Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1908-07-16
MOONSHINE
SIM
BY GEORGE W. SUMMERS
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We, the jury In the case OF the
United States against Sim Bailey. do
find the defendant guilty as charged
in the Indictment"
Such was the verdict Of the jury.
and Sim Bailey, the moonshiner. stood
up, In obedience to the order of the
court, to receive his sentence.
he was handsome specimen Of the
West Virginia mountaineer. Six feet
and one inch he lowered in the air.
and his figure was as straight as the
barrel OF the rife which the officers
mad taken from him when he was ar
rested. He was only an ignorant. I'M
couth mountaineer, but his gaze was
steady, and he did not quail before
the court as he arose, with a kind. Of
awkward dignity, to receive his SEN
tence for having made corn whiskey
in violation of the laws of the United
States
Not far away from the prisoners
ooX sat BIZ Duncan, who had been his
chlef accuser. AS far as dress went.
Sim and Bill looked much alike. But
there all similarity ceased. Bills shoul-
oers stopped. his narrow forehead
sioped abruptly backward at the ton.
his eyes moved restlessly from place
to place, though he gazed most of the
time upon the floor. His hands moved
nervously, and all the time he seemed
TO have a frightened look. A faint
trace OF smile came over his face.
and his dull eyes lighted up a little "a
the foreman read the verdict of the
jury, but he gave no other sign of emo.
uon, and almost instantly relapsed
into his former listlessness again.
Bill Duncan was Sim Bailey's neigh
Dor. They lived not half a mile apart
up near the head OF Raccoon Run. one
OF the widest mountain regions I'm the
state. In many miles they had no
other neighbors. They lived alone
Sim in small house by himself. Bill
with his wife. and each one titled a
little plot Of ground. Each owned his
home, for it was built with his own
hands, Of logs.
IL began to be whispered about that
Sim was making moonshine whisky.
BIZ Duncan knew that the govern
ment offers reward to informers who
locate Illicit stills and lead the officers
TO them, and. having from Sims lips
sufficient evidence, he set about to
convict his neighbor and bring himself
the reward.
And now Sim stood convicted. He
was about to receive his sentenoa,
after which Bill Duncan would receive
his reward. But Bill was not as happv
as he thought he would be. He tried
10 look at Sim, but could not raise his
eyes. They wandered aimlessly across
the hoor seeing nothing, while a
strange sensation came over him. and
ne wished he were at home.
Sim Bailey" said the court. have
you anything to say why the sentence
OF the court should not be pronounced
upon your"
L don't knows have, ledge" said
SIM "leastwise as to why you
shouldn't sentence me. But they's q
few things l would like to say SOS to
git EN- off'n my mind, II you done
keer"
You may proceed" said the court.
We'll, first" and Sim stretched him
self to his full height and gazed at his
accuser. Il want Bill Duncan to
square himself around here and look
me in the eye"
There was a dramatic pause. Sim
stood firm and erect, and every eve
was turned upon Bill Duncan, who
hdgeted nervously in his seat and
looked in every direction except
toward Sim. Once he attempted to
raise bis eyes to look at Sim. but he
could not meet the firm, fixed gaze OF
the man he had convicted, and he
dropped them quickly to the floor
again.
Sim turned toward the court. You
see. ledge, he can't do It," said he.
and l couldn't neither. If was in his
place. You know, Jedge. me and Bill
lives neighbors up on Raccoon. live
nigh up to the head OF the boiler. and
BIZ he lives about half a mile furder
down. They amt nobody else as lives
nigh either one of us, but Bill is sort
o curious like and a little hard to get
along with, so we hain't neighbored
much. But when 1 go apast his house
l most ginerally stops to see how him
an his ole woman is gittin' along.
Hit was jest after had got nv
corn crap cut t 1 drapped In one day
afore shutdown to see how Bill an his
ole woman was a-comin' on. tried to
boiler EN- up, but couldn't raise no
body, only the dog. Then l went in
and opened the door, and thar laid Bill
an his ole woman, both fiat O. their
backs in bed.
What's the matter, BilT says 1.
I reckon I've about come to the
end Of my rope says Bill, sort O. fee
BILE like. and then he rolled over and
sroaned.
Well, you do look pretty poorly.
you an the ole woman. too, but you
hain't nowheres near the end OF your
rope yit,' says l.
Hit didn't take me long to find out
as how Bill an his ole woman both
had the fever. An you know, ledge,
when you got the fever you got to
have somebody to look after you and