Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1911-06-29
SWEET MUSIC BY THE
OLD-TIME DINNER HORN

A contributor tells romantic story
in the Home Circle of the Practical
Farmer under the title of The Dim
ner Horn"
1t was in the early spring time; the
purple violets we're just peeping out of
of their nests and the arbutus was trail
ing on the rugged mountain side. There
was a chill in the air, however, that be-
tokened the Eastertide and made one
feel that old Winter was loath to yield
the scepter of power to young Spring
ting. The farms of that day were scat
tered but the little home of Jacob Moore
and family nestled com fortably at the
foot of the mountain. 1t was loug
STRUCTURE of the general type, consisting
of two large rooms connected by an
open hallway. At the back of one room
was door opening out>into large one
answering the purpose of kitchen and
dining room combined. There were
several children in this home ranging
in years from : to 10. They were a
family of workers; their days were
full of arduous toll, each one doing his
or her share toward making a liv-
ing on the little valley farm. Very
different from many boys and girls /
know in this day and time, The young
people of the Moore family had few ad-
vantages in the way of books and school
ing, the nearest schoolhouse being three
miles away and holding school for
the very short period of only three
months of the year. Thegirls however
tried to keep on hand some sort of
family around the Preside. Then
father or the boys generally brought
home a paper from town on their occa-
sional visits there. These papers were
scanned, even to the advertise
ments. Whata boon would have been
the travelling Libraries to isolated fami-
lies like the Moores! There were no
women's clubs or other organizations
in that time to push forward the work
which in these later days has proved
such blessing to people of the noun
tian districts hungrily waiting for
brain food.
Mrs Moore and her daugh ters made
their own tallow candles; they had
only one oil lamp, sitting on the center
ia BILE, to be used on state occasions so
they knew the value of all the mid
night oil they consumed. On the table
with the oil lamp we're the few books
their library-the family
Bible, hymn book, Pilgrims Progress,
poems, "Worth and
'and possibly one or two others.
A very incom plete.list, appropriated
their "five-foot shelves" At night the
older girls would read in turn--Mary
tonight, Charlie tomorrow, Fannie the
next, then back again. Father would
fall asleep early at these
.eadings, then one after another of the
younger children. Somehow the gen.
lie rise and fall of the voice reading
would lure easily to Sunderland. Mrs.
Moore and the girls spent many even
ngs alone for father and the boys
learly loved to go on fox or coon
lunt and would seldom get in home be-
ore II o'clock. At the time this story
opens the men of the family were prep
-; 30 tniu
tide.
Say, Bill, hurry up with that feed
ng; let's get a bite to eat and be off
20 the woods tonight"
"All right, dad; call John in from his
Dave Smith says they
taught two coons last night up the hol-
ow by Horseshoe Bend. Well try our
uck tonight"
Supper is rushed, and by dark Mr..
Moore and sons are off on the hunt and
Mrs. Moore, with her daughters, are
eft to hold the fort. But they know
lot fear or loneliness. They rather
ook forward to quiet evening by the
ireside with Edna Earl and st. Elmo
Murray for company. The girls have
been reading "St. Elmo now for sever
Il evenings, and they are all deeply in
crested This night the good mother,
With her knitting, took her seat in her
accustomed corner by the great
open fireplace, which threw out plenty
If light as we'll as heat from the spark
ing logs.
Mary went to fasten the door, opened
t and peered without in the gathering
yloom. Somehow feeling of utter
oneliness as we'll as helplessness came
,ver her and she shivered, closed the
loor in haste and fastened it securely.
"What'd we do, mother, if somebody
we're to come after US tonight, with pa
md the boys gomez"
"Oh, pshaw child, nothing's going to
Happen tonight I've stayed here many
lonely night and nothing happened.
lust you go and get to piecing on that
lone star quilt. Mary Jones said the
'ther day she bet her quilt was prettier
han yours would be. | told her may
70 so, but you had lots of pretty pieces
o put in yours.
with that Nathan Mora sat