The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1906-12-01
A MooHsH1HER's VENGEANCE.

Pure snow. beautiful ana Ialrs
Gods sending back our answered prayer.
A MOONsHINER's VENGEANCE.
eyes, my hair is white for man
of my years." said he, running his
sharp fingers through his snow-white
locks. "But then have seen great
deal of the world, you know, some
times think it better if I had not.
''But what caused your hair to
turn so white? 1t cannot be age for
if I am a judge, you are not over
forty"
The major laughed.
mo, I was forty on my last birth
day, and my hair has been its pres
ent shade for the last ten years.
"Come, major. Tn sure there is
story here. Let's have it."
Again the major smiled, but this
time perceptible tremor shook his
frame.
"Inever like to think of that time, "
he said. But be it as you will. Have
fresh cigar; you will need it to
strengthen your nerves, I'm very
sure"
"When 1 was thirty years old !
was employed by Uncle Sam to scour
the country for moonshiners. My ter
ritory lay mostly in Southern States.
1t was in 1881 that I received an
order from the chief of the division
to go into the Tennessee region and
locate several stills that were turning
out kegs of illicit liquor near Little
Tucksoe. I was of a light-hearted,
daredevil disposition, and usually
such an order would have spurred
me to my best but on this September
morning when, leaving civilization
behind, l struck the trail leading up
the side of Little Tucksoe, a strange
feeling of forboding came over me.
The birds twittered above my head,
and the purling brook rippled be-
meath my feet. Allnature was at ber
best, and yet feeling of indescribable
dread oppressed me.
"On / stumbled, deep in my gloomy
meditations, when suddenly / nearly
fell over a girl, clad in calico gar
ment, who was kneeling beside
hawberry bush filling pail with
fruit. The surprise was mutual, and
she started up like a frightened fawn.
Without disparagement of the sex I
can safely say that no palmer women
exist on the continent than the aver
age female moonshiner. As the girl
turned, however, she displayed face
in pleasing contrast with the character
istic high cheek bones and 'ague'
complexion of that section. Her oval
features, brown as berry but regu-
lar in outline, set off by pair of ruby
lips and Jet black eyes, would CON-
pare favorably with those of any
fashionable belle.
"Wha' be you a-goin'?' she asked
with a startled air.
"'I am an artist, replied, come
to sketch some bits of scenery. I am
looking for Jerry Bowman
"Wha' you want wi him?
''I am going to board at his house.
"Huh Then you TN wants Ole
Hoss?'
st was uncertain, but nodded. By
this time had drawn pad from my
pocket and began making hurried
marks on it. The girl peered over
my shoulder and asked
"How long be you TN agoin to
stay1"
"Just over night / replied.
''She gazed at the scrawl and said
"'Wal, I guess you TN can come
on"
''Up the tortuous path, twisting
now to the right and now to the left,
we went, till suddenly the girl push
ed aside the thick underground and
darted along the trail leading directly
into the heart of the forest. I said
not a word, but did considerable
thinking as now and then protuding
hawberry brier tore its way into my
flesh, or a stiff twig, bent forward by
my guide, with a zip few back,
striking me across the face. Sud-
denly heard a bowling shrek. The
girl gave low, peculiar whistle, and
the next instant four large ours were
paving at her feet, and in most un-
comfortable manner snufing at my
heels.
""This is pap the girl whispered.
This is Ole Hoss, the man you un is
lookin' fur
"Whence he came and how he got
there was never able to explain to
myself but there he was, armed to
the teeth, large hunting knife in
his belt, shot gun on his shoulder
and the mountaineer's grin on his
face.
"'What do you wantl' he de-
manded.
"'I am an artist I replied, 'and
| Jim Bludsoe, whom I met in the viii
lage, thought I could get board with
you for day or so.'
"Jim's friends are mine,' he said
with side-long glance. Come on.
This was much easier than I ex-
pected. Jerry, or Ole Hoss, was
none other than the man l was after.
"As we emerged from the wood
into the clearing, lank, slabsided
specimen of humanity approached
he was about to speak to Jerry when
his eyes fell upon me, and he sud.
denly turned away. There was some
thing familiar in his features, but
could not place him.
"Old Hoss passed op, and l fol-
lowed him into his cabin. It was q
small affair with two rooms.
"'One we uns live in, he explain
ed, AN the wimmen sleeps in t'other.
Where do the men sleep?' in