Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1913-07-10
AUSTIN COPPLNGER
AND HIS. BIG BAR" HUNT
BY spencer Judd. in Nashville Banner.

According TO piOInlse dm ihbrOuuS
ing through the medium of the accom-
panying photo and these few words
Mr.. Austin Coppinger Of Coppinge
Cove. In the Sequachee country.
believe / may say, in view of tn
fact that be stands six feet two, ant
weighs sS3 pounds, that he is one O
the solid citizens of his community
He has long been a noted character
among the sportsmen of that section,
and during recent stay of three dayI
at his home heard some very inter
esting stories from him about the ole
days in the mountains when the woods
were full of game and the streams
alive with fish,
A large per cent Of his S53 pounds
is composed of happy admixture o.
fun. humor, jollity and native vii
that is bit surprising considering the
environment He has that blessed fac
nifty Of seeing humorous phase in ev'
cry situation and taking his generous
toll of laughter And, by the way,
when he laughs things begin to hap
pen: the house takes on vibratory
motion and the sleeping pup awakes
with start and casts over his should.
ers a reproachful glance at his master.
All of his life of 81 years his home
has been right there in that little
cove, but he hasn't been in that home
all the time He has taken several
iaunts out into the realm of important
things. One notable adventure was a
trip to Norfolk, Va. to see his son,
who was in the navy aboard the Yer
mont.
wish l had space to relate the
story as he told it-of how kindly he
was treated by the officers; how he
was shown into every Fart of the ship;
and of how they sent him up the river
to Washington and sent the boy along
to show him the sights.
Another red letter epoch was the
time he went with party of Chatta-
nooga gentlemen after deer in Florida.
When I FIRST approached him, re-
questing accommodations for a few
days, he said:
tWeli, now, it just depends on
whether or not you can put up with
the fare and my politics. -
asked him if he was q Bull Moose,
bull elephant or just bully Demo
crat.
He said he had always been Re-
publican.
swell, said I, "when / am at
home am Democrat, but when / go
fishing have no politics. IbeIievel /
could even bring myselfto sleep with
a radical Republican.
The reply seemed to have reached
somesresponsive chord, because his
eyes begansto twinkle and gentle
began, away down deep and
slowly bubbled and gnrgied towards
the surface till finally Il merged iu the
nature of onsaof those laughs which /
spoke of eniomeut ago ! know that
my trip was not il vsin.i because that
laugh was worth going long way to-
rear, And the old man said
''Jusf take your TAPS right in aud.
put them In that room en- the right. "
He Was in his, savorite seat, abig
In tbe yard under sbel
BRANCHES of i tree that had
5he deusest shade ! think i ever sRw.
said !.
Nh Coppinger, what kind Of tree
sfh'sYss
Withst The jnsat whimsical expression
md Without suggastiun of reaentment
;owaxa ths Teprobate who had impossd
ipcn biin. hs replied 4
Wei, nov. it was sold tc me for
'ome kind Of an apricot OF prune, but
t turned out I'd be the commonest sort
il plnm I
Owing 10 his great weight be spends
most of his time Id this big chair, and
iothing delights him more than an ap-
,reciative listener while he recounts
he many adventures Of his earlier
laws. Twas here that / learned much