Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1912-10-03
The Mountain Fiend.
A Tale of Tug River.
BY H. A. COMPTON.

hesd and the two mixed in a rough and
tumble fight among the shucks.
You're suotherin' me-" shouted the
who had been the aggressor in bringing
on the fight, as the other continued to
hammer him into the soft shucks.
Il don't keer if l am" replied the
other, Il told ye to behave
Let me up" gssped the vanquished
lad, Il m smuth' rim shore as hell"
The victorious lad relaxed his grip on
his antagonist and quickly returned to
his work. With snort the other jump
ed TO feet catching his breath betS cen
his gasps, and he too returned to work.
BY and by the old fox horn sounded
the dinner hour. and the party made it's
way to the cabin where they found the
old moonshiner's table grooming under
the weight of mountain ediblcr. Stuffed
turkey, squirrels, drieI pumpkin, corn
bread, cane molasses, hominy and many
other products of the hills we're spread
in profusion. In two hours time the
hu4kers we're agsin at their work.
By four o'clock the last ear was
shucked and The huskers all but two
rallied around the Jug.
Better be keertul, boys" said 81,
fer that licker's hundred proof, an
hit'il throw ye sfore ys know hit"
Soon the ing was empty and the men
began to feel somewhat like the fiddler
who smashed his instrument on the hard
/ faf ha
before
BY supper time the huskers had
become crowd Of drunken carousers.
Loud and many were the oaths and yells
that came from their burning lips.
Gee, but ANT the best man at wuz
ever in these mountains?" shouted big
burly fellow at the top OF his voice.
''All but one," shouted back another.
IAN mt ones me-"
Now, sonny" said tie big fellow.
you sartin orten to git that in yer lit
tie SMALLER brain. You khos kin thrash
hell outin' you in minnit
Il wouldn't take that, Mart" said
the fellow over whose head the blind
musician had smashed bis fiddle.
The hell ye wouldn't" said the big
mount"ineer. "what'd we say if said l
could whip We both?'
I'D tell We ye wuz a burned lair"
was the reply.
With that the big fellow dealt the
other blow in the face breaking his
nose. Instantly his forty-four was in
his hand ready for service.
Drop that gum" roared a stalwart
red-headed mouDtaineer, himself draw
ing revolver.
Just at this juncture the gigantic fig
ure of the old moonshiner appeared on
the scene.
Whats this here all about?" he de-
manded in stentorian tones I'm not
goin' to hev speck Nv trouble around
here. Put them guns up, both NV We,
afore knock yer fool heads off. Now,
mean jist what l say. Pat 'em up"
Before Hardin had finished speaking
every gun had disappeared His words
and manner seemed to have thoroughly
sobered the drunken mountaineers, and
not one of them spoke until the old
moonshiner had returned to the cabin.
Boys" said an old mountaineer.
taking in an enormous chew of tobacco
as he spoke, ''hit wuz bout the best
thing ye could done to take 81 at his
word; fer when he gifts mad he's shore
tlge. I'll tell ye what ! seed him do
onct on lection day menny years ago,
and tell ye this corn shuckin' amt
nothin' to pare to that day. Taey
wuz jist shootin' an a cussin' an
tearin', an hit shore wuz a sight to see
'em. 81 an had jist walked in whar
they wuz votin' when along came a
Teller ridin' mule and leanin' back
with his eys shet tight. Well, he rid
right over 81 an me an wuz goin' right
on when his mule got skeered and start
ed back. But afore he reached US ST
ups with big hand-spike an made
right at him; but afore he got to him
Six feliers came runnin' up with their
pistols leveled on 81. He iist turned
an went at EN- instead, knockin' right
an left. Three Nv 'em went down and
t'other three beat hit up the road. Then
he run up to the Teller on the mule.
ketched him in the collar with one hand
an by the leg with the other, and in
stead O. beatin' him, he give him
swing or two and throwed him clean
over in blackberry thicket. He wuz
SO scratched up at when he got home
ne told his folks at a painter an him
had had fight es he wuz comm along.
an at he had had a narrow escape
with his life Now. boys, 81 wuz a ter
ror then, an 'spect he's jist about es
good man STILL
Soon large part of the crowd de-
parted for their homes but many among
them Jim and Ruben, remained for the
night at the cabin of the hospitable old
mountaineer.
Next morning before the sun was