The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1904-10-12

Ashcyillc. n. c., Sept. 30.-"I ain
at peace with the world and my fellow
beings and now at the age Of % new
sunshine has come into my life and
trust that my last days may be in
peace, said Mrs. Mary Cordcll after
finding her two sons, who had been
lost for As years.
1t was at family reunion which
took place few miles out Of Ashc-
Vile between Mrs. Mary Cordcll and
her sons Elisha and Russell The
sons lived for the number Of years
stated in ignorance Of their mothers
whereabouts. Each has amassed
moderate fortune, which they will
freely use in providing for their moth
ers comfort and pleasure in her de-
clining years.
TO John G. Reed, Of Biltmorc, is
attributed Elisha Allen s trip to North
Carolina in search Of his aged parent,
and to Rev. J.. II Young, Of Tcnncs
see, Baptist minister, is credited the
outcome Of the trip and the subse
qucLt reunion.
Mrs. Cordell is now 80 years old
and her boys are i3 and % years Of
age respectively. Nearly CO years ago
the family Of Aliens we're Tennessee
mountaiDcers. George Allen, the
father, knew how to handle rifle,
train coon dogs and hunt bear and
deer. He took his full share in tic
fcuds that broke out on election days
among rival clansmen Of the noun
tains.
lie also knew the path to most Of
the stills, and could drink the best Of
them to finish.
His wife was good looking, buxom
woman, married at l6, and possessing
all the Tennessee mountain womans
respect for the authority Of the ''men
folks"
When her licge lord had his period
ical attacks of drunkenness she took
the children and escaped to neigh
Dor until the spree was over. This
state of affairs was still prevailing
when the family moved over into the
edge of North Carolina.
One day in 1854 Allen shouldercd
his rifle and set off for political
meeting at Jonesboro, five miles away.
He started just as the sun was creep
ing up over the Blue Ridge noun
tains, determined to put in long day
as sampler of North Carolina corn
juice. Mrs. Allen hurried through
with her simple household tasks,
churning, sweeping up the floor and
setting the milk to cool in the spring
house near by. About the middle of
the day she called Russell, her 9-year-
old boy, in, and began 'primping'
him up.
where are we uns goin', maj"
asked the boy as she dressed him in
fresh waist and new pair of butter
nut trousers.
II want you 10 take the baby"
and the now grizzled man remembers
how her voice trembled, ito take the
baby and 60 over to grandpa's." The
grandfather lived a little distance
away.
So the bigger boy set off, carrying
his baby brother with him. Mrs. AL
lens sister meantime had come over
for visit.
After the children started the wo-
men worked with feverish haste, get
ting together few belongings and
wgapping them up in aprons of home
made cotton. About the middle of
the afternoon the two stepped out
side the door, fastened the wooden
string latch and began mysterious
Journey through the mountains.
Mrs. Allen and her sister were run
ming away.
The c;:l-wife from Tennessee could
map out no other way Of release from
husband who was TOO fond of whis.
key.
When the man of the house came
home late in the night he found the
house empty. There was no trace Of
his wife or the little ones.
Next day ne rode over to his father.
in-aw's. There were his children.
His wife had not been seen, and o