The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-03-24
4 WOMAN OF TENNESSEE.
Interesting Home Life OF One Who
Is Not Entirely Unknown
20 Fame
Her Father Whom She Calls
Daddy" IL Her Fevorito
Companion.
writer OF Homanoes VIII o Enjoys Real
Life-Among the Mtners-Nsiiow
Hammers Nest.

little slip of woman with short,
lark brown curly hair and kindly blue
gray eyes. in whose depths meet aud COM
mlnelo merrimont and pathos, with the
soft, mellow. liquid voice of the southern
gcntlewumnn and graceful little gestures
all her own-anch ia VIII Allen DrOm-
goole, the Tennessee novelist and writer
Of short stories.
The masculine character Of her name
has brought her almost as many amusing
experiences as those of her distinguished
oompatriot, Charles Egbert Craddock, from
whose county she comes. Before Miss
Dromgo0le began her literary career she
was for eight years enrolling clerk OF the
Tennessee state senate With the keenest
apprcc.u Of the situation, she tells how
during one Of her campaigns she wrote 60
n rough, old mountaineer politician, ask
ing him TO vote for her, and received a re
ply as follows;
DEAR NIiI.-No, l won't. I'll vote for no
d--d man against lot Of women.
Miss Dromgoole has unique home up
Ia the Cumberland foothills, where she
spends the time between April and No
vemher Of each year. She calls IL the Den,
but the boys Of the neighborhood have
/ givon it tho fantastic title Of the Yellow
Hammer Nest 10 is a six room cot
/ tagc, with wide veranda, ana complete
ly overrun with wild roses creepers and
morning giories. Here the authoress lives
! with her father and chum, whom she at
fcctionatey calls daddy, man IS years
old aud who does not weight 100 pounds,
but who walks 10 miles day, fishing,
hunting and climbing such inaccessible
businesses that even the hardy mountain
GERS point out the cliffs with pride, say
! ing, OARS whar ole man Dromgoole
| climbs up"
The walls Of the writer's sitting room
are hung with the skins Of animals, the
8poils Of her own and her fathers rifles,
and the portieres are Of coon and fox skins,
the bushy tails Of which form an effective
/ border. over the mantel above the great
open fireplace, hang souvenirs Of Miss
/ Dromgoole's visits to the mines Of her
state, for there Is not an iron or coal mine
| in that country which she has not ransack-
| ed. Especially does she know the convict
/ camps by heart, from which she has drawn
| much Of the material used in her touch
| ing stories. And along with an old Con-
| federate flag, with a saber thrust 10 its
! folds, hung a miners SLOUGH hat, the Ian
| tern and pick.
About the ceiling Is an artistic frieze Of
/ pipes and canes, collected and presented to
| the lady by her devoted mountaineer
neighbors. In one corner stands Miss
Dromgoole's rifle, Betsy, and on the rug
before the fire SAUNDERS her hound, Sancho
Panza. At the first glance one would
scarcely think il a woman s room, but the
piano. the books, magazines and some
feminine frivols give il the softening touch
which decides the matter.
mi Il. TT.r.I@-
| II breath Of wind might blow her away,
is a famous hunter She does not know
the meaning Of the word fear. When she
goes forth TO slay. she wears a costume Of
gray corduroy, which reaches TO the top
Of the boys boots she draws over her small
feet.
on her curly hair she claps a soft gray
SLOUGH hat and with her father-a noun
| taineer Nimrod--or a stfapping daughter
of the hills who picks her up in her arms
! and carries beg over creeks and morasses,
! the authoress sets forth. just before com
| ing north Miss Dromgoole received a mes
sage from one of her hunting cronies to
! this effect:
DEAR Miss wrLL-I've got a big barskin
/ fer ye.
p. Stake keer o. yo'self up dar 'mong dose
Yankees. Dey ain't no great shakes.
/ IN the NlelNLDNUtEa hflNttl lIt NouNlNA.
! and the state Miss Dromgoole took an
| active part Realizing with almost jour
| nalistic instinct That there was material
/ for her pen, she took Betsy and Travelled
] to the camp Of he military. Directly she
was inside the lines she was arrested, as
] all strangers were, and conducted 20 head
quarters When General Carnes learned
] her name and errand. he at once gave her
/ a pass and the freedom Of the camp. The
| field and staff officers gave her a royal ban
/ quet i'm an old freight car, with bench
/ for table. tin vessels, knives, forks and
spoons Of pewter, her spoon being special
! " engraved and treasured now as one OF
her choicest souvenirs.
81 never enjoyed dinner better, " Miss
/ Dromgoulc declared in describing this
feast A day or so later the soldiers on
Big mountain gave her a supper, at which
ii WINS necessary. in order not TO attract
the attention q the enemy's sharpshoot'
ers, 60 extinguish all the lights save one.
They were all having great fun over their
dnrkencd repast when suddenly a bullet
whizzed into the midst Of the company
piercing the jaunty fatigue cap Miss Drom
goolr wore.
"Did You faint9" l asked her. when sh'
was telling me this weird experience.
seized BETSY. for ] was full Of fight and
wanted 70 Kill somebody"
The devotion Of Miss Dromgoole to hei
father il embodied in these verses, which
Miss Dromgoole has written;
DADDY AND /.
Two rare old chums are daddy and !.
We spend our days together,
lie on one side Of the hearth,
| on the other.
Two dear old chums are daddy and L
We spend our days together,
He on the one side Of lie,
] ou the other.
Never "A secret have daddy and
That s not known To the other.
Never a day has been well epent
That IL not spent together.
Death cannot harm n. daddy and ],
, Nor hold us from each other,
4 For under the trees some quiet day
They will give ua n slab together.
Two rare old chums are daddy and |.