The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1894-11-13

tleman that Zeb Vance was the only
statesman in the Union, and that the
Republicans had driven the country to
the dogs, and that Democratic suprem
acY was it's only salvation. Jack see
ing how heated the old gentleman was
getting over his own argument, (for he
had it all his own way) suggested
music, and suddenly swinging his sister
around the room, gracefully presented
her with a cornet, while his mother
seated herself at the piano, and the old
gentleman drew out bis violin and Jack
performed on the p~i-calo. Il was the
sweetest music | ever heard, or I
thought so at the time, although the
surroundings may have had something
to do with it. Miss Kate was modest
and self possessed, and in no way diff
dent or backward, and her pose, as she
stood to blow the cornet, was the acme
of grace.
Naturally I slept very little that
night, and what little 1 did sleep my
dreams were haunted by those melan
choly brown eyes and pouting lips.
THE next morning dawned as clear
as a bell, and as old Sol came creeping
over the snow clad mountains pris
matte colors we're reflected from red
holly berries, mingled with green leaves
and diamond sheened icicles. 1t was
truly the effect of an enchanter's word
to me for I was IN LoUe for the first
time!
Jack met me with q smile, and sug
gested a visit to the store. We went,
and the language of the Governor Of
North Carolina to the Governor of
South Carolina was repeated, and was
vociferOusly endorsed by the same
crowd of the night before, who were
duly 'on time and guns and dogs
seemed to be the order of the day, for
we were to scour the adjacent country
for rabbits, birds, and all small game,
and as Foxy Minter, a red headed,
b~ow-legged, freckled faced fellow said,
thar was not much time to be lost"
After breakfast Jack took me to one
side and c~onfdentially said:
"'You are not used to our p'ople up
here, Frank, so I wish to give you a
point or two: In Rome, do as the Ro
mans do; be hale fellow we'll met with
all the boys, and above all, curse out
the revenue men, for you can never
tell when you are talking to a noon
shiuer, and they are suspicious of all
strangers. They are good, honestmen,
and would walk ten miles to pay you
an honest debt, but the still is the only
way open to them 90 utilize their fruit,
and they do not think it wrong to
cheat Uncle Sam out of a little revenue,
and in truth, I am much of their opin-
ion. A revenue man in this section
stands a very slim show. Now, with
this advice, we will be off"
II was given a double barrelled
breach-loader, Gs I was not very famil
lar with the rife, and we started for
the mountains in high glee. 1t was not
long before we got up a hare, and it
was almost equal to a fox chase, the
baying of the hounds swelling out on
the keen frosty air. During the chase
I lost sight of the hunters, but man
aged to keep in sound Of the dogs. They
were goiDg up a small mountain stream
toward an old. dilepidated mill, which
in time past had done good service for
grist and lumber, but which was now
L..,l~-~I o.I -. 49, Io1% ,Aooo1 ~& A.
cay. The sno asnot over four inches
deep, but as my feet were cold, l con
cluded to get in the old mill and wait
for the dogs to baCk-track, expecting
to get a fine shot; SO I seated myself on
an old fallen rafter, with my gun
across my lap, and was soon deep in
sweet musing over a pair of melancholy
eyes. l was aroused by feeling two
rough hands clasped over my eyes and
feeling my gun slipping from me. I
endeavored to rise, but was held down,
and a gruf voice said:
1--WE have him now, Kepler, and if
I Amt terribly out of my reckoning,
Uncle Sam1l have to send out another
spy. But we had better get him down
in the hole before Jack Thornton comes
this way, or we'll have ore lead in
our carcasses than we can tote off :
~whereupon I was blindfolded and
bound, hands and feet, and carried
down a flight of rickcty steps
to a cold damp cellar, This was a
pretty climax to all my anticipated
pleasures and blissful dreams of Kate
Thornton. Taken for a revenue officer !
The absnrditY of the thing! l. would