Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-08-17
SWANLEE'S GIRL.


 Yorkor-kcen, alert, dark haired and chronically ono day behind with his shaving, His companion, who rode with difficulty his rough gaited Kentucky marc, was obtrusively British EverJ> thing, from his deer stalker cap to his yellow pigskin gaiters, with their but tons down the shin, betrayed him for a recent importation from the islands be- yond the sea. They were not friends scarcely acquaintanccs. They had fore gathered some few miles back at cross roads, and finding that they were head ing. in the same direction had logged along in company
 For the past hour the multitude of trails had bothered them much, and there had been good deal of toss up in their choice, and at last noither had any further ideas to offer about the route, and thcro was no question but that they were most satisfactorily lost. The last blue of the sky was turning to a cooler purple and couple of tree toads wore already commencing tho overture to their nightly opera.
 Say" remarked the American, "have you ever ridden down q strange trail of this sort after niehtfall?"
 Can say that have. V
 ''Thcn, sir, you've an experience in storo which won't be all molasses You wait till the trees begin to osncak up and hit you on the kncccap. Then you H. Great Columbus! See that?"
 'What--these green shrubs?"
 Corn, sircc. Indian corn, you call it way back in tho old country. And here we arc. AnigScr cabin, I guess. Faint good enough for a Tar Heclcr's shanty."
 They wheeled round the edge of tho corn patch, their horses picking way cautiously over tho outshooting roots of the timber, and pulled up before a small frame h0usc. AS though their ar rival had been expected, the rough door swung open and Il man stepped out and faced them, He was an old man and heavily boarded. Ho stood quito four inches above tho fathom ill his boots, and in the hollow of his left arm he car ried weapon, singlo barreled and ham, mCrlcSS.
 He pointed to this and introduced it.
 'Grnt lemCn," he said, "thiS is about the latest-Rawnslcys $ ten fire repeat ing shotgun. The first of you that lifts a hand toward the sly pocket of his pants will grt a hole let into him that yoke of steers could drive through. If you want to stay, you've got to fight it out "
 Ho of tho yellow gaitcrs laughed.
 What quaint people you Americans arc," ho' said. "Why the devil you should threaten war ill this unexpected fashion can imagine "
 "HO! You re BritiShcr?"
 "EnG Glish--quito English. "
 And your companion, isn't he an cNciSrmm cithcr?'
 Tho Englishman shrugged his shoul- drrS, and tho New Yorker answered for himself
 ''S, T. Vanrcnnan, real estate agent, Irving pl"re, Moo York city. Stick to my own trade, colonel, and shouldn't know what n blockade still Was if was shown unr.
 For d moment tho old man seemed inclined to resent this last remark, but only for H moment. Then southern hos pitality asserted itself
 "Wcl, ecntlcmcn," Inc said, "how can I servo you?"
 By putting Us on the road for Ashe- villr." "
 II could not do it. Asheville' s good 90 miles beyond this, and the trails far too bad for strangers to follow in the dalk, You must bunk with me- gentle men, this night.
 There Was a little more talk, and then the horses were led round to barn at the back, unSadlled, rubbed down roughly and presented with six cOrncobs apiece, after which the two adjourned to the cabin, Suppcd off heavy corn bread, strong favored bacon and raw, biting, smoky corn whisky. After the meal the Yankee, pleading tiredness, retired to the far room and slept. The Briton, who was travelling in the moun- tains to pick up character, was glad enough to sit up with his host and talk beside the smelly kerosene lamp over granulated tobacco and corncob pipes
 Their conversation was, on the whole, dcsultOry. Only twice was it interrupt ed. On these occasions footsteps made themselves heard on the hard, red ground outside, and then, after pause, a sill yer half dollar rolled ill under the door. The old man pOCkctcd the coin, lifted the latch, and, reaching hand out into the darkness, brought i'll quart bottle, which he proceeded to fill from a keg that wafted through the hut a strong smell of smoky spirit. Afterward he thrust out the bottle into the night, and the heavy footsteps recommended and died ont in diminuendo
 On the first occasion the old man com mented to his guest: Say, sir, you re what they call in the mountains a ten derfoot; but, from the face of you, you seem straight. Please remember you we seen nothing"
 "I'm under the tic of bread and salt, '' said the Englishman. "You needn t fear mo-" And he fell to talking absut the game in the woods.
 When the Englishman awoke next morning, he found that his travelling companion had already departed.
 ''I didn't press him to stay," said the old man, "but I hope you will honor me with longer visit. My name is Colonel Swanlee, which you may have seen mentioned ill accounts of the war, and once had 40 room house here and close on 200 niggers working on a fine ! estate. The house and the niggers are 1 gone, and the estate has run back for the most part into forest. You know the war ruined most of us southern gentle men, and our lands were bought up by pork packers and successful drummeFs and Yankee trash generally. I've been lualyinr fhaO Sn1,on I haya1,Sk c,1I n ,,r,l