The National tribune., 1897-08-26
CHAPTER Y.

r Sol Blenker's 'siillery'' was saloon,
club, Tammany Hall, to the Sang-diggers of
Chinkapin Cove. II was regarded y the
people of the same class as Robert Inrule the
same as the respectable, haTti-working citi-
zens of New York regard Five Points dive.
Pessimists who wall over cities and thlckly-
populated districts a. moral ulcers would
have their views enlarged by study of the
thiniy- populated mountain regions. They
would find precisely the same elements exist
ing there, with the same moral extremes
elevated planes for the majority, low grounds
for the minority, with deep morasses for the
few. The varieties Of human nature are the
same Only the outward manifestations are
specifically different
''Ol Sol BIenker' would have occupied
the same position, no matter IN what CON-
munIty be had been born and reared. He
would have tried TO make his living by some
"ofi-coior pursuit, and without committing
open. notorious crime, be perpetually hanging
around CD the windy side Of the law.
Elder StoTnmont freely and frequently
alluded to the place as a sink OF iniquiiy and
a hell-trap' The lnrules PolIocls Blais-
dells. Allisons. McGraws. etc. from time TO
time, when aggravated by some fresh instance
OF rascality more or less nearly connected
with The place, would graveiy counsel together
about making a RAID on the place IN the IN
teresls of society, destroying IT. and driving
Blenlscr out Of the country.
cor Sol grinned sard0nically alike at the
Elders Nominations and threats Of popular
indignation, and steadily pursued his evil
WAYS lie would 90 ahead until be was actu-
ally stopped by force, not threats. His place
WIS the taTthest remove IRON being cilded
palace o. sin. +" The money expended upon it
would not have furnished forth the cheapest
dive in city. vet In il all the operations were
conducted, from converting the raw grain into
liquor TO Its retailing to the drinker.
A boisterDus mountain stream furnished the
power by which two small, roc Oh y-hewn
stones ground the corn into a cslarse meal
This was fermented in tubs. elumsily con-
strueted with no other tooss than an AK and
drawing knife, and held together s,y hickory
hoops A small copper still, with a worm OF
lead pipe, represented ali that was not Of the
roughest mountain carpentry and con-
triyin'1
The worm was cooled by water led from
spring higher up on the siGe of the cove,
fiIro Oh troughs hewet from soft buakeye hogs.
crup.eof log cabins, poorly 'rbunked y
FILLING the spaces between the logs with sticks
and clay and the split clapboards on the
roof neld in place by poles and stones, gave
all The shelter that was required foT the appa-
ratus, and "Ol' Solsr living and sales
roonl
OF Sol got little actual money for the
fiery products of his barbara distillery, for
there was very little money ia the country,
and II was only by rare chance that one OF
ms customers came into possession of even a
small coin. But he traded Hkkerr for
whatever anyone could bring him that was q
value, and he asked no questions as to how
IT came into his possession This was one OF
the grave indictments against him by the In
rules, Poilocks, etc, who claimed that into
his hands went many stolen products of THEN
labor he would trade liquor for corn from
which 10 make more liquor: ior meat cloth
wool. warn. skins of raeeoons and other wild
animals, ginseng root. etc. The barter for
rseoeon skins and ginseng root was the mos
legitimate part of hls business, for his patron,
were likely TO come by these honestly. which
was not the case with the other articles The
better class had other things TO do than tC
hunt raccooms or dig ginseng
some DAYS after the big meeting at Mt
Gilboa Church OF Sol was pottering about
hrs morning chores. he had started the irt
under the little still, and the numbering mil
10 cracking corn, and was making prepara
lions 10 SET the mash
lie M0ulH not nave been 4 mOuntdfnceT l.
ae had not an ear quick TO catch aid read any
sound. He rose a little as he heard on thu
side Of the road leading down into the GOV,
the slow, weak, irregular beat OF a horse
hoois. Almost instantly he said to hims IL
q Jme one ridin' pc ole boss lame il
the left hind leg Likely one o. the Peneake
on ole Whitley"
As the Pancakes were the lowest and weak
est stratum Of all the Sang-diggers, as worth
less TO him as TO themselves and every on,
else. he gave the one that was coming u,
further thought, but went on with hi
brewing
Presently CANT, bony horse. spawned il
hInd-leg. and with sides like pieces O
corrugated iron roofing. lmped into view
around a thicIet Of laurel and red-bud Hi
harness was as power; stricken as himself
In place Ola bride was halter OF paw-pav
bark and the saddle looked as il fished out O
ajunk-piie. It's stirrup-stlaps we've made @
paw-paw bark.
The rider harmonized perfectly with hi
horse and trappings 4 weakened, lanl1
eA.red, scanty bearded man, whose moutl
seemed to fail open by the slrer weakness O
the maxillary muscles. The few clothes "a