The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-05-23

irritated, so much so. indeed. that you
will inquire with some scorn if this is
what the people around here call a
clearing. The boy will stare at you
again with a half smile playing around
his pale lips. and say. as he runs his
thumb under the lone suspender to give
II a firmer seat on his shoulder:
They Nv been a calm it that ever
sence granny came here from l dunno
where's"
Then you will ask how far It is to
Mrs. Pruett's. and the boy will say with
more animation:
Hit amt no ways, skeersely. Ill
show you wher. She's my granny"
Whereupon he will turn and walk
by the buggy, examining horse, harness
and vehicle with critical eyes. To keep
up the conservation you will ask him II
he's ever been to Atlanta, and he will
say with an unconcerned air:
Il never has. but my Buddy Bill, he
ever has. They tuck him thar. Mister,
that hoss Is plum tired out"
If you are wise you will fall to talk
ing about the horse and so take the
mind of the boy off the compulsory
journey to Atlanta, for such things as
these do not constitute the pleasantest
memories of Tray mountain. nor of any
other mountain or valley whatsoever.
The boy will conduct you cheerfully,
If not gayly, along the road, and in a
little while you will hear the hens cack-
ling In Miss Pruett's horse lot. This Will
give the lad an excuse to run on ahead
of you. He will eXclaim, with as much
energy as his plaintive voice can COM
mand:
"Oh. Lordy! them plegged dogs is
done run the OIL dominicker hen Off'n
the nest"
Whereupon he will start to running
and pretend to go to the horse lot. But
1t is all pretense. for when you come
in sight of the house you will see three
or four, maybe a half dozen, white
headed children on the fence watching
for you, and If you have said a kind
word to the boy who volunteered to be
your guide Mrs. Pruett herself will be
standing on the porch. the right arm
stretched across her ample BOSOM SO
that the hand may serve as a rest for
the elbow of the left arm, which Is bent
so that the reed stem of her beloved
pipe may be held on a level with her
good-humored youth. You will have
time to notice as your horse ascends the
incline that leads to the big gate. that
the house Is a very comfortable one for
the mountains, neatly weather-boarded
and compactly built, with four rooms
and ''SheQ, Wnlcn serves as u ulIiiiiS :
room and kitchen Two box wood
plants stand sentinel inside the gate,
and are. perhaps, the largest you have
ever seen. There is also a ragged hedge
of privet, which seems to lack thrift.
A little later you will discover why
matters and thi, gs at Mrs. Pruett's are
, ordered somewhat differently from
those that prevail at other mountain
homes with which you may chance to
be acquainted. Mrs. Pruett herself is
not native and to the manner born.
though you would never discover 1t
| until she told you; and this informa-
ton will not be long delayed. You will
find that she was born in Jasper coun-
ty, that her father moved to the Chero-
| kee country after she was grown, and
that she married Mr.. Pruett. who, af-
| ter many ups and downs, settled on
| Tray mountain, IAN done mighty well
tell the govern ms mt got to b grudgin'
poor folks the little bit err money they
made by turnin' Their apples an the'r
gra.l into sperrets."
| But this is running ahead faster than
the boy did and you can't do that com
fortably in buggy drawn by tired
and hungry horse. The most you can
do is to drive within easy hailing dis
| tance, take off your hat to the mother