The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1903-08-26
THE MOUNTAINS.
North Carolina Mountaineer Owns a Race
Peculiar to Himself
L. T. Rightsell, in Sunny South.


is rapid descent, and at many points
the eye gazes down into yawning
chasms, and the brain is busy with
conjectures Of what might happen
should the brakes slip or the engine
fail to stand the strain. On our first
trip, after we had safely reached the
foot of the mountain, something was
found to be wrong with the ioc0ino'
tive, and trainmcn and passengers
worked for two hours in order to be
able to proceed on the way. 1t was
finally late in the afternoon when we
pulled out again down the valley Of
Tuckaseegee river, whose clear shall
low waters brawled over their rocky
bed. Towering mountains rose on
either hand, their most prominent
SUBMITS clad in the scarlet robes Of
late autumn. The usual crowd Of
loungers was seen at the way stations,
a.nong them several Cherokee Indians,
most Of them reserved and silent and
as gloomy as the everlasting hills
among which they and their fathers
have lived SO long. Their costume
though not unlike that Of the white
people, is distinguished by gay colors,
some Of the men having bright red
handkerchiefs tied over their heads
instead Of hats.
On the morning after arriving at
Bryson we sat On the veranda Of the
hotel and watched the novel scene on
the principal street. The chief Of
the Cherokee nation had been a guest
Of the hotel during the night and sat
chatting with friends-a tall handsome
man Of mixed blood, with luxuriant
ourls flowing over his shoulders. Down
the street came an unoouth, hairy
nountaineer with coon skin cop oh
his head and mounted on sturdy OK,
which seemed we'll accustomed to
bride and saddle. The town is most
beautifully located on both sides OF
the river, it's level valley being en-
tirely inolosed with lofty mountains.
This place was our headquarters for
several months. The majority of the
people were progressive, Industrious
and genial and SO were many who lived
in the surrounding mountains.
Churches and svhools are maintained
and manys manufactures carried on.
Northern people have come and added
to the spirit of enterprise, but, sad to
say, many OF them are devoid Of the
reverence for religion that still char
esterisss the southern people.
Every day there was an opportunity
to study types and observe some queer
capers Of human nature. One day q
long lank and b earded mcuntaineer,
accompanied by his wife, had come in
with cart and mule to '.do some trad
irg." They made quite long stay,
owing 60 the mans fondness for
mountain dew Of which he seemed
to have found considerable quantity.
The woman stood for two or three
hours ip the court house square, be-
side the mule and cart, awaiting her
liege lord, who occasionally came up
to receive volley os abuse from his
loving spouse. The latter, however,
was mollifed by draught from the
bottle and the assurance, ''Be ready
in ies' q mint, juicy" The evening
shadows were beginning to gather
when the loving couple finally decided
to take their departure. But getting
ready was something else. First the
man would take the mule by the bit
and endeaver to force him into the
shafts, which the woman was holding.
The stubborn animal would seem on
the point Of getting into place. then
suddenly dart aside and drag his own
or half across the street. The woman
finally prevailed upon her husband to
held the shafts end a!!ew her to man
age the mule. She seemed about to
proceed, when the man gave whoop
Of triumph, and dartcd forward, aim
ing to force tie shafts we'll up the
mules body, but the perverse creature
vas too quick for him and left him
slvawling with the car. wheel on his
leg. The difficult task was at last
accomplished and the man who had
maintained imperturbable good humor
through it all, stood fifteen minutes
longer, endesvoring with great volu-
bility to explain to hisirate lady the
philosophy of hitching up mule.
The woman finally took huge "bite'
Of twist tobacco, gathered up the reins
and drove rapidly away, the man fol-
lowing on foot and making touching
n