Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1906-08-24

thing else except my horse, my four
pistols, my saddle and bride and the
clothes wear"
"What's your plan-gOin' to settle
in the mOuntings? They say thereli
be big money in 'stillin' whisky an not
a-payin' of the high tax on it. It's
resky business. or will be when the
Yanks get themselves settled down
into possession, like, but l kin see
you're game fer resks, an eft you want
q workin' pardner I'm your man.
There's water power just little way
down the mounting in valley that one
GOOD man with rifle kin defend"
"Thank you for your Offer" answer
cd Duncan. But I'm not thinking OF
settling in the mountains. I'm going to
the west If l can get there. Now, to DO
that 1 must cross the valley, and
must have some provisions. Can you
sell me side Of bacon, little bag OF
meal and little salt?',
"What kin you pay with, mister%
"Well, have no money, Of course,
except worthless Confederate paper,
but | have two pairs of Colts navy
six revolvers, and I'd be glad to give
sou one pair Of them for my dinner,
nv horses feed and the provisions l
have mentioned"
"Now look a-here, mister" broke In
the mountaineer, rising and straighten-
ing himself to his full height of six
feet four, when you come to my door
you was mighty hungry. You axed fer
dinner an boss feed, an I've done
give 'em to you free, gratis an fer
nothin. No man on the face O Gods
ycarth kin say as how he ever come to
ST Watkins house in need of dinner
an boss feed 'thOut a-glttln' both.
An no man kin say as how 81 Watkins
ever took cent O. pay fer a-entertain-
in Of angels unawares. as the preach
ers says. But when it comes to fur
nishin' you with side o bacon an
some meal an salt, that's more differ
enter. That's business. There's mighty
little meal an mighty few sides O ba-
con in these here parts, but l don't
mind a-tellin' you as how my wife's
done managed to hide few sides O
bacon an Il little meal from the fellers
what come up here to collect the tax in
kind. Eff you choose to take one O
them sides o. bacon an little meal
an salt an give me one O. your pistols.
Pm quite agreeable. The gun mOut
come in handy when l git a little still
a-goin' down there in the holler."
"I'll do better than that" answered
Duncan. "I'll give you pair of the
pistols, as / said"
Hold on! Go leetle slow, mister,
an don't forgit nothin'. You promised
to gimme the par O. pistols fer the
bacon an meal an salt an fer yer din
ner an boss feed. I've done tOle you
as how ST Watkins don't never take no
pay fer dinner an boss feed, so you
can't offer me the par O. pistols 'thout
offerin' to pay fer yer entertainment o.
man an beast, an won't have that,
tell you"
Every WE'LL" said Duncan. ~ didn't
mean that. I'll give you one Of the
pistols in payment for the supply Of
provisions. That will end the business
part of the matter. Now, I'm going to
do something else with the other pistol
the mate of that one"
yxy;+l, +lo@ bo nnnpn,3 hto v,ooL ofIy nj 70
aud scratched on the silver mounting
Of the pistol butt the legend: "To 81
Watkins, in memory of Il visit. From
GuilfOrd Duncan. Cairo, ILL.,"
Then. handing the inscribed weapon
to his host. be said:
81 have right to make you n little
present, purely IN the way Of friend
shlp, and not as pay for anything &C
all. l want to give you this pistol. and
want you to keep it. l don't know
w.tere l am going to live and work In
the West, and don't know why l wrote
Cairo, Ill., as my address. 1t simply
came to me to do it. Perhaps it's
good omen. Anyhow j shall go to
Cairo, and if l leave there Ill arrange
TO have my letters forwarded to me
wherever l may be, so if you're in trou-
bic at any time you can write to me at
Cairo. | am as poor as you are low
yes, poorer-but l don't mean to stay
poor. If you're in trouble at any time
III do my best to see you through, just
as YOU have seen me through this
time"