head. she looked
olea.ed. and said: GO In thar" pointing
20 the inner room IAN talk TO Dochy
bout it,
/ went into the kitchen. The girl had
III the fire. and now stood stirring the
contents of a big pot. The glow IRON
The pine wood softened her plnched lea-
ture. and frightened her hair. l saw oy
This better light that she had an earnest
brow and an innocent mouth "heh l
sxe1 her II she would Ike to marry
Eudee. she answered. Yes" quite sim
DIV. continuing to stir the meat and CAP
Sage We discussed the subject OF ma
srlmonv from the general and personal
standpoint, and found that she had de-
cided views of her own.
Presently Bulge came into the kitchen.
when Doehy explained to him what l
hsa proposed in regard'to their union ne
laughed delightedly, showing his strong
teeth and two dimples. He nodded ms
head many times TO tell me Of his will
ingness, and finished by kissing his sweet
heart % the cheek.
PLAN ARRANGED.
Before ] left the cabin we had ar
ranged q plan by which the two were TO
come down TO our church In the val