The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1901-03-09

~ Ashviie in the tlOwery month OF MAY
and drive up to the SUBMITS of these
grand old mountains will not regret
the expense or trouble. for as you gaze down
on the beautiful broad French river from the
III, heights, the valley looks as though 1t
w. within rife shot distance, hut In reality
1t Is lue miles away. And of the scene it
may betruIy said distance lends enchantment.
TIL. finishing touch to this view is the beauti-
tul river that meanders through the garden
like valley. kissing the pretty wild flowers
th1t CIu-t"r 50 profusey on its banks and
Nv losing itself in the green foliage. and
as,tn bu sting on the vision like IA rich band
Of silver stealing its way through the grand
rocky gorge below, then dashing down from
terrace to ;ertnce until its waters mngle
with the waters of the Tennessee on their
way to the sea, while the mountain slopes
below us are garnshed here and there with
pretty ferns and rhododendrous.
One beautiful morning in May, the air
Dalmy and pleasant, we stopped in u clump
Of oak timber to rest The ground was cover
sd with deer tracks, and while looking at the
tracks, we heard II noise above our heals. A
flock of wild turkeys had just taken their
flight. No doubt but that they had been
watching u from the tall oak timber for some
time All we could do was to look at the
tooihs0me birds as they scared away to the
distant mountain side There was with us
aD old @an who was well posted in wood
craft who entertained US by giving his ex-
perience of what no knew and had seen In
these mountains. He had hunted bear, deer,
aatamounts, wild cats, and all the other pesky
varmints that ever existed. We were seated
on a log, most OF US smoking. as was usual
when we stopped to rest. Joe Allen, for that
was his name, raised his hand and pointing
across to the opposite mountain. said Men
40 you see that piece Of timber there" We
cepi-d I'VE do" "Nell do you know
what killed 1t out that way" We said, 1--WE
suppose it has been burnt over by fire.
"No,' said re, cit is caused by a little worm
th It comes from small piece of hickory be-
ing carried 10y hunters for cane, who some
times rtaud 1t up against the pines so as to
q ID it when they are ready to travel further
on, but forget it. You all know that worms
Ga hickory quicker than all the other woods
tu the cnurss OF time the caue Is discovered
by the worms that amount TO thousands, as
th~y have Increased by great numb, re-. Just
az soon ~ all the substance is gone from the
hrkorV stick, they attact the pine trees and
for hat Il nile and sometimes more they
will kill very pine tree that ste nds, and that
is the cause of that blight over there on that
81 /" 81 the mountain Aud my experience is
~
as tail up agaiust pine tree anywhere In the
pine woods" This really was news for us,
as W" had never heard the reason, but had
atr butrd It to fire, though we often saw the
lead pInes on our travels.
Sometime after we learn, d this, concerning
III" kiIIi"e II pine timber 10y these worms, we
read in the Baltimore American where Il
Germ an scientist was on h. way to this state
10 Introduce another specie of worm that
would bil and Gevour these troublesome
it'll" fellows that are dcvastiny so much val.
nahic timber in the Southern states.
W. said 10 Joe that if the hunters would
not carry the hick Dry into the pine forests
there you'd IVA no us" for the worm killers
beng mp rted to this country. as they might
prove to Toe ~ great a pest rs the potato bug.
Tnls hr hrtlly agreed to. That evening he
left rs AID with a wave of his hand disap-
pea ed IN tue thick dark forest, PERHAPS
never tn meet US again on this side of the
river six.
Alb mt ha''-past 4 that evening, as we had
pa--'i through a dark gloomy rocky gorge,
we Gam" 'uh emily on Il short stout Dutchmon
vino had on his back one of the largest male
Wild rat~ We var saw. W. ash Gi him where
NJ fri.~t 1t. Il killed it >ou-t up dare ia dot