The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1903-09-11
Tales from the
Knob Country

l and most valuable citizen When
uncie Jasper died." remarked the man
from that storied part of the Pike coun-
~ wilderness that lies back OF Lacke-
wack. why, Uncle Jasper coulu
actully smell bear, Uncle Jasper couio'
And when it come 10 wild cats, why,
gosh all hemlock! he was like prophet
of old!
"One time | hadn't seen wildcat in
two months, and wanted couple the
| wust way Seemed as if wild cats had
all left the county. SO, one day was
! passin along by Uncle Jasper's ana l
asked him where all the wildcats was
HE said he hadn't thought nothln
about wildcats for good while.
why says he, do you want some!
"'Only a couple, says.
sLemme see, says he. This Is
along in November, he says.
Then he looked around at the wealth
! err awhile, and seemed to be considerin
the leaves how they was fallin', and
then he says:
".Well. DanI,' he says, 4 see by the
way things looks that there's a couple
o. wildcats down back O. the swamp
Iyender.' he says, and I'm glad you come
along he says, cause wouldn't "a
thought nothin' about wildcats If you
hadn't come along he says, and them
two would "a been up here and played
hob with my chickens tonight, sure!
he says. I wish you'd go down and git
l lint Wnn'f 'om
both II you don't act right, for they amt
together
"'Go down just beyond the big tama-
racks first he says. There, In one O
them tamaracks, or nigh 1t, you'll run
| agin one O. them wildcats, he says.
| eth be the littlest one O. the two.
Don't kill her dead. he says. Jest wing
her SO she can't git away or jump on to
you. Then she'll yell. Great Jupiter!
how she'll Yell he says.
"'Then you want to keep your eye
peeled sharp, fer it won't be long before
t'other unll come tearin' along that way
from up yender In the laurels. where he's
LAWN about this time, watchin' fer .
pheasant.
Hell hear them yells o her'n,' says
Uncle Jasper, and he'll tear down to see
what's goin' on. Stand out good where
he'll see you about the time he gifts with
In a couple O. rod O. where t'other un's
a yellin' and spittin' and squallin',' says
Uncle Jasper. When he sees you he'll
stop and squat Then you let him have
It.
"'And be sure you kill him. II you
don't mebbe you'll be sorry you went
down after EN- So be sure you kill him
".Then. says Uncle Jasper, you kin
settle tother un.' he says. and youth
have 'em both. and am glad you come
along he says. SOS to set me to thinkin'
about wildcats, and SOS | could sort O.
locate these two fer you he says
| Them two is all there Is in these parts
to-day, 'cordn' to the signs he says.
"That's the way Uncle Jasper laid out
the programme fer me that day as to
wildcats. and | follered II out and got
'em both. leadin and valuable citi-
zen Uncle Jasper was. and 1t was big
swat to the Knob country when he
1 passed away.
at was somethin' tough on him that
he had to go, too. particly as he had TO
leave setch a woman to be a wilder as
| Hammer was Why. whenever | remem-
Der Hammer and them three bears al
most ave to set down and shed tears for
Uncle Jasper to think he had to go and
leave setch a woman wilder.
Then three bears. the old she one
and the two spring cubs, they come down
into the corn patch at Jasper's clearin'
lest about dusk one day, when the milk
| was in the corn. and laid out to have a
hiuh old feaGt on to II. They knowed
them bears did. jest as sure as you're
born. that Uncle Jasper was way back
o. the Knob. hsvin the gun with him
and wasn't comm home that night: but
they didn't know that Hammer had &c
many pints about her.
| "They had been rompin around In the
corn. tesr!n' of roastin' ears and navin
A good time sener'ly, before Hammer dis
covered EN-. There want no gun In