davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-08-01

moonshiner in the Big Laurel Mount
ain section. He's lodged the oLIicers
in that territory for so long that l
have decided to send you. seeing that
you are my most successful man.
Sibley's calm gray eyes took on a
look of interest, and his mobile face
flushed slightly at the scent of bat
tie.
who is this Big Laurel moonshin-
err" he asked.
Jake Holloway
will you please accept my resigna-
ton. Mr. Davenport?"
Davenport's jaw dropped IN aston
ishment. II know Holloway is bad
one" he admitted; but didn't
think you'd mind. with the record
you've got" Then he added coldly:
us It case of being afraid, Sihley?'
The man addressed felt the sun
acutely. For a moment he was silent,
although his gaze met that of his SUI
perior unflinchingly.
'Yes, it's case of being afraid.
he acknowledged presently, his worcs
and the tone of his voice sounding
strange to the other. ''You don
evenly; 4 do. l want TO tell you
about this man. Mr.. Davenport. May
I sit down?
Jake Holloway Is tall and lean,
his hair and beard are as black as a
crows feathers, his eyes see every
thing a hawks could see, and his
nerves are as steady as the mountain
on which The dwells- When / knew
him, he did not live in the Big Laurel
region but in the neighborhood OF
the Chimneytop. i made but one trip
In there; went alone then. as q
spotter-not good word, but it's bet
ter than spy.
"Mid-afternoon of the day follow
ing that on which ! left Johnson City
found me riding in the heart of the
enemy's country. The road was
rough, and wound along beside a fair
sized stream; on either hand We're
mountains literally piled one on tor
of another, and covered with bowlders
and trees. laurel and Ivy, ferns and
rattleweed The shade was eternal
because OF the interlacing branches
Of the giant hemlocks that filed the
bottom of the deep valley Suddenly
became so filled with the same spirit
of freedom that goads the mountain
eer to daring that 1 wondered why
the man of the hills was not even
more defiant toward the law. Almost
regretted my mission there. Sou
see. l was young in the service then
"Then / crossed the shallow, spark,
ling stream-the ripping of which
was so incessant that it seemed 6
part of the majestic silence. ant
found myself on stretch of damp
brown sand a hundred yards In
length. Here my horse. well shod
made not the slightest noise. And be
fore / had covered the hundred yards
of smooth going. there came to my
ears from directly ahead the SOUND
of sobbing-the catchy. pitiful sob
bling Of a child.
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-08-01
With Many hanks
Will seaton


