The Crittenden record. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1904-1907, 1905-06-23


sklrmisher and rear guard-that was
the size Of It. They were the survivors
Of ruined home In the north OF Yer
mont and were travelling far into the
valley Of the st. Lawrence. but with
no particular destination.
Midsummer had passed them In their
journey. Their clothes were covered
with dust. their faces browning In the
hot sun. II was very small boy that
sat inside the basket and chung to the
rim. his tow head shaking as the old
man walked. He saw wonderful things
day after day looking down at the
green fields or peering into the gloomy
reaches Of the wood. and he talked
about them.
Uncle Eb. Is that where the swlfts
areT he would ask often. and the old
man would answer: mo: they amt
real sassy this time O. year. They lay
round In the deep dngles every day
Then the small voice would sing Idly
or prattle with an imaginary being
that had a habit Of peeking over the
edge Of the basket or would shout q
greeting to some bird or butterfly and
ask finally:
Tired. Uncle EbY
Sometimes the old gentleman would
say Not very" and keep on. looking
thoughtfully at the ground. Then.
again, he would stop and mop his bald
head with a big red handkerchief and
say. little tremor OF irritation Ia
his voice: Tired Who wouldn't be
tired with big elephant like you on
his back all day. I'D be 'shamed o.
myself Z set there an let an old man
carry me from Dan TO Peershsba. Git
out now an shake yer legs
was the small boy. aud remember
II was always n great relief TO get out
OF the basket and. tavlng run ahead,
10 lie In the grass among the wild dow
er and Jump up at him as be came
along.
Uncle Ed had been working for my
father i've years before was horn He
was not strong man and had never
been able 10 carry the wide svath Of
the other help In the fields, but we all
loved him for his kindness and his
knack OF story telling. lie was a bach
elor who came over the mountain from
Pleasant Valley. little bundle OF
clothes on his shoulder. and bringing a
name that enriched the nomenclature
OF our neighborhood. Il was Eben Hol.
den.
He had n cheerful temscr and an i'm.
agination that was n very wilderness Of
oddities. Bears and panthers growied
and were very terrible In that strange
country. lie had invented an animal
more treacherOus than any In the
wocts. and he called II a swift. sun.
thin like a panther he described the
look OF tia fearsome creature that lay
In the edge % the woods at SHUTDOWN
and made a noise like a woman crying
10 lure the unwary II would light oDes
eye with fear 10 hear Uncle Ed llft
his voice In the cry u the swift. Many
a time In the twilight when the bay Of
n hound or some far cry came family
through the wooded bills have seen
him MT his hand aud bid ~ hnrk. And
when We had listened moment. our
eyes wide with wonder. be would turi,
aud say In a low. half whispered tone.
as n swift" I suppose We needed
more the fr1r " Cod. but the young
children Of the pioneer needed also the
fear of the Soo,ls OF they would have
straycl 10 their death In them.
A blk bass viol. taller than himself.
had long been the solacp Of his sun.
days. Afte- he had shaved ccrcmn-
ny 10 solemn that II sc'mci a rite %
his religion that sacr,si VOL was M.
covered. lie carried II sometimes to the
back piazza and sometimes To tho barn
where the horses shook AMI trrmhl,Nl
nc the roaring thunder of the strings
When he hegnn playing We chlldrcn
had 60 get well ont n the way nud kc,p
our distanrc | remember now the loig
OF him then his thin facr. his snft
black eyes, his long nose. the suit "
broadclo,h. the slock aud standing col.
lar ar"l. above MI. tie solcmnity In his
mannr whcu that hls devil " q thing
was lcuulng on his hrrssi.
A. 10 his nlsyinr have never heari
morr feurful sound in ans time %
Ueacc or one less cT,,iitabir to q chris
tlsn Wet days BE- WIS addicted %
the mlldcr sin u The tutr. anil after
Chorzs u thcTc wctv M one ~ talk With
him. he would NJ long and puur bis
soul into that magic bar u lockwood.
Uncle Eb had another great accom.
pllshment lie was what they call In
the north country "a natural cooner
After nightfall when the corn was
rfpeuing. he spoke In q whisper and had
his ear cooked for coons. Hut he loved
an kinds u god run.
SO this man had boy In his heart
and a hoy In his basket that evening
we left the old house My father and
mother aud older brother had been
drowned In the lake. whore they had
gone for a day u pleasure. had then
small understanding u my loss. but
have learned slncr that the farm was
not wurth the mortgage and that
everything had 60 be sold. Uncle 10
and Ia little lad a very little lad Of