The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-07-29
A NEW INDUSTRY
Its Development Is Lodg In Prett,
and Capable Hands.


One afternoon last September I was
rldlng over steep mountain road in
western North Carolina. It was the
most beautiful season Of the year. The
foliage of the trees had taken on it's
gayest autumnal tints, and over val
ley and gorge was cast the beautiful
melancholy haze that summer draws
upon her in those regions when near
ing her end. The road was narrow and
rocky, and was bordered on one side
by an almost primeval forest, on the
other by precipitous cliff, says a
writer OF the Detroit Free Press.
AS L rounded a jutting mass of rocks
and trees which forced a sudden bend
IN the road I saw a long, brown
barrel of gun pointing at me from
the bushes, and heard the sharp click
of the trigger.
I halted in alarm, and logged down
upon my horse.
Stop, stranger" said woman's
voice, in a drawing sing-song tone
In another moment the woman
craWled over a log and came into the
road
She was slender and young and wore
a loose calico dress. She was bare
footed, and chewed continually a long
carried was the longest rifle I eve,
saw.
You 'uns amt seen Bill Davis, !
reckon?" she asked, looking at me
suspiciously.
Il have seen no one since 1 have
been on the mountain said.
Il come mighty near shootin' We for
took the Bear Cdck road. Bill was
to my house last night, and says,
sezee: Polly Chats me, strangerl
could you love q man what's got three
acres of land, the seven finest coon
dogs on the mountain, and forty acres
Nv the best Gavin in the United States
a-growin'? %
"sez I, T guess SO BILL, and wuz
kinder fixin' to lay me head on the
bosom NV Bills hick'ry shirt, when
Bill, he says, sezee:
All right, Polly, if meets UP with
sech man I'll let you know and
then he takes a chaw Nv terbaccer
quick, and lights out fer tall timber.
Bill has got to explain them words wv
his'n or them seven possum dogs Is
goin' ter be orphints. Stranger, mout
you be a preacher"
II am not"
Il kinder hoped We wuz If Bill ex-
planned that he wuz the man he wu2
referrin' to before 1 had time ia
shoot, We mout come In handy fer to
tie us up, and If he wuz a little slow
and my gun went off fust, We see Bill
might need We hisself."
How far is it to the next town.
1 asked
Eight mile. Ye can't get thar ter
night. Yell have ter come down tt
dads house and take pot luck. 1 amt
a-goin' to wait no longer fer Bill
There's dads"
She waved her hand toward & roof that
showed among the trees lower down on the
mountain. and set off at a free SWINGING gait
that taxed the walking powers of my horse to
keep up with.
I found the young woman's family to be
surprisingly above the average ignLran
seemed very hosDitable and intelligent, and
her younger brother and sister were refined
and of agreeable appearance.
After l had been presented to them by the
she had found follerin' his nose up the
mounting she turned to me and said:
Stranger, what mout yer business be?"
l told her l was a civil engineer engaged
upon the new railroad which was to cross
the mountain.
Yer amt writin' fer no paper?"
mo"
Yer amt no drummer"
Nor no revenue?"
Nothing of the kind"
The young woman hung her rifle on some
hooks in the wall and left the ROOM
Half an hour later | was ushered into sup
per.
The room was tastefully furnished. The
supper was simple but elegant. and served
in the finest china u2on the whtest Of
cloths. Presently the young woman came in,
and have not recovered yet from the sur
prise l received. She was a divine pastoral
poem in white muslin. with f:esh-cut roses
in her hair, and would have graced the din
ner table Of a metropolitan function.
She took her seat behind the massive silver
tea urn. looked at me, smiled and said