Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-12-20
VIRGINIA MOUNTAIN FOLK.

vkM1kNkA WVUNxAklN pVQNA
stumbled down the mountain amid
. whirl Of leaves and twigA making
straight for tho valley. Ihad left the
path, and suddenly found myself
breaking through . brush fence and
half way across > clearing" The
place was unfamiliar to me. A cabin,
preserving . miraculous balance,
tilted forward from the steep side Of
the mountain. Its plank roof was
weighted down by rocks, and the log
chimneys leaned out on either side
like ill.set ears
The door was opened for me by an
old woman, w.o shut il as soon as
had entered. She gave me chair,
hoped that was 'peart." Plank shut
ters had been put before the windows,
SO the rain might not come in. When
my eyes became accustomed to the dim
light, l saw that n man and girl sat on
q bench In one corner The girl was
small and slight, and her hair hung
short, like child's, about her throat;
but her eyes were womanly. The man
was . specimen Of hardy life, with q
broad, deep, full chest, great hands,
all Drawn and muscle, and o head set
we'll back, covered with short, crisp
curls, that in themselves spoke Of his
splendid vitality. This couple gazed
curiously at me for . time, but they
did not speak.
The old woman began talking In
. cracked. tremulous voice. She had
fine eyes, undimmed, and full Of wis
dom Her head was tied In snuff
colored cloth that disclosed at the
back hard knot Of gray hair. She
was SO bent that her waist had sunk
out ofsight,and her dress had shortened
at the back, exposing the white knit
stockings. She talked to me about
the folks thereabouts, 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 chipks between
the logs, down the chimney, anu
against the plank shutters. The oil
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 | noticed that the mans fin
gers moved rapidly all the TIM, and
that the girl kept her eyes on them.
That's the way he talks to her the
old woman said TO me. lies the I'M
fortunest 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 goin on four year,
Bulge an Dochy has, She went on
without lowering her voice. She's
my CURL; an Budgets father was my
brother JEFF. That makes EN- kin.
Budge has stayed long err 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 perception she guessed my
question. "lsudge is kinder foolish
she said, IAN somehow he amt never
made fxin's fer Their glttin' jined
Cert'ny faint Dochy's business to see
abont it."
A dog whined outside, and, at mo-
ton from his sweetheart, the man got
up to open the door, saw then that
he had wooden leg.
ale fell offer Pixies rock into Har-
ris' Level, an broke his leg" the old
woman said to me. know the place.
A bowlder hangs far over, above a
fat stretch Of land that scoops right
into the mountain side. ut war right
bad broke" she went on, AN Dr. Joe
had to cut it of-thar, you see, clean
above the knee tint. 1t war bout
then that Bulge an Dochy foun' out
they was likin' Of one 'nother-jest
bout the time when he broke his leg,
aud Dr. Joe got him another from the
valley. DR.. Joe could ha' got 'em
jined by the preacher, an asked him
to do it, But he said as how Bulge
was simple, and they was too near kin.
Pears to me II they's carin Of one
mother carnt be no harm noway what
somever comes bout"
She paused and reflected, then
turned TO her daughter: "lt's bout
time you was gettin' supper" she said.
"the suns drappin'; it'll soon be the
edge er darkness"
The girl rose and went into the
inner room. A petulant frown crossed
the mans face, but passed, leaving 1t
childishly bright, as it had been be-
fore. The old woman sat thinking for
some minutes, then she said to me;
II see how 1t ken be fixed; I've bin
studin' bout it; you ken see bout the
preacher jinin' them" She looked at
me eagerly. You don't sec no harm
in their bein' kin, do you, nor Bulge
bein' fo'llish, nuthcr?' | shook
my head. She looked pleased and
said; "Go in thar" pointing to the
inner room, IAN talk to Dochy bout
It,"
Invent into the kitchen. The girl
had lit the fire, and now stood stirring
the contents Of big pot. The glow
from the pine wood softened her
pinched features and frightened her
hair. ! saw by this better light that
she had an earnest brow and ON inno-
cent mouth. When asked her II she
would like to marry bulge, she an
swered Yes quite simply, continu-
inr 10 stir the mat and cabbage.
Presently Bulge came into tho
kitchen. When Dochy explained 70
him what I had proposed In regard