The Sunday globe., 1901-06-09
HIS FIRST ESSAY
Changed the Whole Career of a
Georgia Boy who Rose to be
CONGRESSMAN AND GOVERNOR
Hon. David 3. CulbsrsOn Of Texas and His Rise
in Life for Being Commended on Compost
stiOn He Read 10 His Teacher On the
0pOssum Of GeOrgia-An Interesting Story
Told The Globe by an eK-COngresSman,

WV NV N'NNN " w w NN"b
Trivial incidents sometimes change
a mans whole plans and ambitions in
life" said an ex-Member Of Congress
from New York to a Globe reporter at
the National, yesterday evening.
81 made my first trip South last De-
cember to look at some mining prop
erty in Georgia. Everything looked
new and strange to me, never having
roughed it through that country. 1t
was announced ahead that | was COM
ing to Georgia to look at some gold
mining property, with a view to pur-
chase. l had made pleasant acquaint-
ances among Southern eX-Members Of
Congress- who had often told me Of the
fine climate in that State, its timber
lands, and many other pleasant scenic
beauties. | had made a one-day stop
in Washington to take a look at the
new Congress, which had assembled
but a few days before. | secured let
ters of introduction from two Georgia
Members, which | priced very highly.
When I arrived at the station where
was to take a conveyance across the
country to the mines, | found myself
in the woods, surrounded by strangers,
who were very kind and hospitable.
They offered me the best they had to
eat and drink. | secured a saddled
mule, which | mounted, and with my
guide started for the mines, some
twenty or more miles distant | final
ly reached the gold region where |
was received in royal style by the
miners and the inhabitants of the
camp. That night a tall, sinewy noun
tainer went out in the center of the
camp and blew a rams horn in reg
ular cornet style. It was real fine mu-
sic. / was prompted to ask one of the
men what that meant. "Why," said
he, its to let the boys know a
stranger is among us, and the last
squeeze he gave her meaning the
rams hOrn) meant that yOuns was a
friend and not an internal revenue
hunter.
1t was not long before the boys be-
gan to come around to see what |
looked like. Every one came up and
gave me a friendly handshake, which
meant that | was welcome among the
gold diggers and mountainers. | never
was treated with more Hndness and
true hospitality than by those rough
hewn sons of nature. l was shown
from place to place, and every facility
within their power was placed at my
command to aid my investigation.
sent my mule and guide back to the
station from whence | had come and
continued my trip further to the south.
west.
soon became familiar with many
Of the odd sayings Of these people, and
| lost much of my Yankee twang. On
this special day, to which my story is
leading, / had ridden a long distance
over a rough mountain road, through a
cold drizzling rain. About nine o'clock
at night, my guide cried out: In sight
Of town see that thar light; that's
tin block near tavern where we is
pushin fur to lodge tonight. If Old
Bill Grigsby knowed we two was
comm he would have some Of the dog
hair ready for us"
asked my companion what he
meant by dog-hair, white liquor
or moonshine, as weuns call it in these
parts
was delighted to learn that we
were so near a port of rest and a
chance for refreshments. When we ar
rived in front of the tavern, a rough
old mountainer rode out and gave us
welcome. Come right in to the fire,
fellows" he said Il know youns is
cold" We were usheTed into a large
room, where a log fire was giving out
a bright light and good heat, Sitting
i'm one corner of the room beside a
huge pile of wood was a young man
smoking a clay pipe, and in front and
all the way around to the other cor
ner were four large deer hounds, who
were sumbering sweetly after a hard
days hunt in pursuit Of a mountain
buck. Old Bell came in and ordered
the faithful dogs to move up close to
each other and let the strangers come
near the fire. They moved with the
intelligence of human beings, and my
guide and myself sandwiched in be-
tween the dogs on one side and the
stranger in the other corner. After
warming a while, old Bell touched me
on the shoulder and motioned towards
the door. I obeyed, and we passed
into a dark hall into a still darker
room. He closed the door and said:
Stranger, we have to be mighty
particular down here; them dam'd rev.
enue fellows watches so close that they
will come up and smell your breath to
see If you have been drinking white
or red liquor. II they smell white
when you go out after drinking, put
this in your mouth. 1t won't hurt you.
liquor, rip we go to town. If it's red,
it is all right, the tax is paid. So
It's nothing but Tattlesnake vine. II
smells exactly like red liquor"
This was all said in the dark. We
had to drink in the dark, talk in the
dark, and feel in the dark. | took
stiff pull as | was cold, and needed it,
had often heard my friend from
Georgia, Leonidas Livingston say that
the mountains Of Georgia produced the
finest corn whisky in the United
States So I drank to his health in
the dark, When | returned to the sit
ting ROOM the man in the corner was
still smoking. | took a good look at
him, and was startled for a moment
said to him: Stranger pardon me,
but If | had met you in Washington
or Texas | would surely have spoken
to you as a gentleman whom | have
the pleasure to know"
"You must take me for Dave Culber-
son, of Texas he replied quickly, with
a laugh, | answered: You are cor
rect, sir; that is the person you so
much resemble"
81 have often been taken for him.
He is my arst cousin. We were raised
in the same neighborhood, went to
school together, played and hunted
over the fields together Dave was al
ways fond Of outdoor sports. He never
cared for books. Nature gave him a
good constitution and a fine mind"
IL will tell you, sir, what first put
any ambition into Dave. We we're go