The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-05-10
LEWIS THE RoBBER,
The First and Last Greenwood Outlaws III
the Allegheny Mountains.
Ry KATE Bro,cnIee Sherwood

The First and Last Greenwood Outia"s HI
the Allegheny Mountains.
BIZ Kate BrotcnIee Sher'Cood
Tn the beautiful valley of the Raystown
branch of The Juniata in Bedford County, Pa.
high Up on a spur of one of the mountain ranges
of the Alleshenies there is a yawning cairn OF
stones known as the cave OF Lewis the Robber.
When was a little girl. making hats out OF
red-mat,le leaves, and chasing Tor wild piums
that grew large and red along the Junlaia
tributary was kept from wandering too lar
by the warning that if went up the mountain
range to the right side, known as Snake Hill,
the rattlesuakes would bite me- and II went
nm the mountain to the left of me- known as
Knitou's Knob Lewis the Robber would get
me-
So my ulaymates and J. for was never alone,
tried 20 rontemt ourselves by going first as near
as possible to the forbidden mountains without
climbing them. But il truth must be told we
once got pretty high up among the huckleberTy
bushes and were lodging in and out so as not
to be seen by the watchful eyes OF mother ana
grandmother in the farmhouse below, when
snake sprang past US down the mountain, anc
we were glad to beat hasty retreat, and never
went there any more.
Lewis the Robber, for he WAS gone long he
fore that was sort of American Robin Hood;
forest outlaw, who. for some real or fancied
wrong had taken to the merry green wood, ana
with a chosen band of men secured the coves
and valleys of the Alleghenies on their Deet
horses. and then, when they heard the tramp
OF the vigilants behind them, took to the al
most inaccessible rocks and caves where they
had safe hiding places.
Their nrey was the old Government mail
coaches rafting over the turnpike from Phila-
deiphia to the West: the drOyers returning
from the Eastern markets with their pockets
full of silver in exchange for the cattle and
sheen they had driven to the market; the
fvr- ylln n
the far frontier; and not nfrequently they
paid their midnight visits to iaTmhOuses and
tayerns if the spies of their army had hap
pened 10 trace the whereabouts of men known
to have about them the fruits of barter and ex-
change.
For many year Lewis the Robber fourished
and defed the laws of God and men. The
vigilants found it impossible to capture him,
since the poor people of the mountains were
his friends and never failed TO inform him OF
the approach of his enemies.
When they were in affect poverty they had
been befriended by Lewis the Robber, who
never seemed to hoard anything, and used ali
his gains from the rich 10 befriend the poor.
1t was Lewis the Robber who gave them and
their children bread when no bread was to be
had eIsew ere; who gave their children some
thing warmer and better ia wear than tow
frocks and smocks pinned with thorns. How.
then could they know that he was the bold,
bad man the viglants said he wss? Or, know
ing. how could they have the heart to hunt
him down, when they owed all they had to
himf
Then, Lewis the Robber was the widows
friend; and when he and his men were raiding
the country for the money the harvested crops
and sailed cattle had brought into the buck
skin wallet of the farmers, they never set foot
upon their lands.
So it came TO be said that Lewis the Robber
was about the only true friend the widows had.
And many is the time. tradition has 1t, when
Lewis the Rubber fleeing from his pursuers,
was hidden in the loft and fed on johnnycake
and bacon by the widow. just as the cove
jewellers hid him behind the back logs in their
cabins.
Lewis the RObber never took the life of any
MAJ, nor allowed his men to do it. His de-
Tense was in retreat, or in hand to-hand en-
counter, and those who met him once had no
desire ever again TO feel his iron clutch upon
them. He kept far from the habitations Of
men, and no English outlaw Of Sherwood forest
led freer. bolder, merrier life than he and
his gay fellows.
But the day came when Lewis felt great
home-sickness come over him to see once more
the old home of his boy hood, and take one
more draft from the old we'll At the door, draw
ing up the water himself with the great stout
oaken windlsss.
His home was near Sbippensbarg, and there
longed TO stand IN the place where she had last
stood. looking away TO the mountains signing
for her wandering boy. Perhaps he even hoped
70 give up the merry greenwood and live like
Sd honest yeoman in the little log house in the
valley.
Be that as il may, he rode boldly on one
happy morning, his men, two and two. follow
ing after. All was quiet aud peaceful; the
mountains bathed in the mellow glow OF an
Autumn sunset, and in the crispy grass the
partridges were piping.
The old chinked homestead nestled beside
the dusty road. but behind it was a garden
bright with holIyhocks and sunfowers. and
between the house and the barn The old well
stood with its swinging windlass. Lewis the
RObber reached the house. stopped. took of his
buektail hat and wiped the perspiration from
his forehead.
Tears we're in his eyes, and when one of his
men would have spoken he lifted his hand. and
said sharply: Silence; not another word"
just then a cracking shot MAS heard, and the
Uplifted arm Of Lewis the RObber fell helpless
by his side. There was no time 10 retreat the
vigilants were upon them. Lewis's men. ap-
pslled by the injury to their chief, yielded
readily, and Lewis himself was put in irons aud
carried OF TO prison.
So were the outlaws of the Alleghenies laid
low, and never again was there another attempt
10 revive the spirit Of outlawry in all that
region. But Lewis the RObber. who took from
the rich and gave TO the poor and placed guard
around widows houses still rides on ia the
memories Of the mountaineers and tho mount
aineers' children 10 the third generation.
And the mountain cairn is his monument
and around it every night the mountain spooks
dance in the moonlight and little children
cling more closely &c their mothers, for feal
Lewis the Robber will get them.