The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-01-10
WINTER TALES AT AN INN.
sTKzEGE THINGS OWE MAT NEAR
IN PESysTLVLSIA BLC OK Woods.

~ - h.NN ~
hat . Mo-eat-Marvei- OF Be.- HAT
ise - De-erisea by Useie Jiu Hat
ts.. was HEATED oniy In His Mind.
To one unused to such a treat the spending Of
an evening along about this time of year at any
OF the few remaining typical old taverns OF the
Pennsylvania ~backw would be q revelation.
There are. indeed. few left Of these rare old gath
erinr places OF woodchoppers. hunters. loggers.
and bark peelcrr. whore the big hickory
chunks" snnp and crack In the wide stone
fireplace, the warm reflection OF whose radiant
fame that dances ftfully At the sooty opening OF
the broad chimney. plays hide and seek with
the shadows here and there and everywhere
about the low-whlled barroom. while the old
iron teakeitie. hanging on the grimy crane.
sings cheerfully. and TO the measure of IL. song
sets clouds OF steam TO playing elhshly about It;
when some superannusted hound. rotund and
wheezy. Gozes and dreams in indolent con-
tentment on the hearth: when sons OF the
woods. some old and grizzled. some young and
lusty. but all picturesque In Rurb aud tongue.
lounge on bearskin-covered benches or chairs Of
stout and homely make. or loll in a corner on .
tumbied couch Of bu ffalo robes. heirlooms all
buffalo skins. once the commonest and cheapest
Of furry comforts. now tho rarest and most
costly-where the red-fsced. well-fed landlord
passes 70 hts rude customers their favorite rum
49, 49, " Ahh ebs Ehs.A eAess N"N
in the stout wooden grating that nlls the space
between the high oaken bar and the ceiling.
Just as his father and his srand father did before
him. In the days when the stage coaches ratified
their numbering way over the stony turnpikes.
and the blasts from the drivers horn sent the
startled echoes dying from hill to hill.
There are. indeed. but few left OF these rare
old hoetclri-s. In all the mountain country
from tho Delaware to the susquehanna. and
from the Susouehanna TO the Allegheny. ont
may. perhaps. count all that remain OF them on
the fingers of one hand. They are relics Of a
past age. They stand as monuments to the
memory Of a unique race OF landlords. and as
reminders Of a rude but hearty hospitality such
as will never come again.
So, TO one unused TO such q treat the spendiiG
of an evening. along about this time OF year
especially. at any one OF the few remaining
typical back woods taverns In Pennsylvania
would be n revelation. He would see nothing.
he would hear nothing. bot what vas OF the
woods woody. He would end that beyond the
limits Of that hunting range or that particular
logging area there was no world. He would
hear /, good deal OF talk about Christmas and
New Years. but only as Incidents to be
taken in connection with q shooting match
here or a "hustling match" there. Your GENT
Inc backwood.man doesn't rafie. lie hustle..
He doesn't throw dice. He shakes seven old
fashioned copper cents In al equally old fur or
wooilen hat. dumps them out on the bar. and
counts the heads. There are sets OF hustlinE-
match cents in Pennsylvania backwoods dis
triets. and hats that them. that have
done duty for generations
The stranger passing an evening thus and
with this people would listen Ia vaia TO hear
any one ask tor III" latest new. about the Cuban
situntion. or the state OF the country in general.
But he would hear much OF such talk As this:
"Hullc, Josh! How many deer'd ye hang up
WHAT'S your idee as to iorgin' ,hi. winter.
II heerd ye gathered In ten bar fore they
holed up, AbramI You'm . good 'un. By cats.
And he would hear tales OF eon,emporaneou.
prowess in the chase. and "reminiscences of
hunters long since departed TO the happy hunt
ing grounds that would surely make the bones
their graves IL IT were not more than likely that
those bunes have been for years impalps-
lie would hear. also. pleasant recollections Of
some o: the old-time landlords and their eccen-
and their novel ideas OF dispensing It Then. II he
happebed TO be At q certain tavern. way back
amoag the bills that shed their sparkling waters
into the Delaware Valley, he would be sure 10
hear this tale OF an old landlord whose frst
name WAS simeon. and his wonderful memory.
Uncle Simeon kept that tavern IN the early
stscecoach days.
wunst a chap got often the stage at Uncle
Sims Ia stay al night" some back woods Homer
wiill tell you. He was a man mebbe 40 year
old. hpt niee an spruce an chipper; He said he
20 as he cou d yet the tr.t stage next mornin'
an, 60 on. lie paid fer his lodgiu' an wen, to
mornin'. hut Uncle sim he bad the stranger
called In plenty time TO git IL He was slow in
citt.n' doan stnirs. though. IN the stage was at
Gimme come rum an tansy. lAn'Iord.
quick! - :ays lie to Uncle sun. An take one
"Unrle sim he hurried and fIed the rum nm
tansy. rot fergittin' bis own. an the stranger
throwed a shi.Iin' on the bar. fer you must
know that rum was only three cents a snlffer
IL them good old days. but iist A. the strange
drink his rum. the driver footed his bora. an
went the stage. The on;oorinit stranger
had % run TO ket.h it, leAvin' his rum an his
him. but managed TO worry his own rum and
tanzy down. It bein' well paid fer. :.
This happened in 1898. Long in AS an Of
man got nnten one O. the ,;ages At Uncle Sims
tavern an went in; lie, Vas w%r!nkl"d an, gray
gray hisself. but no, pertIc'lar wTinkl-d or
bent; wa, behind the bar.
"'Morniu'.' Gays simeon, list as IL he was use
to seem the stranger oil man every day.
Then Uncle sim mixed a glass o. rum An
laid down a s~ixp-nce 'longside OF it. The man
looked NJ simeon sort o queer fer a minute an
Take one yourself
"'Blerged TO y-,' says Uncle Sim. but I had
mine. There's your change,
char tuat didu'; hev time to KIT lis rum
an tansy that morutu' twenty year store. an'
Uncle sim he 'm,uIOerrd him the minute he lat
foot In the tavern, an iist maize things square"
Anu among the memo les or ult'tIine WOODS
men the stranger passing m evening Rt that
would hear uaiy OF Jim liAtton. But re
should have lNc ell long enough ago 20 have seen
and heRrd Jim liatlon himself. IL Is said that
H.. never fired u gun in his life. but no one ever
lived IN NIL that country who could 1T Lo~n and
tell you OF hts desperate tear fights or colnbats
with p%anthcrs with such close attention in ctr
and detail n t"Cle Jim could
give. lie aud JWle Sh!Hcr wee inyari-
able and inseparabl. companions in all
the hunts lie use! To tell about, and. alihough
1t was well known tina. Jabc sinner was OF the
same degree OF tangible existence ~ SA,ry
Camps friend, M:s. Harris, tina, fact made no
a florence to Jim HR't0n. JIbe always figured
in his stories. II the stranger >oJuurnins IN
that rude region could hear Uncle Jim narrHte
las iRvorite story, lie wouit hear something
very much like this:
The first time | ever sceu Iahc Sinner ! had
to laugh. lie was short and thicS. with the
reddcst nose | ever see. Mortal man. how red
that hose was. JaNr's ,egs was hls crowniu'
glory. Though. Trey wasNt none too short, bus
the bend In en- WAS nmaIin'. HEM legs ~ his'n /
was bent 80 that IL wouldn't been nOtrivk AT ali to
shy a good-sized h'nr cub right through tie hole
they made OetwiXl 'ein witluuut touchiu' esther
leg. hadn't been quHlnted with Jab- long fore
he limited that he'd Ike to hey me 20 out with