"The man addressed threw bit OF
plowline to my erstwhile companion.
The latter had soon bound my wrlsts
securely behind me. Then they be
gan to march me down to the creek
just below the falls, where STOOD a
giant poplar with great outstandine
branch. looked up and saw TINS
branch, and the thing it suggested
caused me to shudder. A long rope
came into view, and shuddereu
again Ono of the moonshiners De-
gan to make a moose.
"'Hold. men, I began to plea9;
This will do you no good; you VII
but add another reason To the reasoL,
the law already has for wanting you
and making whisky without a II n
cense is nothing when compaTeu ~
murder. You can't fight the onl.s s.
states; you cant win. Mark my Wo va,
yon viii hang higher than will
all five of you. l think-you had pet
ter be sensible Tho last OF TINS
speech was not So bravely spoken as
the first: tremolo had crept INTO my
voice in spite of me. .,.,,t, tha
"Eor knew | stood within the
very laws of deeth-death IN the mos =
4ianominious of all it's forms, ina. oi
hanging. These men. unread, nia.e
ate did not look upon the taxing OF
regarded me as their bitterest enemy
they had drunk hatred for me IN tne
mflIe of their mothers. Truly, j. was
grave situation, and apparentfy no
a1ency short of miracle could sa'e
me His voice shaking with rage, one
~ the moonshiners made reply 70
my speech:
"eWhy didn't you stay wtar yon
belonged. stead o comm away and
here to try to arrest some on us aau
maize rs nay our hard earned money
the little we've got-to the
,,ov',nant? We use our own stun In
nnsl,in' whisky: 1t amt none O tne
poy'ment's business. The sooner we
ston Won Internal revenuers from
comm here the better it'll be for al
of us; and were shore a-eoln
make a. example of you.
another of them threw the rope
over the outstanding branch; sun
another placed the moose about my
throhbing neck. ! tried to strike
hackward with my fists. tried to KICK
tl,em with my feet. wishing to at
least die fighting like a man; but the
rome tightened, almost cutting INTO
nv flesh, and / stepped to point
directly under the branch that
might have moments relief
".Hold, men, for Heavens sake' -
begged. I'm not coward. II nsnS
yon all one at time, or all tosetner'
or any other way you say III
".Shet up!' one of the nnoonshiners
snanped. And IL you've got any peace
to make with the Almighty, git at It.
Yore time to die has shore come.
Mister
81 closed my eyes. and they smart
ed. A few words came to my tongue:
I uttered them both awkwardly and
soundlessly. / remember distinctly
that / was glad. there on the brink
of the dark abyss. that had not
paen So wicked a man, after all; and
7 believed that the good deeds l had
done would stand well in the great
balance of Justice against the bad
TasI.et the murder proceed. " there
Is no other way. told my would-be
execndoners: and the slender rope
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-08-01
hegan 10 rrow tant lmmedlatelS.

began to grow taut immediately
But Just as it began to cut on my
breathing there came to my ears
seemingly from nowhere, yet from
everywhere, a quick, hard thud !-and
the rope parted q few inches pe4oW
the tree branch on which it had been
swinging. The moonshiners. wonder
ing at the strange noise, looked about
them, but they saw nothing, and again
turned their attention TO me. With a
low curse that the rush of the falling
water almost drowned. one of them
gathered up the two ends of the rope
and tied them. afterward examining
the line inch by inch. He found it
strong, which made the peculiar break
unaccountabIe to him. However, the
rope was again thrown over, the out
standing branch of the giant poplar.
and again did I lift myself from the
ground on my toes as the ten gnarled.
muscular hands laid hold.
Again the rope parted, being ac
companied as before, with the
strange thpdding noise-and a dozen
pounds weight had not been brought
TO bear!
"a feeling of great thankfuIness
surged into my heart ! saw that the
Ave faces about me were glowering:
but I did not know whether 1t was
from anger or from fear. One of the
moonshiners spoke. and in his speech
he said that which haunted the minds
OF the other four.
What in the name o. Moses makes
that thar jarrin' -noise?'
"'Try it Overt urged one of the
others, particularly vengeful man.
$50 the rope was knotted once more
and tested once more and once more
thrown over the outstanding branch
of the poplar. The I've laid rather
nervous hands upon 1t and began to
pull--when it parted again. and at the
Same, point in connection with the, tree
branch!
AT this the mountaineers seemed
frozen. CONSERVATION, created quick
ly in the minds of those unread sons
of the wild, SAT supreme on their dark,
bearded faces. l began to hope a
little more that I would be saved; and
I was too glad in this hope that the
cup of death would be spared me to
inquire of myself concerning the
mysterious agency that was at work
in my behalf.
But my captors were not yet who'll
ly beaten. They threw me to the
ground and bound my feet to prevent
my escaping; then went into the lau-
rels of the mountainside above the
cliff and began to search for the thing
or person that had opposed them.
Seeing that they had disappeared
among the thick, green bushes. roll
led over twice and began to saw the
bonds of my feet against the sharp
edge of stone that stood on the bank
of the creek. But / lost my balance
before / had accomplished anything.
and fell some two yards, striking my.
head heavily on stone that lay m
the rim of the pool below the falls. A
thousand lights flashed and sank in
a. 4
when came to, was laying
across the shoulder of tall man. who
was staggering along doggedly
through the night Both OF US We're
!. 4oeba mt down. The tall man com
nnlied. feel. that ] cannot dwell up
on. that terrible journey. II was long
j mast midnight when wa raenhed the
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-08-01

