Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1911-11-17

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When the civil war closed the south
had for four years been suffering from
a depletion OF everything needful to
human beings. II occurred to me that
] might turn an honest penny by load
ing n wagon with household articles.
including provisions. drive II through
the country and sell to the inhab-
itants.
started from Nashville. Tenn. with
q two horse team. proposing to drive
down to Shelbyville. then ascending
the Cumberland plateau and working
toward east Tennessee. Not fur from
Shelbyville overlook man on horse
back whose mount had gone lame. He
nslsed me where was going. and when
/ told him he said he believed he
would leave his horse and proceed ON
my wagon. To accommodate him and
for company agreed to take him. and
ut the next farm we came TO we stop
ped to leave his horse.
While he was dickering for the anil
mails keep we heard the tread Of q Top
ing horse UP the road. and a girl on
Its back came hurrying along. The
man who was to join me on seeing
her looked annoyed and went toward
her. evidently with the intention Of
meeting her where they would rot be
overheard in what they said. They
talked for some time. the man appar-
emily trying to persuade her to do or
refrain from doing something. He was
evidently not making much Roadway
with her. and finally they came to-
ward me.
This Is Nancy Parks" he said. ''She
would like TO Join us. go over the
plateau and take train at Bridge
port for Knoxville"
Il would be very happy to have her."
replied.
The girl dismounted. and the man
led her horse away to the barn, where
his own had been put. and left him
there. Miss Parks was an excellent
specimen OF the poor white girl OF the
south. She wore n sunbonnet. cali
ico dress and coarse COW bitte shoes.
= Nevertheless there was somethlng OF
Wild beauty about BIER Her cheeks
wefc brown aud red. her hair and
, eyes JET black. the hair being cut
square Just above her shoulders. She
climbed up into the rear OF the wagon.
mounting nv means OF the wheel. and
I settled herself comfortably among
some bags OF coffee. The man got up
beside me.
by the time we had reached the foot
of the Cumberland plateau he had
Z told me that his name was Barker and
that he was northerner looking for
place In the south on which TO set
tie This was false. as ] afterward
learned. He was I'm quest of something
very different from this. AS for the
girL he intended to tell me the truth
about her, saying that he had spent o
day or two on her fathers farm
she had taken n sudden fancy TO him.
ana when he parted with her she had
made great ado at the separation.
with the result that she had followed
him. lie said he didn't know what
10 do with her. but thought when a
favorable opportunity occurred he
would "chake" her. The story about
her taking train at Bridgeport was
a blind.
| didn't care what either or them
did so long as was not mixed up I'm
their affairs.
Barker whenever we stopped at n
farm or I'm the road to tall; with any
one asked good many questions
about the country, the soil and the
people. herring. so far rs could judge.
upon his own settlement among them
He asked different persons with whom
We chatted about a man named Elijah
Hanks No one seemed TO be inclined
10 give nnT q finite information about
Mr.. Hanks, sorae saying they had
very slight acquaintance with him.
others that they didn't wish 10 know
him at all. Barker seemed TO be try
sng TO get q description Of Hanks by
which he would recognize him / no
ticed that when Barker inquired Of
one person chou, Hanks the man gave
ma a quick. suspicious glance.
Meanwhile Marcy Parks sat In the
7 hick OF the Wagon munching some ap-
res she found there and OF which i
4 Hyiied her ~ paria'ie. She seemed TO
4 a satisfied in simply being with Bar
i ~, and could rot see that she tOob
n nv Interest IN What was going on
III son after we got up on TO the plateau
IA NET a man whom Barker stopped
la ASA questions F1out the country
"a he peOpi~ aud II he knew Of a
NA arm for sale. The man replied
88 Gep soa0rous voice. | happened
III turn as ne dill 20 toward the back
In ne wago1 enh nee;ced marked