The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1899-05-12
A HAPPY HOLLOW HUNT.

~ I'M tOe6VV JOVbs
Rufus McLain Fields, in Country Gentleman.
Dear old "Iappy hollow" was our
home-an ideal little poets valley,
nesting in mountains OF East Ten.
nessee, and surrounded by splendid
mountain ranges. The name was
most appropriately given to that hol-
low, which was happy in fact as In
name, where In company with my
boyhO0d's boon companion, Plato
great ugly brindle cur dog, as true
and faithful as dumb brute ever was
| have had many an exciting boyish
romp and ramblc in the days long
gone.
One morning in the early fall OF
1851, while Plato and l were out for a
rabbit hunt in the upper end OF the
Hollow, l had an experience which l
am in no danger Of forgetting until
life itself is forgotten. 1t was my
fourteenth birthday, and my father
had presented me that morning with
a long-coveted treasure in the form of
Il shotgun. 1t was singlc-barrel,
muzzle-loade concern, and would
doubtless be considered quite anti
qnated by boy friends OF this advanced
aye Of the brcech-lOader and the ham-
merlcss. Atall events, it was entirely
up to date then, and | am able to re-
call few proudcr, happier moments OF
my life than when that gun-I have
it yet-lirst came into my possession.
On the morning in question had it
on my shoulder, feeling like verita-
BILE Napoleon Bonapartc going forth
To conquer the world.
The rabbits must have heard the
news, however, for, hunt as he would,
old Plato could not start Il single 0nc
OF them. They were ordinarily plen'
tiful enough.
At length, weary with walking, l
sat down at the very foot OF the
mountain, which formed an almost
perpendicular wall above my head
Just to the right OF me was the
dreaded "Danger Line" OF the noun
tain range--a rocky, barren, desolate
stretch or belt across the mountain,
with here and there a cave sunk in or
Il huge rock jutting out. When all
the rest OF the mountain sides were
clad in the green garments OF spring.
time, or the russell robes OF autumn,
this stretch Of sterile, Outimbercd
land showed, naked and glaring, like
an ugly frOwn on natures face. 1t
was some unpleasant freak In the con-
structiOn OF the mountains that never
knew the reason for, but know that
"Dauger Line" was universally avoid
ed by white and cOl0red alikc-the
latter declaring that 1t was "hanted,
and the former that there were rattle.
snakes. and even worse things, to be
encountered there. My mother had
positively forbidden me to go into
that part OF the mountains, and hlth.
erto had seen it only from distance
and curiOusly.
| l had sat there under the shadow
OF the mountain in the sweet autumn
stiffness for perhaps ten minutes,
tired, half dreaming. half wishing
myself at home, when / was suddenly
aroused to life and interest by q furl.
Gus, excited barking far up the clin
above me and slightly to my right
At first ! doubted my ears. l had
never known Plato to cross Into
danger Line" by SO much Us one
step before, and SO was at a loss tt
account for II. And yet that was
Platos well.known voice that I heard
there could be no mistaking It will
me. There was something strange
romantic, about 1t all, and was burn
Ing with desire to see what manner o
game lie could have trecd up there
l remembered my mothers warming
and faltered. 1t has been my expert
ence that when boy falters In tb
, face Of duty, dlsobedicnce has scorc'
n point and trouble Is near at hand.
/. There was my new gun, as yet un
, tried, except at lifcless targets, ana
after all, perhaps II was only q SOUR
!. rel. In short, my thirst for advcntur!
got the better OF me. and my determ
4 iuatIon to follow Plato was nxed' I'M
next thing TO- be decided was how x
! eet there. I could tell BY hls oar'
: that Plato vas considerable distance
Above me, and the height was we'll
I sLnIsh Inaccessible. But was young
ot1oue aod aetlve, q mountain by
~ apsto b, snd I have sometime