News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1897-09-15
DARTHULY.
By WILLIAM PERRY BROWN.
copyright, 1897, by the Author.l
CHAPTER |.

side of a huge cliff. Across the roaring
river a still higher line of cliffs extend
for mile or so, rising perpendicularly
to dizzy height, until their corrugated
brows recede into the gently swelling
outlines that usually round out the
more southerly SUBMITS of the Chill
homes. A narrow road twisted sinuous-
ly up the sides of the gorge to a kind Of
basin followed out of the overhanging
rocks, where, beneath a beetling crag,
yawned the smithy, its sides, roof and
floor of natures own carving, while its
front was partially boarded with slabs
from the little sawmill at the mouth Of
Greasy creek, three miles above.
A small cabin of split logs, clay
daubed, and with "stick chimney"
also nestled near by amid truck patch
of half an acre, that occupied all the
available space within this veritable
"crow nest peering over the precipice
800 feet above the little ferry and gov
eminent stillhouse below. A faroff
glimpse of the broad ridges and mead
ows of the Tennessee valley could be
seen below the gap, while above the
distant mountains, seemingly tumbled
one above another, bounded the view
toward the east.
A spring bubbled from cleft in the
mountain side, which here burst up
ward into the vast precipice that lower
ed over the blacksmiths home. Under
the hollies and oaks thereby was the
smith s wife, batting" clothes upon a
block, with portion of the weeks
wash sprinkling the bushes around her
Jim Cheek, her husband, huge,
slow motioned, blue eyed giant, swung
himself slowly up the trail leading from
the ferry. He paused to admire his
wife's plump figure and brisk, supple
movements. Wonder had also mingled
with his admiration ever since-two
years ago-he had taken her from the
great hotel at White Cliff Springs,
where, though only waitress, her airs
and graces had impressed themselves
upon his primitive imaginings as those
of a queen in disguise-a wonder that,
with her fresh, dark beauty and viva
cious manners, she could have seen any
thing 4I1m to love and cling to.
He knew but little Of her past, nor
had their welded intimacy added much
to his previous knowledge, except that
she was from Nashville, that her par
ents were both dead, and that She
alone in the world-had drifted from
one employment to another down to
Chattanooga, thence to the town of
Athens, and from there to her summers
berth at White Cliff. The blessed sense
of relief that comes to a world tossed
feminine waif, in the hope Of realizing
home Of her own, had rendered Jim S
awkward movements, bovine wit and
simple ways not only endurable, but at
tractive to her. Thus it came about that
in transfxing him with wonder at his
own success she had come to share his
humble lot with the same grace and vi
vacity that had fascinated him at the
great hotel, whittier the mountain folk
were won't to resort in ramshackle vehi-
Giles to dispose of their poultry, butter
and eggs.
How quickly she had adapted herself
to the narrow, toilsome, isolated exist
ence of the mountains! 'She RELY talks
jest like we uns," thought Jim. "She
makes like US in all her belongings, and
yet somehow she amt nary bit like
us, after all. wonder if hits only a
make believe, jest ter please me and
that thar young un?"
"That thar young un, >" the visible
result of their union, was blue eyed,
brown haired baby, scarce 10 months
old, that now lay asleep upon its blan-
kets under holly bush, while its mother
sang to the resounding accompaniment
of her paddle in manner confrmative
of Jim S refeCtions:
"Some folks say the niggers won't steal,
But ketched seven in my cornfel
Run, niger, run!
Patterol ketch you'll
Run, niger, rum
Hit almos' dayi"
"Durn me, how she can sing said
he to himself as he leaned across the
top rail of the fence watching her
CHANGING up from her work, she saw
him there, and in her impulsive way
dropped her paddle and was at his side
in moment.
''Now ye're at hit ag 'in," said she,
''ye great big mountain Of laziness
Ye've jest got ter be punished right
here"
The nature of the punishment belied
the severity of her words and consisted
in Selling his ears, pulling his big head
down to level with her own and plant
ing a sounding smack upon Jims ele-
phantine lips.
"Who wouldn't be a-loaferin in sech
company" remarked the proud hus-
band, smacking his lips like boy over
his candy. but I'm jest pestered about
ye, Darthuly. Ye never take no time ter
rest onctye git started ter work. Pears
like ye wuz afeerd ter spell yerself.
"Listen at this yer man, +" she replied
playfully, yet with serious droop Of
her large black eyes. CANT We allays
a-hammerin and a-blowin in that thar
shop, and SHOULDN'T l do my part as
well? Rely, Jim, I'm master sight
better off ter be busy, and-there's q
man and horse right now at the shop
door a-waitin fer ye, and here ye air
a-courtin me as ushel.
"Hits the new gauger as coined last
night ter the stillhouse. He wants a
new shoe on his critters off fore foot.