lea. I'VE will build the seaboard mp
again better than before. We VIII
recompense our fellow citizens Tor
every scrap that they lose. But we
shall never pay blackmail"'
Had The invader entertained any
such plan this spirit that famed un-
mistakabIy through the continent
would have daunted him. But he had
no such puerile design as to turn his
wonderful prize into ashes. If his er-
rnpd was one of brfgandage and rob
berry It was brieandage and robbery In
the most scientific modern terms. It
was briRandage that enlisted In It's
conception and prosecution the brains
of n worlds financiers, the keen wit OF
n worlds merchants, who wanted TO
win back the markets of the earth and
the far sighted policy of international
diplomats.
For almost month the invader did
not show his hand. For almost
month the seaboard from the end or
Maine to New Jersey remained scaled.
Then suddenly he gave the United
States his reply to the question, what
can he do with it,
He opened the wires. He did not
send out n word over them. The peo-
ple of New England and New York did
it. They sent out flood of dispatches
that were like great cry for help. IT
was the invaders reply through them
The reply was starvation"
I'VE need coal! We need iron and
steeE We need cottonr' cried the peo-
pie of New England. I'VE have used
UP all of our raw materials. We can
not work any longer unless you ship
TO u.s.
1--WE must reopen our banlif." said
Boston and New York and the hundred
other cities I'VE are paralyzed with
out our exchanges and relations with
the financial system of the country"
I'VE need foodstuffs!' said they all.
The first quick decision of the coun-
try was one of wrathfui refusal to fur
nish the supplies that the enemy might
fatten himself But the OPPORTUNITIES
from the conquered places grew. They
went to all the land. west and north
and south. They came at the White
House like storm
I'VE are on the edge OF panic! We
have almost 100000 of factory work
ers who will starve unless we can in
Gently re-estabiish our industries ana
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-08-01

81 kicked my horses TANKS. and the
animal obeyed. bounding forward
willingly A few rods farther up the
road / came upon small, hareroot
hoy in jeans trousers and cotton shir1
with single suspender that had been
made of some striped stun; he was
sitting fiat among the stones. nursing
a bleeding toe and rocking back and
forth from the pain. Moved by sym
pathy. dfsmounted and knelt before
him. He looked up. his freckied'
tear-streaked face now calm and de-
FAINT.
Whom devil are 2ou@
AT this unexpected challenge I
smiled I'm a timber buyer OF the
name of Hamilton / answered, tell
ing the necessary falsehood very
smoothly I'm also added. a prot
ty fair sort of doctor. Suppose we
care for that toe of yours?
Timber buyer nothinH, the boy
shot back at me unbeiievingly
you're n DANCED old revenuer, by
grannies. that's what you are!'
"'oh, no. / denied, nothing of the
kind. Here-let's wash that toe and
tie 1T up; what say?'
And, without waitiLgSfor the neg
ative answer I knew would be forth
coming. / picked the young ster up
bodily, carried him to the bank of the
creek. and thoroughly cleansed the
injured member. This done. took
from my pocket an unused handker-
CHIEF. tore 1t into strips. and convert
ed II into a fairly respectable band
age.
What creek is this?' 1 asked.
more 10 keep the boys mind from the
suspicion that ] was an officer, how
ever. than for any other reason.
Its Big Jake's Creek, answered
the child of the hills. Big Jakes my
pap. It's pap's creek, by grannies.'
"'And what is your name. little
MANI / asked with old-fashioned
Methodist preacher pleasantness. ty-
feet.
Me? I'm Little Jake said the
youngster, very proudly-and he was
now moro inclined toward friendli-
ness, too. When / grow up, III be
Big Jake, what / will, by srannies-
and then jest maybe I won't make the
DANCED old revenuers hum! Pap's
pap was named Big Jake, and pap was
Little Jake, used to be-
".History repeats ITSELF / mused,
continuing aloud: And l presume you
will be glad when you get to be Big
JGke?'
.Iil be him when-my time comes.
answered Little Jake, smiling All
his beliigerent manner Was gone now |;
j had worked my way into his good
graces by my simple act of Kindness.
But then. a-course l CANT be sls
lake until nan he dies he went on !;
and a-course / don't want pap to die.
/ didn't tell you what pap's other
name IS; it's Holloway-Big Jake
Holloway. Pap's awful strong, and
he's the best shot in these here
mountains, too. what he is. by gran
MES. I've seen him shoot a-many a
Sow can YOU beat that for shootin'2'
holloway! had heard the name
in fact, / had heard 1t so much that
the mention OF 1t took all the merri-
ment from my feelings. The Hollo-
ways were the worst moonshiners in
the Chimneytop country; they We're
desperate men, and written over the
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-08-01
y Will Seaton

