Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1913-10-30
Raineses and the BarIows.

look in all directions for the owners o.
the voices but he don't see nobody for
all o. his eyes archin'. Come down,
Brothers" he says fin'lly, his sad mouth
tryin' its best to smile. "Come down,
Brothers. and be friendly with me"
"Well, what do you want with us, no.
how ?" axes the cracked voice OF a
person of some age.
al want to be friendly with you," an
swers Falway, turnin' his eyes towards
a clump o. laurels that hid the man who
jest spoke to him.
"lf you're revenuer," says the crack
ed voice, al want to tell you that this
shore hain't no place for you-and you'd
better slide"
al hain't no revenue man." says Fal-
way. "I want TO be friendly. I've al
ways heerd that visitor in the noun
tains was showed all the hospitality in
the world, and I've always believed il
was the truth"
That got 'em, both the Raineses and
the Barlows. They begun TO creep out
O. the laurelS, and soon thar was a doz-
en- or sech matter of each set in plain
view. Falway he noticed that each side
was led by very old white headed man.
Then the chief O. the Raineses, Old
Grandpop Sam Raines, pushed back his
slouch hat, leaned his long rifle in the
fork of a saplin', and went up 10 Falway
a putin out his hand friendly like.
wve come here TO preach the gospel"
says Falway, shakin' Old Grandpop
Raines's hand hearty. al thought this
here location would be so nice for the
meetin' house." As he finishes he looks
towards the Barlows, who was a standin'
jes beyant the creek and watchin'.
eyes," agrees Old Grandpop Raines,
a takn' off his hat and rakin' his knotty
fingers through his white ha'r, "yes, |
reckon il would. But this here spot,
Preacher, is done took up. This here
spot here is middleways atween the
Raineses and the Barlows, and then it's
got water clos't by for washin bloody
noses. You see, we use this here ground
for fightin' place."
"a fightin' placer exclaims Falway, a
wonderin'.
"Shore-a fightin place" says Old
Grandpap Raines. as sober as any iedge.
"For instance, Preacher, when Raines
or a Barlow feels like a havin a little
round with the inemy-whY, he jest steps
down here, pulls off his coat, and yells
out the name o. the man he wants to
thrash. The man whose name is called
always comes, if he's in hearin distance,
or if he's whar word can be passed TO
him."
Falway he gives the old mountaineer
look that didn't carry the meanin' il
ought o. carried. Old Raines thought
Falway didn't believe him.
"Step on one side minute, Preacher"
says Old Grandpap, sort O. snappish
like, land keep yore eyes open and yore
mouth shet, and watch and see what
you see."
Falway didn't move. Old Raines
pushed him out O. the way, throwed off
his ragged jeans coat, and bawled, Bob
Barowl"
The old chief O. The Barlow side jump
ed the creek with grunt. his eyes a
fIashin' like them OF a young man, and
shed his coat. In five more seconds
them thar two totterin' old folks was a
lammin' each other in the face and a
smashin' each other in the chist like a
pair o. crazy persons.
"Don'tl'' cries Falway, when he could
git enough breath in him TO talk. Don't
do that, don'tl''
He jumped to 'em, took 'em by the
shoulders, and separated 'em, holdin'
'em, apart and starin' first at one and
then at tother. And the two fighters
seen by the way he handled 'em that
Falway was middlin' strong man, even
if he was slim and pale.
Turn me loose" says Old Grandpap
Sam Raines. 81 jest wanted to prove
that aint no liar, by gyarl''
As Falway draps his hands Old Raines
he goes on, changin' the subject:
''Even if you had neetin' house in
this here section, thar wouldn't be but
one set that would come 10 hear you
preach. Would you be satisfied with
that if us Raiueses will help you build
a meetin' house on Our hillside2"
Afore Falway could gil few words
together for a. answer, Old Grandpap
Bob Barlow spoke. "Yes," he says,
his eyes shootin' fire and birthstone
towards his longtime inemy, land us
Barlows'n do the same thing, by gyari
Preacher, you'd shore better be hitched
up with the Barlows than with them thar
lowdown Raineses, I'll be burned if you
hadn't"
Only Falway's arms kept the two old
men from tanglin' up ag'in.
"Aw, you shet yore old mouth" bel
lers Old Grandpap Sam Raines. "It's
not no sech a thingl Us Rsineses is
better'n you BarIows, by gyarl''
81 wouldn't quarrel" says Falway,
tryin' TO keep from smilin' at them thar
man and twice't child is as true sayin'
as ever I've heerd. "The right way"
Falway tells 'em. sis for both sides TO
help build the meetin' house, and both
sides come to meetin'."
The Raineses and Bariows they shook
their heads.
81 wonder whar ] can git place TO
stay at?" says Falwsy, seemin' like he