The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-06-28

In early October, 1865, 4 Travelled on
horseback from Asheville, N. c., into
east Tennessee by way Of tho precipi-
tous and piotNesque valley OF the
French Broad river. Here, If any place
On the continent, one might have thought
that the battle storm that ragged for four
years on either side of the Great Smoky
range would have been unfelt and the
sound Of its wild tumult be heard only
rs an echo. But the ash heaps marking
the sites of log cabins, defenses thrown
up to command the sweeps and angles
Of that rough mountain road, haggard
men in ragged blue or gray, with one
leg or one arm, and, more than all, the
shallow graves hastily followed In the
thin soil of the hills, told that even this
sanctuary had been defiled by the red
hand of war and its sylvan aisles LII up
by the torch of the destroyer.
During years of fighting and scouting
on the heights and through the valleys
of the Appalachian mountains l had
never before been so impressed by the
variety and splendor of coloring of these
wooded crests and slopes. The autumn
tints wero bewildering in their brilliant
beauty, the dark green shafts of balsaIn
and fir serving to bring the crimson
hues of the naples and the russet gold
of the mountain oaks into intenser
lights.
AS the sun was setting myself and my
companion, Captain Singer of the Thir-
ty-third Ohio, halted at cabin, hoping
TO find accommodations for ourselves
and animals for the night. But even
with the thoughts of self in mind we
had to turn In our saddles for one more
glance at the valley Of gold and another
long lock at the marvellous slopes and
cores of the mountains now blazing and
flaming with the crimson, igneous glow
that one felt must continue to light mp
the landscape after day had faded from
the crests of the Cumberland range to
the west.
1t was double log cabin, with q
meadow In which cattle were grazing,
down in the valley, and large field OF
shocked corn on the slope above. In
the open space tall, fine looking young
woman appeared in response to our call.
lyon uns want to stay To- the night,
chr" she said, and she shaded her eyet
from the western light and looked dowr
the road In direction opposite to that
by which we had come as IL expecting
some one. Then as she did not see the
object of her search she turned to rs and
added: "Git off yer critters and rest 9
bit till Andy and Phil come up. ! reck
on hit won't be long, TO- we uns hei
been lookin TO 'em back evan sence the
sun drapped ovah Cartah's ridge. Ah,
thar they is, and right smart glad ar
to see 'em, fo' Andy amt no use of his
se'f when hit gets dark"
With our bridlos over our arms, Sing
er and myself turned in the direction
indicated by the young woman's extend
ed arm and saw two men coming up th'
road, which, being some distance below
us, was in shadow almost as dark al
night. AS the men approached we could
see that one walked with his hand or
the shoulder of the other, as If for guild
ance. The man who appeared to be BLIND
wore faded blue jacket, the yellow
facings of which told me that it hat
been designed for Federal trooper.
The woman came out, and linking
her arm in that of the man wipse eye
were shaded by the glazed peak of cal
that looked very odd under his slcuchet
cavalry hat shetvrned him toward u
and said: ANDY, har's two strenger
with critters as seems bound TO knox