Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1896-10-31
The RAID ON THE Still.

II
WE'LL" said Mrs. Jonathan Jackson
to her friend, Mrs. Samuel Pearl.
"Take seat, Miranda, and make
yourself at home. It's precious lit.
tie conversation, though, one can
have with ones neighbor about
what's going on in the mountains,
with the men folks talking nothing
all the time except them revenue
sharks" And Mrs. Pearl looked
uneasily through the window of the
little sitting loom that commanded
a general view of the mountain road
that skirted past her home like the
trail of serpent and was lost in the
gloom of the cedar trees that, ming
ling with the dense underbrush,
caught the eye on all sides.
"How's Alice ~ asked Mrs. Pearl,
rather abruptly.
Fair as can be expected, Eliza
beth. The girl don't seem to be the
/ same creature since Ike went away,
though the Lord knows l thought
great deal of the boy more so than
ever let on to Jonathan. But
Jonathan was down on the lad, and
what's weak woman going to do
against a strong mans opposition 2"
And Mrs. Jonathan Jackson Sigh
ed.
"Been five years now, Miranda,
since Ike went away. / always won
dered why he left here, but folks
cant be personal, you know, and
ask questions that don't concern
Them" Mrs. Pearl said inquisitive-
ly, drawing her chair few inches
nearer to Mrs. Jonathan Jackson.
"Well, Elizabeth, knowing you
don't talk about other peoples BUSH
ness'-and here Mrs. jackson look
ed suspiciously at her friend-ssI
don't mind telling you of the affair.
Ike Holland, you see, Jonathan
took out of an orphan asylum when
the boy was about two years old, and
brought him home to raise. Jcna-
than had been on a visit to Nash
vile, and thought nothing would be
better than to bring the lad here.
Twas little before Alice was born.
and the boy, it seems, became at
tached to the girl from her birth.
But Jonathan was proud, and he
used to tell Ike how he came to be
in the family, and that be owed him
great deal. You know how Ike
grew up to manhood, and how it was
said that in these parts there wasn't
one who could stand up and fight
the revenue officers like him. There s
many a distillery which the lad saw
ed by warning the owners, and JON
athan himself is under obligation to
the boy on that score. But the day
came when / saw that Ike thought a
great deal of my girl, and that she
wasn't at all displeased with his at
tentions; but Jonathan was blind
never seemed to see that the two
were forever in each others CON-
pany. One day Ike, manlke, tells
Jonathan he wished to marry the
girl. But Jonathan became furious
and told him he wasn't any thing but
a miserable outcast-an object of
charity. He went further be struck
the lad terrible blow. That was
his answer. Ike did not strike back.
| heard him mutter something, for
Alice's sake But the lad raised bis
hard and swoTe that he would even
up things with Jonathan, if it took
till judgment day. Then he went
away, and no one has ever heard of
him sinee.p
Mrs. Jackson sighed softly to her.
SELF Mrs. Pearls eyes were wide
open with surprise, and she wonder.
ed how the true story of Ike's disap-
pearanee had remained secret so
long.
Getting dark, Elizabeth and I
guess | had better be going up the
road and Mrs. jackson babe her
friend good by.
The November sun was gradually
disappearing behind the mountains
and the long shadows of the fading
sunlight cast spectral shadows here
and there among the trees.
| Mrs. Jackson then lighted the oil
lamp and made ready for the even
ing supper. Presently the sound of
a conveyance was heard in the road
way, and Jonathan Jackson and his
daughter Alice alighted. They had
been down to the village, ride of
20 miles over the mountain roads,
to provide themselves with some
necessary supplies.
| What's the news in the village
Jonsthan ~ inquired his wife.
| Nothing much some reports out
about the revenue officers, though /
don't take much stock in the sto-
ries.' And Jonathan relapsed into
a gloomy silence.
/ The rest of the meal was eaten 10
] silence, and after The dishes were
cleared away Jonathan sat comforta-
/ bly, by the FIRE and smoked his pipe,
as the November evenings were be-
coming chilly and unpleasant. Az
ter an hour had passed there was the