Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1894-07-14
RESTORED LOST FORTUNE.
A Wealthy Mans Story of His Experiences
Among Kentucky NTountaineers.

A Wealthy Mans story of His Experiences
Among Kentucky MOuntaineers.
81 had a Gimp of life in the
Kentu ky Mountains the other day
that / will not soon forget" said a
capitalist to writer for the Louis
vile Courier-Journal. 81 made a
trip into that section as a represent
alive of a syndicate to look at some
coal lands / went as far as could
by rail and then took horse and
rode into the wilderness. Toward
nigntl brought up at little cabin,
of which had been previously in
formed and made arrangements to
spend the night there This cabin
was about twenty feet long by about
twelve feet wide. On the ground
floor it was all one room. Above was
loft to which access was gained by
means of ladder and hole in the
floor. There was little corn grow
were two hogs. In the rear of the
cabin was low shed, open at one
end and with a slanting roof 1t was
just big enough to hold a COW at
night The COW, which was a lean,
woe BECOME animal, the two hogs and
the corn, constituted apparently the
entire assets of the place.
''1n this establishment were living
man and his wife and eight chit
dren, the eldest being twelve years
They lived on corn meal and milk,
with occasionally some pork. Both
the man and the woman were bare
footed. The elder children had
clothes enough to cover their naked
ness, but the younger were not so
fortunate. The man seemed to be a
slow, dull sort of fellow who had
lived in restitution so long that he
had become used to it
The woman was different Her
face wore an expression of abject de-
spair. II a painter had wanted a
model for picture, entitled Hope
lesSness, he need have gone no far
ther After supper the man went
out to feed the hogs and cow and do
other chores talked to the woman
for about an hour and succeeded with
great difficulty in getting her story.
Her pride stood in the way of her
telling me anything Tor long time
During all the time in which she
talked the EXPIRE ssion of dull listless.
ness. to which her IA had become
habituated, never left it but once.
Then a look OF something like happi-
ness came over her features This
was when she said that they had not
always been poor We weren't al
ways this way she said. we were
well off once. We saved enough,
him and me, so that we were rich.
We had S27 laid away once That
was her idea of wealth. Twenty
seven dollars? She went on to say
that the children had come fast that
a cow had to be bought, aud that
she cost S18. The children had fallen
sick and doctor had to be brought
in from civilization, and he cost IS,
and so 1T went till their fortune had
gone, and they had nothing left of
that magnificent S27.
''The next morning 1 paid them
my lodging. l had slept in the loft
and the family had slept in the room
below. None of them took off their
clothes. had brought with me a
huge lot Of roast beef sandwiches and
ate these for my supper and break
fast, for had been warned that I
probably could not get anything to
eat there. Before leaving l took $27,
and, wrapping it up in a newspaper.
left it on the table in the middle of
the room. Then 1 rode away feeling
vastly pleased with myself, and know
ing that there was one mountaineer's
family in Kentucky that had recov-
cred its lost fortune"
PRESENCE OF plInu.
81 knew sea captain, who died
some years ago. who displayed great
presence of mind at most critical
time" said Henry S. Roberts Of Bos-
ton. ellis ship had caught fire and
the passengers and crew were COM
PEELED TO take to the boats in hurry.
The captain remained perfectly cool
throughout all the confusion and
fright of the embarkation, and at
last every one but himself was got
safely into the boats BY the time
he was ready to follow the passengers
were wild with fear and excitement
Instead of hurrying down the lad
der, the captain called out to the
sailors to hold on a minute, and tax
ing cigar from his poe ket, coolly
bit the end off and lighted it with a
piece of the burning rigging Then
he descended with great deliberation
and gave the order to shove of.
How could you stop to light cigar
at such a moment?' he was after
ward asked by one of the passengers.
Because, he answered, i saw that
if did not do something to divert
your minds there would likely be a
panic and upset the boats The
lighting of cigar took but moment
and attracted the attention OF every
body; and you all forgot yourselves
in thinking about my curious be-
Louis Globe Democrat