Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1909-09-23
FAITH IN LEGENDS
PART OF LIFE IN THE SOUTHERN
MOUNTAINS.
Supernatural There ls In the Atmos.
- phers and Belief Ii Born with
the PeopIe-case Of the
6swltched Cow.


lighted In the dreamy supernatural OF
the southern mountains and lovers Of
the legends Of Sleepy Hollow could
find the counterpart of that region
down in Tennessee. The supernatural
is in the atmosphere. The inhabitants
OF the mountains live in It, not in
slavish fear. but as a part of their
lives, from which they would not be
separated.
But they are very chary OF their
condolences in this respect with
strangers. You may ask one q them
about charm, or a "hant," or q Gus
tom which he has religiously believed
in all his life, and the only reply you
will get will be a noncommittal 'They
say" or Some people believe It" but
never a word OF acknowledgement that
he pins his faith to 1t or has Just
come from practicing the quaint Gus
tom you are curious about Il IL only
after you have proven yourself that
the mountaineer will talk freely with
you concerning those things which are
very part Of his life.
Who could help being supsrstitious
when touched by the solemn stiffness
OF the mountains? For the spell Of
the everlasting hills is upon them.
They have been mystics from their
cradles. They believe in the old Bible
literally as II q read to them; not as
modern critics explain 1t away.
The quiet Life Of the mountains leads
them to think q and dwell upon the
spirit world and the great DEGREES of
Providence more than people do IN
the cities. All their lives and the lives
Of their forefathers have been passed
in these wilds; the great world outside
the mountain Businesses is nothing to
them; their minds must dwell upon
something beyond the humdrum Of
their limited existence, and naturally
1t seeks to peer into the mysterious
unseen, Just as their better educated
brothers of the city seek to delve into
the mysterious unknown Of art or
science. It Is the romance of their
lives-the one bit of sentiment in a
dreary round Of duties. So they grasp
at II, develop II, weave It in and out
OF their lives until 1t becomes a part
Of them
| 1t is probably only in the deepness
Of the little explored Tennessee noun
tains that one will find the simple
black art practicsd in its original puri-
ty. They pin their faith to ''hants"
and spells and charms. They do not
talk about them any more than they
would relate their private affairs to
stranger. But II you doubt their
awful power they will, In a round
about manner, relate to you that ex-
perience OF Jake Long which hap
pensd down In the valley" not long
ago. Down In the valley is the po-
lite way OF inhmating that a man
lives in one Of the numerous coves.
The term "covite," for some reason
or other, is considered one of oppro-
blum to be resented. although Uncle
Sam thus officially designates them.
Jake's COW got bewitched, would not
come home ut night to be MIXED, and
when hunted UP and driven home
would not give down" her milk. OF
course, the whole valley knew what
the trouble was and who was to blame
For had not Ike Gibbs publicly de-
clared that he would get even" with
Jake on account of some real or fan.
cied grievancef 1t was patent to all
that Ike had bewitched the animal
So Jake and his boys between them
drew a rough sketch of a man, by
strong faith supposed to be the like.
ness Of Ike, with charcoal on a pine
shingle. This they took into the
woods and tackled up on a tree in
front Of the COW and shot it to pieces
with their guns. After that the erring
COW came home regularly and gave
down her milk willingly.