Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-28
THE ROAD BETWEEN.
Bit of Life and Death in the Cum
bcrland Mountains.

A Bit of Life and Death in the Cum
bcrland Mountains.
From the Detroit Free Press
A cabin beside the rude trail leading up
the slope of mountain-two or three acres
of half-cultivated ground-poverty within
and poverty without. An old end half
starved mule wandering about-three or
four dogs lying in the sun-a mountaineer
and his wife smoking their pipes on the
doorstep. 1t is ignorance in solitude-con-
! tcntment in poverty. 1t is half an hour
since the wife Joined her husband, and yet
lot word has passed between them She
kits and smokes and raises her eyes only
at long intervals. He smokes and thinks
and his gaze is on the tree tops across the
road. Queer people, these mountaineers of
the Cumberland. They are stoical silent,
vary, morose. They are always thinking
and thinking. They seem suspicious even
of each other. They come and go-they
live-thay die, but as no other class of peo-
pie. They have their ways, and their ways
descend from father to son. BY and by the
r,an speaks. Without taking his eyes from
the tree tops or the pipe from his mouth
he says:
"Joe's a-comin'."
Reckon he ar" replied the wife without
looking up.
A quarter of a mile down the trail is a
man walking slowly and carrying a rifle on
his shoulder Neither of those on the door,
step have seen him, but their quick ears
have detected the sound of footsteps
among the stones. They do no. look after
speaking. Their eyes are not fixed upon
him until he stands before them and lets
the butt of his rifle fall to the ground.
"Howdy?" says the new arrival
"Howdy?" answer man and woman in
chorus.
Powerful hot?"
Pal
No more is said until Joe fills and lights
his pipe, and takes seat on a nearby
stump. Then the woman. her eyes on his
feet, quietly asks:
Reckon him orter do 1t, Joe?'
"Of co'se him orter." replies Joe.
"Yes, fur shore" adds the husband.
It'll be the ole man?' said the woman
after a pause lasting two minutes.
The ole man, of CO Sc" added the hus-
band.
One of the dogs lazily arose and walked
over and licked Joe's hand. and in return
he patted the animals head in a half-kind
way. 1t was five minutes before any one
spoke again. The wife had grown pale
faced and her fingers trembled she piled
the needles. There was something like
anxiety in her tones as she said:
Il wish Jim wouldn't do it. l don't like
tits KILN
"Hev to kill" replied Joe as he took the
dogs ear in his hand.
Yes. hev to KILL" added the husband as
he arose and yawned and stretched his
limbs
Joe held the rifle out to him. and he took
1t and hefted it and examined its several
parts and nodded his head with satisfac-
ton.
"Yo' kin drap him at forty rods" said
Joe, as he pushed the dog away.
From thirty-five to forty" answered
Jim. as he brought the weapon up and
sighted along the barrel.
Got to make suah work.
Yes, suah work. Come fur it tomor-
row."
Reckon 1 will. Day to yo' ALL"
When the caller had gone his way the
husband sat down and freshly filled his
pipe and made another examination CT the
rifle. A long silence was broken by the
wifes query:
Whats the fussin', Jim?"
Same as befo'."
The ole man Taylor and our two hogsT'
Yes. He wants damages, and l won't
pay"
"Gwine ter kill him?"
Fur shore"
.'Wish.yo' wouldn't"
Got ter"
That ended the conversation. When he
had exhausted his pipe he knocked the
cabin. There was whisky in the cupboard
and he helped himself to a drink. When
he reappeared at the door he stood for a
moment, looking about. and the half-asleep
dogs reused up and came gamboling about
his feet.
"Gwine now" queried the wife.
Yes, gWiae now.
He kicked the dogs aside and went Off
up the trail. The woman sat with her eyes
on her work, and he cast no backward
glance. The dogs followed for a few rods
and then gave 1t up and returned to their
dusty beds. Two miles up the trail was
Taylor's cabin. 1t was the same sort of a.
EIVel-Same poor acres grown up to
WeedS-same poverty of pocket and intel
lect A woman sat smoking on the door,
step, but she was alone Her husband had
gone down the trail with his rifle on his
shoulder.
"Gwine to kill Jim Green" she asked as
he was ready to go.
Reckon so,'' he replied as he moved
away.
Two cabins-two wives on the doorsteps-
two men with rifles on the trail between.
At that hight above the sea sound travels
long distance. Both women heard the
crack of rifle by and by, but both smoked
en-. After an hour or two Taylor returned
home. When he had lighted his pipe and
taken seat beside her, the wife asked:
Leave him down thar"
"Yes, let him down thar" was the re-
ply.
Two or three hours later man stopped
before the other cabin and said to the wo-
man smoking her pipe on the doorstep:
'Jim's bin popped
up thar" she asked, pointing I'D the
trail
Yes. up thar"
Lynn dead?'
Yes. lynn dead: Good eavenin."
"Eavenin' to yo'."