The Delta independent., 1897-01-20
49, i.
} THE BEGINNING OF THINGS.

a
single street climbing from the ferry
landing on the river bank up TO the
weather-beaten courthouse on the first
slope of Johns mountain. If it differed
from other inland county seats in
northern Alabama it was on the side
of drowsiness and shabby inconse-
quence. Its reason for existence was
purely geographical; the Chiwassce
valley divides Chilmath county into
halves, and the ferry was point ac-
cessible to the farmers in the valley
and to the dwellers on Jubal noun
tain on the east and Johns mountain
On the west. In the sprinkling of
weather-worn buildings strewn upon
the hillside facing the river, but three
were relatively notable. One was the
courthouse, wooden, two-storied, with
q classic porch out of which tumblcd
O cataract of steps flowing down TO the
head of the street. Another was Cat
ron's store, low and wipdowless in the
rear and sclf-assertive and pretentious
in front, with a high forehead of
Notwithstanding rising above the
wooden awning over the sidewalk.
The third was the Mountain house. just
across the street from Catron's. 1t had
been a planters mansion in the days of
masters and slaves, and in falling from
Its better estate the square bric!, house
had brought down some reminders of
ancient stateliness and solidity. There
was a suggestion of comfort in its deep
verandas, roomy Railways and wide
freplaces, but the hint was lost in the
general aspect Of decay and neglect,
and the Mountain house, together with
everything else in the village. pointed
toward gradual and painless relapse
INTO o condition of noribund disuse.
In the nature of things, the old ALA
coochee saw few visitors. 1t was 20
miles down tho valley to Prattvillc,
tho nearest railway town, nnd Abel
French's blackboard was the only means
Of communication. French drove down
twioc a week for the mail. but he sell
dom brought back n passenger, and.
save on "First Mondays" and other
court days, the Mountain house was
usually without guests. One pleasant
evening in February, however, French
broke the record. Hs brought two
Nrangers up with him from Prattville,
and there was a consequent stir OF spec
ulative curiosity among the loungers
whose rsllying point was the shelter
Of Catron's awning. French, eeing
promptly intcrrogatcd. confessed reluc-
family That he had been unable to find
out his passengers business; and, nav
ing run a co-milc gauntlet with the in
quisitive mail carrier. the strangers
had no trouble In evadfng the less skill
t,,l - 4. R-lI
two weeks they spent their days driv-
ing up and down the valley. and their
evenings sitting upon the veranda of
the Mountain house. asking questions of
everyone and oontriving to dodge all in
<uiries aimed at the object of their visit.
One evening when the sun had gone
down behind Johns mountain the new
comcrs took their accustomed places
on the veranda, drawing their chairs
together and lighting their after-sup-
per cigars in full view of the open-air
court in session under Catron's avn
ing. Ono of them was q heavy-set man,
with q smooth-shaven face, hard but
unrsadable. He had the nannerism of
quiet aggressivsness which belongs to
pbysicsl superiority, but the bully in
sion. Certain little idiosyncrasics. such
ss the habit Of slipping his hands into
his pockets and rocking his chair gen.
tIy on two legs as he talked, suggested
tho lawyer cross-examining . witness,
and the hint pointed truthfully to the
gentleman's profession. Among his
legal associates in New York. Lawyer
6hafplsss was respected rs an able at
toruey and one whose loyalty to his
clients was never hampered by incon-
venient questions of conscience. His
companion was a wiry little man whose
clothes wers shabby with the wear Of
activity. He talked volubly, punctuat-
ing his speech with @ lean finger laid
in the palm Of the opposite hand, and
throwing one leg over the arm Of his
chair as he armed to his subject. His
calling was not SO obvious, but that
was because he bad followed SO many
occupations that none Of them had left
its imp1ess upon him. a pettifogging
lawyer, . land agent for a railway oom-
pany, q broker in real estate. and lat
tefly professional boomer, Mr.. Jenkins
Eench was q man Of many partA. well
qualified 70 bear his share in the enter
prise in which he was at present as
socisted with the New York lawyer.
sharp!ess enjoyed the first inch Of
Lis cigar in silence before he nodded 10
tho group across the street. THE
cuessers are hard at IL again over there !;
you don't suppose they have beard any
thing. do your
Hardly" replied Fcnch; "thers
hasn't been snythin2 they could get
hold Of, get"
"Eo-not uaisD Cstss has been talk.
ing
he hasnr anything to talk about
An be knows 10 that We want to buy
his land, end that proves nothing"
Perhaps not, 70 theee people" ~