Evening journal., 1899-01-19

line, where the mountain district be- |
gins was an enemy, revenue officer
or sheriff, whom il was their duty to
spot for the public safety. But shortly
before our coming the United States
marshals had made some impression
on the district, and inspired a respect
for government. The mountaineers re-
garded our surveys and railroads bind
ing aus part OF the government, and ac-
cordingly they did not molest us.
"All are hospitable, and, like the
Arab, the mOuntaineeer regards the
stranger who has eaten his salt as be-
ing under his protection. This brings
me to a story of Devil Anse Hatfield
and two of our railroad detectives.
Devil Anse. ais you probably have
heard. is the patriarch and leader OF
the Hatfield elm. He lives in his for1i-
fed house on Island creek, with six
or seven armed men always there ae
a guard. Somehow the two detectives
had got the i'll will OF the Hatfields.
and an ambush was laid for them. The
detectives got wind of it. They knew
the country and the pecp.e, and de-
cided on the only thing they could DO.
Leaving the road. they made a detour
behind the men in ambush, and rode
straight to the house OF Devil Anse
Hatfield. AS luck would have it. the
old man was away. perhaps superin.
tending the ambush, and they got tc
the house and within the door without
being fired at. They sd their rifles
in corner, hung their beRs and pis-
tolls against the wall, sat down and
asked for something TO eat When
Devil Anse came back the women had
fed the detectives, and as they had
eaten bread beneath the roof there
WAS nothing for the old man to do but
to play host with the best grace he
> could show. He made the best of the
matter, gave the men the best supper
and breakfast that the house Afforded
and fed their horses. The next morn.
ing he sent them with guide by al
out-Of-the-way path out of the coun-
try.
" He'll see you safe said Devil Anse
at parting. III you took the main trail
your likely meet some OF my folks
and l reckon they'd turn their guns
loose without stopping to ask where
y1u's been.
With all their readiness TO shoot
found that in this country, where
every man is supposed to carry re-
> volver and a Winchester rife. the mel
are not good marksmen with either o
these weapons. with the o.d fashion
ed, long barrelled squirrel rife. usin.
u resi- the mountaineer can draw
. fine bead and bark squirrel on
= high tree limb with great deal o
certainty. But using a Winchester Il
Ia mix-up, such as is apt to occur whel
hostile factions come together on cour
+ days, he pumps away a great deal O
. ammunition for every man that fall.
u When he SETS deliberately to XIII
j. man he always plans TO shoot him froI
3 an ambuscade This he calls taking
j bush TO a man. Not TO be partisan 4
e. one Of the border feuds-there are
od half dozen along the line, some NOR
Il inveterate and bloody than the Hat
et fleld-NicCoy vendetta--is to be a ma
IA Of small consideration in the commu
ie nifty. The very young men are III
d worst. One OF these is apt TO thin
d that he is Of no account until he has &c
'e his man. He kills somebody OF an
e other clan to establish his reputation
as and so keeps alive the feud.
~ 'Few men that take part in tn
le feuds have any idea how the quarr'
iS started and what we're the rights an
IL wrongs in the matter That a man
he named Mccoy or Hatfield is reaso
enough in the minds Of any partisa
on opponent for killing him if a goo
W chance offers. 1t is probable that SON
II. Of the feuds date back to the end {
)n the last century. when the whites fir
ly settled in the mountains. They wei
a pirates and outlaws generally, the tn
M diticn runs, who, after the revolution
'le ary war. found the settled part OF vi
RS ginia tco warm for them, and we
'ea forced westward. until. entering Il
lie mountains by way Of Cumberlar
'rs Gap they found a region where thu
nj could remain. They are not a religion
DC people In Summer or Autumn {
nc open air meeting is sometimes held
90 a meadow or in a grove. It is well a
IT. tended-too we'll, indeed, for almo
Is invariably it ends in fight, wi
& shooting and somebody hurt. Nc
II mons are active in this region, al
A have made many proselytes. They
lu' not preach, nor do the conyerts ado
ne the polygamous features OF the faith
lae ''The prlmitiveness Of some OF I
people in the Tug river region is almS
'en beyond belief. During the building
~ a. 4