The Van Buren press., 1894-09-01
SMUDGING A HA'NT.
An Adventure In the Mountains
OF Tennessee.

AAi sAic Ooyb AH VAuSoV covS OC-
lieved implicitly in the existence of
ghosts. Why SHOULD they not when
their elders pat such perfect faith in
genuine ''ha'nts?" From generation
to generation thrilling tales of ghostly
wanderers were handed down as the
richest possession Of some particular
cove or mountain.
A cove In Tennessee Is . long, deep
valley among the mountains. Wildcat
cove, extending away bacleamong the
cliffs of the Tennessee mountains, was
exactly the place . haunt might be
supposed to enjoy. But until Bud Sims
and Coon Tabor's memorable 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 for grand hunt,
and Bud and Coon determined to make
the most of it. Long before the sun
had found its way over the top of Wal
den ridge. while the morning sky was
yet chill and gray, the boys were on
their way 70 the head Of the cove
When they resehed the banks Of Lost
creek the eastern sky was 70 sea Of rip
ping pink, flecked with soft, dim
dashes Of changing gold and gray, and
by the time they struck the ledge, far
over the distant ridge beyond, the sun
was rising slowly over the dark noun
tain and the cloud mists were rolling
pfrom the valleys. vs. FN "A
Half way up the cliff the boys
stopped for 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"
inswinter, are called. ssss Age i sass s,g
Although where the cove was wider
II was now quite light, down here in
the rnvine through which the creek
rushcc : foaming and rough, to its un-
Adergfound prison beyond, 1t was only
dim twilight as yet. They had
Climbed quite o 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
where the boys were resting was
narrow passage leading into a deep
hole in the cliff.
Genuine mountain boys as Bud and
Coon both were, they of course were
familiar with every inch of ground for
miles around. There was nothing
alaSuing. to them In this dark hole;
ther knew \ we'll. II was only tis-
suEe ~ the rock, such rs could b
foand In Ill the limestone cliffs among
the nounsainz. and It extended, so far
rs flsey knew; only Home thirty feet
bs<E RON the ledge. 1t was not wide
enough for even boy to squeeze
thruagh with amy degree of comfort,
aud at last grew SO narrow that even
the curious Coon had been able to go
no further. 8
The boys had always thought that
the passage probably led to the under
ground course Of Lost creek; for the
weters below suddenly disappear be-
meath the clih, and where they appear
again has never been discovered.
There was. no sound in the ravine
exeopt the roar of the waters below.
Tbs people in the valley had not begun
thu Aay's work IS yet, and the fields
wSre quiet and deserted.
coon broke the silence. Bud was the
cldofy but Coon usually took the lead.
eHitair on this ledge as the ha'nts
been wsikin', Bud. Old Man Waters
seen hit no latcr'n a-Chewsday week. :"
Bad started ,nvoluntarily. "Ef hit
war ter appeargto we-uns nowrn he
murmured, apprehensively.
"Thet hole thar put me in mind Of
hit,v continued the other. "Old Man
Waters, he sez hit come out'n thet hole
an' walked over this ledge, an jest
about thutty feet over yam hit jest
dr4pped plumb out'n sight; an tho he
war a-loolSin' an a-lookin' fur hit ter
cone ter sight ag'in hit he'd gone fur
"Hitair plumb Gurus wher hit went, "
rellSot~4 Bud.
'lin'nts air made of air. reckon. =
Coon brought forward his theory with
considerable confidence. "An' eff they