The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1907-03-21
Love versus Law.
BY c. B. LEWIS.
Copyright, 1906, by E. c. PARCELS
By c. B. LEWIS.

Copyright, 1906, by z. c. PARCELS.
They came face to face as they turn
ed a bend in the rough and narrow
trail leading up the Cumberland noun
tains to Laurel Cove. and both stopped
and stared for half minute before
the young man raised his hat and ex-
cused his observation-disclosures. The
young woman blushed, stammered a
reply and passed on, and in a minute
the trees and bushes hid them from
each other.
The one everybody for five miles
around knew as Abe Goodmans daugh-
ter Tilda. The other had just ap-
peared in the neighborhood, claiming
to be botanist and a naturalist, and
had secured a temporary home at the
cabin of Saul Markham. For the last
two years Tilda had been down to
Nashville, "bein' eddicated," as her
father and mother put it, and was now
teaching the dozen children Of the
mountaineers in the log schoolhouse
which the young man had passed forty
rods before meeting her.
Tilda had come from mountaineer
stock. Her father was rough, uncoutb
and ignorant. Her mother was un-
educated and plain. The girl had
lived in poverty. surrounded by pow
erty, and yet she was like none Of the
rest. Nature had given her good
figure and a handsome face, and the
time spent in the city had made, what
the natives called, lady Of her. The
establishment of the young man, who
had given his name as Arthur Griggs,
was but natural. -
The stranger who goes among the
people of the southern mountains is
from the outset a suspected man, and
the first suspicion which rests on him
is that he must be revenue spy.
Revenue men have raided and de-
stroyed scores of stills in the coves
and ravines and sent scores and scores
of moonshiners to the penitentiary, but
other stills are brought in, and other
men take the places Of those who have
fallen under the ban Of the law. 1t
was so thirty years ago; it is so today;
it will be so thirty years hence. The
mountaineer argues that he is law
unto himself. He argues that he has
right to live. He argues that where
he has no market for his corn as corn
he'has a right to turn it into whisky
to make a market. The government
does not argue with him. 1t sends
men into the mountains to break up
his business and imprison him. The
moonshiner works in secret. SO does
the government. He depends upon, the
honor Of his neighbors not to give
him away. The revenue men coax,
threaten, bribe and work in every un-
derhand way to get an advantage.
The enmity ,is more bitter than in the
personal feuds. When the mountaineer
goes down to the towns, he is trailed
about, cross questioned, made drunk,
II possible, and his wife or bis children
are offered money to betray him.
When the revenue men send spy
up the mountains to nose out and re-
port on stills, he takes his life In his
hands. He may 60 as buyer OF TIM
ber or coal or iron lands, as traveller,
peddler or artist. as fur buyer,
preacher or newspaper man, but the
shadow of death walks by his side un-
til he has proved himself all right. In
that case he is heard Of again down in
the lowlands. In the other case he Is
reported as missing.
A botanist and a naturalist from
Harvard was what Griggs claimed to
be, and he was taken into the cabin
of the mountaineer without question.
There was no undue curiosity about
him. He was free to come and free to
60. AS the neighbors were introduced
to him they seemed to accept him as
Saul Markham had done. He walked
about in contentment and slept in
peace. He did not know that he never
moved hundred feet from the cabin
door without being under surveillance;
that every action was watched; that
men whom he had never seen looked IN
on him when he slept; that other men
gathered together in the laurel thick
cts and reported on him and discussed
him.
Young Griggs shot squirrels and
hares and gathered flowers and plants
and sought to make friends with all.
Among those plain and hospitable peo
pie it was an easy matter for him to
bring about an acquaintanceship with
Tilda. Two days after meeting her on
tho trail fhev knew each other. The