The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-06-17
OBIDIAH COST!
OR THE
ROMANCE OF A M0ONSRlNER.
(By ROB G. HIDEN.1

Iust how many romantic vows have
gone for naught by reason of parenta
opposition on one or Doth sides "ouIl
be a difficult problem for solution the
number OF impassioned declarations be-
reafh a pale. wan moon on still summer
nights. which have been scattered 10 the
Winds by feminine pride or masculine
self-will would run UP into hgures Tor me
mathematician. But so far as IN am W.
The story unique In feature. though none
the less true from Madam Rumors stahu-
point, which I'm going to tell YOU Is tue
only record Of an instance where a poha
fde ma -riage engagement was brOhth
off for good and all by reason OF the
e Geographical line dividing two states
Many Virgnlan has visited Caesar
Head. the we'll known Summer resort
towering 4,500 feet above the sea leVei'
and overlooking one OF the grandest pano-
ramas ever spread out as a feast Tor the
human eye. The place takes lts name
from a massive rock some eighty isst
in diameter, and overhanging terrible
precipce four-hundred yards from the
hotel which caps a lofty peak OF the Blue
Ridge range in the northwestern corner
OF South Carolina about thirty miles from
Greenville and two-and-a-half miles south
OF the North Carolina line. The rock,
which has attracted much attention
from biologists, bears a striking
resemblance 10 a mammoth human head.
a freak of nature is brought out In the
wonderful precision with which the feat
ures are formed. From the top Of the
head by steep and circuitous pathway
some thirty yards in length hundreds Of
visitors from all over the country an
nually enter Caesars mouth, which
opens wide enough TO admit half dozen
persons at once. AT the lower In tho
rock iuts off In a perpendicular direction
10 the bottom Of the gorge. q distance
Of 1.750 feet. and from the head a view
OF surprising grandeur greets the tour
ist Peak after peak. TO all appearances
piled one upon another and huge crags
mingling In awful chaos attract the eye
until II is finally lost in a hazy mist
away off In the distance. where great
gray mountain sides OF wild and rugged
majesty blend with the horizon in an
indetermirate line overshadowed at
even-tide by laneuid clouds in all the
.plendor Of their gorgeous coloring.
rnoslIo YEorLz.
With n wealth Of spreading trees
through which the cool June braczas
sigh with a kind of plaintive lullaby.
ana a rich abandon OF tangled wildwood
touched up in all the delicate hues Of
innumerable rhododendr0n blossoms So
prolific on either side Of half a hundred
silvery cascades. it is astonishing 10
the tourist that such a region is inhabt-
ed by people absolutely void Of senti-
ment. The typical mountaineer in that
picturesque section IS as prOsac as you
can imagine He has no appreciative
spirit for the wondrous grandeur sur
rounding him. His carriage. his mode
Of living. and especially his dialect are
as unique as they are at variance with
the slightest poetic suggestion Nothing
eXctes his admiration as does an old
fashioned muZzle-loading rifle. a yoke
OF ponderOus oxen. or a jug Of that
atrociously unpalatable liquid which
keeps the revenue detectives I'm a diem
Moonshiners are known 10 operate
freely throughout the region around
Caesars Head. Indeed. that section is
a rendezvous for the outlaws, whose
secret haunts are almost impossible
to reach Several years ago an organized
band, believed 20 be under the leadership
of a young man named Obidah COST,
kept the revenue men In fever Of
excitement for months. Obdiah was
reckless, daredevil sort of fellow. He
was six feet two I'm statue. possessed a
remarkably symmetrical figure, and
firm, strong face which, lighted up with
together displeasing 20 look upon. His
physical attractions were offset, how
ever, by that sluggish mode Of express
sion which prevails in the mountains
Of the Carolinas.
oBIDIAH's FIRST MARRIAGE.
The moonshiner knew every cavern
and by-path for miles around, and II
was next TO an impOssibility 10 discover
the base Of his operations. For months
two revenue officers tried 10 shadow
him, but their efforts appeared 10 DO o.
no avail. BY some secret manoeuvres
he escaped a dozen times or more. At
last he was captured in an intoxicated
condition, and carried off 10 Greenvlllc,
where his trial resulted in sentence
to two years imprisonment
Obidiah had welded a petite school,
teacher who settled near Cedar Noun
tain. post office surrounded by twenty
or thirty sumner cottages about four
miles from Caesars Head. When the
Wedding
their heads and said the couple would
never get along together, the groom was
too reckless and fond OF carOusing for
the quiet little miss. Kumor had 10
that she never was in love with the
great. brawny moOnshiner, but only
admired his splendid figure and physical
strength and endurance; that she
couldn't bear the idea of living all alone
amongst those yaWninS chasms. and so
she married the man, whose name was
"A passport through most Of the dehlcs
in that section, simply for protection.
The mountaineer had courted her faith
fully in his quaint matter of-fact way.
lie SWore with That violence peculiar
TO one who had never been crossed I'm
a purpose that II she refused him she
Should never marry another. lie loy"i
her as deeply as his uncouth nature could
love. though he would repeatedly stay our
at night with the gang at the cross roads
grocery. drink a liberal supply of corn
Whiskey and, after barely escaping
dinculty with the proprietor, return TO
the cottage over in the hollow. only 20
frighten his timid little wife half 10
death. All her pleadngs We're useless.
He only told her not 10 be n baby for
he lowed he mought be abele fur 10 take
care OF himself" This continued for
months. and people said the moon
shuers wife was contemplating secur-
ing a divorce. The reports proved 10
be correct. for when the man was sem
fenced 10 prison. suit was instituted.
and In a short time the little woman
secured her freedom.
pAcK TO THE HAUSTs.
Nothing more was heard OF the famous
band of moonshineTs for two years.
Their distilerles had been destroyed.
and the paraphernalla carried of.
Finally Obidah completed his sentence
and returned 10 his Wild mountain
haunts. The revenue officers soon be-
gan to suspect that there was at least
ground for suspicion, and now and then
a couple Of them sneaked about In
disguise to see that all was right. The
nOOn.hiner was not long In reorganiZ- /
ing the band, however and the manu- /
facture Of mountain dew" was resumed /
though no one knew, or would tel. the !
location OF the stills. People spending I
the summer 40 Clrsar's Heat could .I- /
ways secure a flask or jug Of the /
liquid through the agency Of noun /
taineers who sold peaches and poultry /
at the hotel. but whence the stun came 1