The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-01-22
THE BEGINNING OF THINGS.
II ~ ~ .. Ilppiueow cempany.l

coochee was a dead-alive village with
single street climbing from the ferf.
landing on the river bank up to the
ceather-beaten courthouse on the frst
slope of John mountain. II it differed
from other inland county seats IL
northern Alabama it was on the side
of drowsiness and shabby inconse-
quence. Its reason for existence waA
purely geographical; the Chiwassec
valley divides Chilmath county into
halves, and the ferry was point ac-
ccssible 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
we're relatively notable. One was the
courthouse, wooden, two-storied, with
classic porch out of which tumbled
a cataract of steps flowing down to the
head of the street. Another was Cat
ron's store, low and windowless in the
rear and self-assertive and pretentious
in front, with high forehead Of
Misunderstanding rising above the
wooden awning over the sidewalk.
The third was the Mountain house, just
across the street from Catron's. 1t had
been planters mansion in the days of
masters and slaves, and in falling from
its better estate the square brick house
had brought down some reminders Of
ancient stateliness and solidity. There
was a suggestion Of comfort in it's 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 condition Of moribund disuse.
In the nature of things, the old ALA
coochee saw few visitors. It was 20
sailes down the valley to Prattville,
Che nearest railway town, and Abel
french's buck board was the only means
IT communication. French drove down
twice a week for the mail, but he sell
dom brought back a 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. He brought two
strangers up with him from Prattyille.
and there was consequent stir of spec
u!ative curiosity among the loungers
whose rallying point was the shelter
ct Catron's awning. French, being
promptly Intercepted, confessed reluc-
family that he had been unable to find
out his passengers business; and, hav-
ing run 20-mile gauntlet with the in
qulsitive mail carrier, the strangers
had no trouble in evading the less skill
full approaches of the townsfolk. For
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 contriving to dodge all in
suiries aimed at the object of their visit
One evening when the sun had gone
down behind Johns mountain the new
corners 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 heavy-set man,
with a smooth-shaven face, hard but
unreliable. He had the mannerism of
quiet aggressiveness which belongs to
physical superiority, but the bully in
him was force rather than an express
sion. Certain little idiosyncrasies, such
as the habit of slipping his hands into
his pockets and rocking his chair gen
tly on two legs as he talked, suggested
the lawyer cross-examining a witness,
end the hint pointed truthfully to the
gentleman's profession. Among his
legal associates in New York, Lawyer
Sharpless was respected as an able at
torney and one whose loyalty to his
clients was never hampered by incon-
venient questions Of conscience. His
companion was a why little man hose
clothes were shabby with the wear of
activity. Hetalked 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 warmed to his subject. His
calling was not so obvious, but that
was because he had followed SO many
occupations that none of them had left
Its impress upon him. A pettifogging
lawyer, a land agent for railway COM
pany, a broker in real estate. and lat
terly professional boomer, Mr.. Jenkins
fench was man of many parts, well
qualified to bear his share in the enter
prise in which he was at present as
sociated with the New York lawyer.
SharPless enjoyed the first inch OF
his cigar in silence before he nodded to
the group ACROSS the street. "The
guessers are hard at it again over there;
you don't suppose they have heard any
thing, Go you?"
Hardly" replied Fench; '.there
hasn't been anything they could get
hold OF, yet"
'No-not unless Gates has been talk.
ing"
HE hasn't anything to talk about.
All he knows is that we want to buy
his land, end that proves nothing
Perhaps not, to these people," re.
Joined the lawyer, tipping his chair to
the cross-examination angle. what do
they cay about the engineers camp up
on the Little Chiwnssee:"
Fcnch chucliled. "They think tie an
exploring party for new railroad; even