Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-28


there was dish of fried pork, the melted
fat from which had already CONCEALED with
cold; in another dish was some black look
Ing dried-apple sauce and in a third there
was what was intended to be corn pone
but which was in fact raw cornmeal mixed
with water and smoked; it was not even
warmed through. There was no butter; and
this was the feast.
My stomach was not in state after the
days journey, to encourage fastidiousness
but could not eat a mouthful. Apart from
the food, the face of the urchin VINO sat
opposite me, and his manner of eating
snuffing and examining the food into his
mouth with both hands-was too much for
me. Tarrying a few moments for appear
ance sake, l finally remarked to my driver
that did not feel very hungry and would
go to the fireplace in the other house, and
rising, 1 departed. In a little while the
others came filing back, and the three
hunters resumed their places and their
pipes. Half an hour later the widow en-
tered and said, "You can go to bed now"
The three men thereupon ascended the lad
der and disappeared in the attic overhead
and my driver and took possession of tho
nondescript bed in the corner The widow
then spread the quilts from the other cor
ner on the floor before the fireplace and
she and her four children disposed them
selves upon them. e- -0I--
A gale was blowing outside, and once in
the night the wind blew the door open. the
widow rising and bracing it shut with a
stick of wood.
L had removed brt a small pIrtion OF my
clothing, and had no idea of sleeping
even began to wish that / had provided
myself with revolver. / did not like the
looks OF the three men who were in the
attic overhead. and 1 realized how complete
iy We were in their power. Tired nature
however. encouraged by my drivers snor-
ing, at length prevailed, and / slept How
long L slept l know not, but / must have
slept lightly, for when l awoke found that
L had been awakened by the noise of the
three men descending quietly from above
L could see nothing, but / listened intently
wondering If they meant mischief 1t was
an anxious moment. To my great satisfac-
tion they opened the door and passed cut
1t was not yet daylight, and their early de-
parture was strange, to say the least but
was glad that they were gone.
our breakfast the next morning was like
the supper of the night before, and when
after breakfast we had paid our score and
entered our carriage ! FASTENED to explore
my grip for some crackers. with which had
fortunately provided myself against such
an emergency. as had now arisen, / only
regretted that / had not brought an abund-
ant lunch. The crackers tasted good and
washing them down with a swallow of the
drivers whisky, l began to feel inspired
with new courage, but | protested TO nv
driver that he must manage. if possible, to
md some other stopping place than the
Hotel Meeker upon our return.
My driver as l soon found, was not a lii
tie disturbed in mind to the intentions
of the three men who had departed before
daylight. He said he had no doubt they
had gone to notify some moonshiner in the
neighborhood of our presence, and he did
not feel at all sure that we would not be
fired upon from ambush, as that kind of
warfare was not uncommon in that region,
and the presence of stranger on the noun
tains at that season of the year was sure
to excite suspicion. He said that IL we
were to show any signs of being in search
of Illicit stills We would be fired upon at
once; that undoubtedly we were watched
In in, E.ay~ i,,rr
straight on in the regular line of travel
without turning either to the right or to
the left.
If the driver was correct in his coniec-
lures l had Certainly taken greater risks
than / intended when / set out upon the
trip. Still could not believe that we would
be disturbed If we kept the main road but
could we keep the road? Our way still lay
through the woods; there were no fences
or guide boards; the road wound in and
out among the trees, and hardly showed
the marks OF wheels. so infrequently was
it travelled with vehicles: and, worst of all,
snow had been falling in the night and was
still falling.
"Can you keep the road?" 1 asked of the
driver.
"Oh, yes"
Suppose we come to fork in the road,
will you know which road to take?"
oh. L know the road. major; I won't
take the wrong one"
He had already taken two drinks from the
bottle of whisky, although it was still
early in the morning, and this fact in
creased my anxiety, for L knew how much
might depend upon his keeping a cool
head.
Our ponies were trotting along at live
ly gait. as if anxious 10 leave the dreary
region we were in; the stimulant the driver
had taken had given him confidence. and 1
was beginning 20 take a more cheerful
view of the situation, when suddenly we
came to a fork in the road. The driver did
not stop the team or hesitate, but kept on,
taking the road to the right.
Are you sure this is the right road?'
said |.
oh, yes, this Is right.
Hardly were the words spoken, when
crack went the report of a rifle; the horses
gave a start, and /, feeling as if something
had happened to the top of my head
put up my hand, taking off my hat and
feeling of my head. Apparently l was not
hit, but what had caused the queer senSa-
ton? Just then l looked at my hat, which
| held in my hand, and there, through the
very top of the crown, was Il bullet hole
Turning my head and looking at the back
of the carriage top, which was raised over
US. l saw another bullet hole, and | realized
that | had had a close call. Whether the
shot was fired from the front or behind it
was impossible to tell, but 1 concluded at
once that We had left the main road and
were going right toward the moonshiners
quarters.
At the Instant the shot was fired the
driver pulled up his team and exclaimed