Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1903-11-19
Tho Bard Of "Tater Hill.v
Fair Play in Charlotte Observer

ther art or science. Endowed, how
ever, with a fine analytical mind,
an intense insight, which is real
ly foresight, you are eminentasa
poet-critic, and world renowned
as q discoverer OF poets. No man
of my acquaintance, 80 quickly /
as yourself, catches the sDirit OF
the inner soul of the poet; no one
more keenly enjoys the harmony
of his song or more readily de-
tects a discordant note. Consid-
erine these things, and the sweep
Of your vision, we OF 'Posaum
Hollow are annoyed that ' GU
have utterly ignored the only gen
uine, duly stamped and authenti
Gated poet oftheState now known
to tame as A. M. Dougherty-the
lofty singer OF "Tater Hili.'
Can it be possible that you fail
ed to read fhea account OF Iinney's
barbecue on "Tater HIP" 1t
was a Miltonic conception to
VI art a congressional boom on
that spot, devoted to the gods,
and how superbly Dougherty
winged it and then, as by divine
intuition, harnessed old Pegasus
and entrusted it to him to scat
ter abroad. My friend, you will
miss the best thing OF lille il you
iail to read Dougherty's ode ded-
icated toLinney. How everything
conspired to inspire. There were
the great mountains, the sweep
ing valleys, the rolling rivers, he
over-archingskies. And there too,
from brush and brake and bram-
ble, lazily curled the smoke from
near and distant "still houses, "
the "Watts Bill' to the contrary
notwithstanding. In the distance,
swRling, whirling buzzards cheat
a retreat" suggestive Of how the
Democrats will take to the hills
when Linncy's clarion voice shall
echo there among. And the great
crowd that gathered there, the
sturdy yomanry Of the hills with
"we'uns and vile" Thepoet faced
an audience worthy of his great
song. The make up OF the crowc
was a rare triumph of non-parti
, sanshlp and piety as well. Their
freely mingled the knightly son
and the fair-haired daughters o
the .'Clans OF Barber and Bry
ant" staunchest advocates o
Democracy an d Republianism
And then, too, the dear Populists
OF whom it was said in o t b 9
!, days, "that a frost would xii
, snap beans in h-ll before they e
er got IN power" were therein al
their glory. The air quivered an
vibrated with the harmoniou
: rendering. Of sacred songs. An
'' then, as if to give the occasio
the color of a prehistoric ag'
and of modern thriitiness as we
the Rev. Adam Ruter [ Abram X
ten1 invoked divine blessing o
the assemblage, not forgettln
'e the corn-cake, butter-milk, roas
r mutton and dashed lemonad
g Now to the poem. l frankly al
NIT that there is in it no sing
= couplet equal to Miss Peterson
celebrated lines,
81 seen pa coming stepping hig'
= Which was OF his walk the way
This is a fash of divine ligl
- which few mortals are privileg'
~ to enjoy. There are few single v
e. ses in it that reach up to the gre
ia height of the lines by the Comm
VI c,al Democrat to Miss Mario
eaux:
Just q month ago in the Pie
- mont Section,
Where things are beautiful al
not 40 slow,
l had the pleasure oimeeting Mi
= Marioneaux,
= And from, the pleasantsmile th
IT, she possessed.
l was we'll satisfied that she W
,o ,o equivalent to the BEST"
IN N As you have richly expressed
are "these are gems from genui