The Palatka news. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1905-1908, 1907-08-30
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|: HOW I CAME TO
3 BE A FARMER.
[Original.l


officials to find and bring to justice
Illicit distillers in Tennessee, | was
seized with desire to try my hand at
the business. Polk county swarmed
with moonshiners, and to Polk county
1 went. Reaching the locality that
sought, | began operations by pump
ing the inhabitants. Passing farm
house I saw good looking young wo-
man ON the porch taking care of a
couple of little children. | dismounted,
went in and asked for drink of wa
ter. The woman pointed to gOurd
hanging in a well house, and l helped
myself. Then, before asking any ques-
lions, played with the children with
a view to opening a way to the moth
er's confidence.
"Sorry your husband isn't at home,"
1 said. Pm looking out for timber
lands Perhaps he might know Of
some to SELL"
81 haven't got husband" she re-
piled; "I'm a widder.'
She went on to tell me that 1t was
hard for her to get on since her hus-
bands death. The country was ruined
by the Illicit distilling that was going
on. Instead of farming, everybody was
making whisky, and that kept respect
able people away.
would you," asked, "be willing to
do something to get rid Of the moon
sinners"
"Well, 1 don't like to git my neigh
bors down on me-"
But supposing you could make a
nice thing of it."
what d'y' call nice thing"
named a sum was willing to pay
for the information l desired.
Look a-here, stranger" she said.
"You haint after lumber; you're
a-huntin' stills. Now, if you double that
what yo' said, it's GO"
complied with the terms, and she
gave me minute information as to
where / could find a half dozen secret
whisky manufactures, with the names
of persons who knew all about them
and could testify to their existence
and ownership in court.
Having kissed the children-I want
ed to kiss the widow, too; she was
very tempting-I mounted my horse,
confirmed the information given me
by pretending to stumble on the stills
while hunting timber lands, then rode
to the county seat and swore out war
rants for the persons whose names
hoI n,ir fhA "A
ssubpoenaed the witnesses.
Some time was required to serve the
papers, and it was several weeks be-
fore we We're ready for trial. Mean
while called frequently on the widow,
becoming quite at home in her house,
taking the children out to walk with
me while their mother was busy with
her household duties. l feared that
my being so much at her home would
lead those whom / was prosecuting to
suspect that she had given me the
necessary Information, but they didn't
that l would not mind settling in Ten
nessee with view to ministering to
the widow and the fatherless.
When the case came up for trial it
became apparent that the stills l had
seen We're small ones, the main stills
where the bulk of the whisky was
made remaining undiscovered. The
fees paid the witnesses-whose testi-
mony was worthless-cost the state
round penny, and the amount paid
the widow was dead loss to me. |
was riding away from the courthouse
much discounted when one of my
witnesses overlook me.
stranger" he said, "whatd you uns
give for some more informationW
Nothing"
"Well, I'll give it to you anyway.
The wilder that put y on to 'em owned
the hull kit. Her husband owned all
the big stills about hyar, and when he
was shot year ago by revenue Off
Ger his widder TUX the property and
has been runnin' it ever since. Hyar's
a paper she writ you uns."
He handed me a missive from the
widow inviting me to take supper with
her that evening. l thanked the man
for his information and, turning, rode
to the widows home.
Stranger she said, 81 haint no
great lover fer still hunters, SEEM my
husband was shot by revenue but
I haint got over your takin' a shine
to Tommy and Maudie. Here's the
money you uns paid me fer putin you
uns on to the stills. l own EN-, and
the witnesses 1 give y air all in my
employ Reckon it wouldn't be right
to take pay fer that The state can
afford to pay the witness fees"
We were soon seated at table on
and eggs, biscuit corn bread and cot
fee The widow did everything she
could to make me forget my failure to
break up moonshining In Polk county,
and by the time I had finished my sup
per | was in very contented frame
of mind. While smoked she put her
children to bed, and during the time
she was "doing" the dishes l went into
the room where the little tots lay and
played with them till she had finished
When they were asleep the widow sat
down beside me and said:
81 want to git out O. this moon
shinin'. I'm a lone woman, and, though
I'm no fool at turnin' off revenues
hain't got the head fer turnin' my
property into money"
you're a rough diamond 1 said.
drawing her to me, "Ill help you
out on one condition"