Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1895-03-21
TAURMONT Frederick County, Maryland, Thursday March a. 1885,

leased from its homespun covering
where the sunlight and shadow met and
mingled, her cheeks aglow from the
mornings toll, and her eyes. blue as the
ether ato'e, turned toward the hum
ble home on the hillside, she was in
deed child Of nature-a true type Of
the mountain girl.
GOOD morning, MISS said Mr.. Slade
who had approached uuperceived by
the girl, who had been busy with her
ablutions.
The girl, startled by the sound of
human voice .sprang from the brook and
prepared for flight in the direction Of
the cabin, but seeing the kinkly face Of
the old gentleman she stopped and ac-
knowledged his salution with a nod.
DO you liye here p asked Mr.. slade.
>Yes,' she replied, pointiog to the
cabin.
Now said Mr.. Slade as his horse
came up from the brook after satisfying
his thirst, can I get cool drink from
the springF
'Oh, yes! I've got goard there re-
piled the girl as she led the way to the
spring.
Taking large gou1d which hung on
a broken bough Of poplar tree over
shadowing the spring, she dipped it
brimming full Of the ice cold water to
the thirsty traveller.
'Ah, that's drink fit for a king
said the gentleman after he had almost
drained the contents of the gourd.
'That's what pap SAYS said the
maid. "There hain't no colder water in
the Blue Ridge she continued, filling
the goard again and putting it to her
lips.
Who is pap p asked Mr.. slade.
Pap! Whv he is my father.
u know that, but intended to ask hi'
name
John Hale. Howsomever, people as
knows him calls him Cap'n Hale cause,
! ou see, he was in the big war;
What's your name, my child?
yda.'
Where's your mother, IdaT
Mothers gone to heaven more 'an
two years ago, leastways she said she
was goin there, and 1 believe it. See.'
she said softly, pointing to mound on
the hillside near the cottage.
And have you no brothers
Mary one, only two little sisters. Lu.
cy and sallie.'
Where is your father? ? Why is he
not plowing instead of your
See here, mister, pap amt able to
plow nor do ncthin else. He can't walk
nor set up. He's got what they calls
paralysis. l told you as how pap was in
the war. Well, over yonder at Chicks
mauga, where there was big fight, the
Yankees shot pap two times, and they
almost killed him. hate Yankees,
don't your
Mr.. Slade was silent. She continued
her story: AFTER a while pap mended
and got 80 he could walk around some
with crutch and work little bit. Ma
has told me as how afore the war she
and pap had aplenty to live on. but
when he come home from Chickamuga
1T Was all gone. Pap is mighty good
man and he done the best he could and
after awhile when we children was big
enough we helped him, and ma, she al
ways helped him. One day just before
ma was tuck down sick pap was comm
down the mountain and he fell and hurt
hisself in the hips where the Yankees
shot him. Poor pap, he managed to
kinder crawl home, and we all put him
to bed, and he is in bed yet and cant
turn hisself without help. Poor pap 7
and the blue eyes grew moist, and there
was a choking in her shroat.
After short pause she continued her
story: Ma tended him the best she
could, and she sold one Of the steers
the mate to Old Spot, out there-and
she tuck the money, and she went and
hired doctor who liYes way over yon-
der across the mountain on the other
side of the Hiawasse river to come and
see pap. We all prayed while ma was
gone that pap might live and git we'll,
and the good Lord, he heard us chill
dren, and pap did live. and he was
sight better when ma and the doctor
come. The doctor, he locked at pap,and
he examined him close, and he held
down his head and studied and studied.
Finally he looked up and said as how
pap might live long time, but he
would never get up and be around any
more. He said he would do all he
could, but hs nor nary other doctor
was able to cure pap-poor pap. But
that doctor wouldn't tech mas money