Smyrna times., 1908-01-22
n Humble
Heroine.
By MARION LEWIS.
Copyrighted, lSO7, by NJ. NJ. Cunningham.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.

1t was one day in early spring that
he appeared on Il South Carolina noun
tain and stood at the door of a humble
cabin. He Was Il young man of five
and twenty. and he was fair to look
upon. The girl Of twenty who was
sweeping the rough floor with a switch
broom stared at him for moment and
wondered how he had found his way
there from the other world She had
seen men III plenty-she saw men ev-
cry day of her life, but they were not
like this man. They were rough and
unkempt. Most Of them had long
boards. They wore hOmespun, and
they carried rifles wherever they went.
This man was totally different He
was dressed for the mountains. but
she had seen no such clothing up there
before. He lifted his cap to her In
all her life she mad never seen that
done to a girl or woman on the
mountains If he had a cOrncOb pipe
it was not in sight, and he wore shoes
instead of thick boots.
Nancy Settle could not read The
ing. When they did talk it was about
moonshine whisky pOssums,- -coOns and
other matters of local interest. She
had never visited the town, fourteen
miles away. except on one occasion.
Then hbr father had hitched an OK to
cart, tied ropes to the animals horns
for LINES and driven her there and
back. i'm town she had seen heaps of
houses and heaps Of people. but she
was scared and disturbed all the time
She had seen what her father said
We're FentlemGn and ladies, and she
rememb bered them ever afterWard. This
was Why she said to herself as she
stood heaning on the handle of the
broom that the man before her must
be ghntleman. He asked for her fa-
ther VEhO was away in the woods and
for heb mother. who was out digging
sassat FaS root, and then he explained
that le had come up the mountain to
study mature. He would study flow
ers, the birds and the wild animals,
and NE would write of them later on
He w hnted board and lodgings. Would
Mr. s. bttle take him in?
Nancy had seen men whose rough
speech frightened her. She had seen
| others who came to make love to her.
| She lad run away from both kinds.
| She 9. not run away from this man,
who Eve her his name as Williams.
| Afterat the first five minutes she was
| hardlT en- barrasSed. True, she was
barred ooted, her hair hung down her
backI in a tangle. and there were hooks
miss ing from her waist But his talk
put her lit ease. He seemed to take
no nj btice tOf her shortcomings.
He talked of the woods and the
weaf her and the scenery, and she
found herself talking to him. 1t was
so with the mother when she came.
She iwas hard featured and distrustful,
but the strangers courteous words
and bhis pleasant smiles caused her to
look with favor upon him. With the
husband and father it took longer
He 9vas not a mOOnshiner, but there
werd stills in the dark ravines belong
ing to others, and he was on his guard
against strangers for the sake of his
|
oticeE' to four different stills within a
radius of five miles, but he would
have died before pointing his finger in
the direction Of one. So he would
take the stranger in. but he would
also watch him. The man should not
move twenty rods in any direction
without being followed and spied on
| Ih16 for hr fIr
then lone more dead man should be
left itb the forest to be covered by the
leaves in the fall.
Thel coming of Williams was al
event Ito all, but to Nancy it was more
than that. An inherent something
combeid and braided her hair mex
mornihg. 1t put shoes and stockings
on helf feet. 1t washed her face Will
soap hnd water, and it cleaned hel
finger nails and caused her mother t
look at her in surprise The barefoot
ed wfy was good enough for the
mount Plneers who came to sit anC
smOkek and talk and borrow cornmeal
but il Ewas not good enough for a gen
tlema1 from the lOwlands.
| ASAttAissNA LGll 4tdQ4lN lulO lllt
ways of the people. His bed was rude
and his fare rough, but he was salts
hed. Grim men and lanky boys cam,
to stare at him and ask him brusqu,
questions but he laughed as he an
sWereC them and finally won theil
confidence. He talkel TO them O
many wonderful inventions: he told
them stories of sea and land; he gave
them pointers on the habits of The
birds and animals they had lived
among all their lives and were We
ignorant of. He was ready to an
swer all questions ana arbitrate al
disputes, and they had to bow to hi
wisdom. For a couple of weeks h,
was followed as he moved about
Then it was agreed that he had no
come as a spy. With his sporting
shotgun he brought down squirrels
rabbits and birds, and after carrying