The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-10-26
BULGE AND DOCHY.
a VIRGINIA MOUNTAIN ROMANCE
From the Richmond Dispatch.


From the Richmond Dispatch.
/ stumbled down the mountain amid
whirl of leaves and twigs, making straight
for the valley had left the path, and
suddenly found myself breaking through
a brush fence and half way across a
Clearing" The place was unfamiliar to
me. A cabin preserving a miraculous
balance, tilted forward from the steep
side of the mountain. It's plank roof was
weighted down by rocks, and the log chin
neys leaned out on either side like ill-set
ears.
The door was opened for me by an old
woman who shut it as soon as l had en-
tered. She gave me chair. hoped that I
was ''peart." Plank shutters had been
put before the windows, so the rain might
not come in. When my eyes became ac-
customed to the dim light, I saw that a
man and girl sat on bench in one corner.
The girl was small and slight, and her
hair hung short, like a childs, about
her throat, but her eyes were womanly
The man was a specimen of hardy life,
with broad, deep, full chest, great hands,
all Drawn and muscle, and a head set well
back, covered with short, crisp curls,
that in themselves spoke of his splendid
vitality. This couple gazed curiously at
me for a time but they did not speak
The old woman began talking in a
cracked, tremulous voice She had fine
eyes, shrewd, undimmed, and full of wis
dom. Her head was tied in a snuff-colore1
cloth that disclosed at the back hard
knot of gray hair. She was so bent that
her waist had sunk out of sight, and her
dress had shortened at the back, expos
ing the white knit-stockings. She talked
to me about the folks Whereabouts. and,
finding that many of them were intimates
of mine, she told me all the gossip of the
mountain.
The rain poured in steady stream,
beating through the chinks between the
logs, down the chimney, and against the
plank shutters. The old woman talked on,
treating me to sage advice and sound
philosophy. The two in the other corner
sat silent; neither had spoken since ]
had come in. But I noticed that the
mans fingers moved rapidly all the time,
and that the girl kept her eyes on thcm.
That's the way he talks to her" the
old woman said to me. Hes the unfor-
tunest critter ever was; carnt speak nor
hear. But then Dochy knows well enough
what he means by them finger tricks.
They've been keepin comp'ny gon' on
four year, Bulge an Dochy has" she
went on. without lowering her voice.
"She's my gurl, an Budge's father was
my brother JEFF. That makes 'em kin.
Bulge have stayed long er Dochy an me
ever since her pa been dade. Seemed
kinder likely they'd be carin' for one
mother"
/ wanted to ask why they had not been
married, but had discovered that the old
woman was stone deaf. With quick per-
eeption she guessed my question "Budge
is kinder foolish, she said AN somehow
he amt never made fixin's fer Their gittin'
jined. Cert'ny faint Dochy's business to
see about it."
A dog whined outside, and, at a motion
from his sweetheart, the man got up TO
open the door. saw then that he had
wooden leg.
"He fell offer Pixies rock into Harris
Level an broke hes leg" the old woman
said TO me. l know the place. A bowlder
hangs far over, above nat stretch Of
land that scoops right into the mountain
side 1T war right bad broke" she went
on, IAN DR.. Joe had TO cut II on-thar,
you see, clean above the knee lint. II
war bout then that Bulge an Dochy
fouu' out they was likin' OF one Mother
lest bout the time when he broke his leg,
and DR. Joe got him another from the wall
ley. Dr. Joe could ha got 'em iined by the
preacher. an ! asked him 20 do o., but
he SAID as how Bulge was simple. and