The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1906-08-02
i. PATRIARCH OF THE MOUNTAINS

How went the day with You,
my friend?" queried the super
intendent, yelling a laugh IN a
forced cough.
Hush. | can't tell" almost .
moaned the miserable Wilson. f
Il am disgraced. | am IN the .
deepest Of sorrow, and / can't .
stand It,. D."
"But, my friend. what has
happend that caused sorrows
Are YOU homesick or what ails /
you: Did not Uncle Billy dc
his part?" questioned the super /
intendent, knowing full well I
the cause Of this remorse.
"That's IL. oh. God. said the
inconsolable Wilson. He over
did his part. To tell the truth
! did as YOU directed. your
Uncle Billy cut his side Of the
tree easily. and soon took the
lead in spite of all / could do;
I'm spite of my activity. my
youth and ardor availed me
nothing; I simply was beat He
not only cut his side but rested
half his time. and laughed and
aggravated me. ! did all !
could; I worked with all the
vim and energy / could control.
but oh. the pity Of % all. ne was
the most wary of the two. He
seemed TO live a now life out i'm
those W 30 q s. / acknowledge
my defeat. ! made mistake.
am i'm deep disgrace for know
he Will tell the whole camp of d.
all and ] viii be the laughing
stock of this establishment for
aye"
Il am sorry that YOU did not
hold your own. but / told you
that YOU didn't know Uncle
Billy said the superintendent
i'm "a consoling voice 81 knew
| Uncle Billy perfectly, and J
! knew your fears of his incapa-
! bilitv were groundlcss. Hence
| i'm making YOU 20 De partners.
/ / knew YOU wanted somebody
Ito DO his part OF the work. and
lyou agree that YOU got him. '
/ Here the superintendent was
| bound 60 laugh I'M spite of Viii
| sons trihulatiOns and scOwliug
/ face. But. true now. didn c
I think he would beat YOU.
\ knew he was hard % beat. but ]
thought YOU would be his
match. lcannot guess how ho
Ispurted up So.
81 can. came "a voice from
loutside the camp door froighted
with laughter SIR. Hsrt knew
who DO was bv the voice 81
when Uncle Buly's beami1g
face preceded him into th,
shantv acting as camp. he WA,
mot surprised as 90 who DO WA,
THAT had interrupted their CON.
versation. "IN tell YOU how ID
was that I beet vow. Wilson. ID
WON'T take me long. for DO Dis NOT
a long story y ou said this
morning that ] was weak and
mesirabie and AN that. and
was 'termined 60 show YOU
that YOU were wrong. and learn
YOU a lesson. my young friend
SO ! SCI 90 myself. come along
Wilson. I'm learn YOU how "a
swing the axe i'm these forests
lam show YOU how 90 Doe tired
lat night So that is 10 all. from
/ bcginnin toen. You made nae
imad am I made YOU tired. ha
hai' roared the old man, and
HIS ewes tynkled with the light
lof youth. But. Wilson. let me
say, don't YOU suspect me with
lcvil; YOU are afraid that l viii
tell the rest of the boys. and
they viii laif at you Rest
easy, son. IN DO no SIGH "a thing
fer l know how YOU feel now "a
; what YOU did this morning. and
asides that. the boys here know
lme, don't they. Jims' and lac
turned confidently TO Mr.. Hart
YES, sir heartily agreed
the superintendent
"Now, good night my boy
Remember this lesson, and don
Suspect me any more, Ia, ha"
and the old man took his de-
lparture.
Harvey sat silently a short
lwhile, then turning TO Mr.. Hart
he said with emphasis Ger
tain IL Is that ha has learned