'The man or the hills seemed to be
possessed with seven-league boots.
Never pausing even to talk, never
stumbling he led me over ptne-rrlnseu
crests. along cliHlike mountafnsioes,
through ravines thicketed with laurei
and ivy. Painting, / struggled on atteI
my ffeet-footed companion, ashamed
to ask him to slacken his speed soon
my head was aching, and my ltmDs
trembling, from the unwonted exer-
ton. The long hours dragged until
the middle of the afternoon had come
then my guide raised knotty brown
hand as a signal for silence.
"'we're pretty nigh thar, he as
sured me. as we started into deep
valley that yawned before us, and ]
gave vent to a long breath of relief
at the tidings. Now he continued.
well be in for it If you make any
noise-them thar fellers down thar
can hear a pin drap a hundred yards
on
"I'n be careful 1 replied.
I'VE began to walk softly. STOPPING
that our heads might not be seen
above the dwarfed laurel. kept close
upon the mountaineer now, within an
arms length OF him. my eyes ever On
tho alert for moonshiners ahead. Soon
we had entered the belt Of eternal
gentle roar of falling water / knew
the bottom of the valley was not far
away
And the sound of falling water
was the only sound we heard. There
seemed to be something foreboding
in the air. put my hand on my
companions shoulder and halted him
Say. 1 whispered, it's too still
for any good. Can it be that we've
been SEEM
..'A-course not!' smiled my guide.
sawmiIl. Mister. You leave it all to
me and come on; and If 1 don't show
you still in ten minutes, Ill eat my
old hat, / will by Scotts!"
so 1 followed-but with one hand
ready to draw the big revolver car
ried in holster under my left arm.
Soon we were kneeling on the top
of little cliff and peering cautiously
over. Before us was an Illicit dis
tilling plant, smoking. but deserted ;
beyond it were the falls I had heard
a sheen of water as smooth as silk
which was some twenty feet> in
width and fell at least twenty feet
l turned to ASK my guide question
concerning the absence of the moon
sinners. when from the surrounding
laureIs there sprang into view four
staIwart men armed with winchester
rifles all of which were trained
squarely toward my heart! / drop
ped my revolver to the ground, think
ing it the wisest move, and raised my
hands.
we've caught you. all right said
the voice of the man who had brought
me. oh, you was easy, you was. Say
Mister Revenuer. you're shore IN a
tight place, you are. You-
"'But-but-' / stammered. realiz-
ing that 1 was indeed In tight place
whom INV guide in turn interrupted
me. He seemed to have read my
mind.
well, what have you got to kici
about?' he growled, with quick winh
at his Fellows. 4 said I'd show YOU
a still FOR ten dollars-and hain,t
done 1t? I've kept my word. all right
E.hsnd re that thnr rone- Frs=lS'
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-08-01

cabin home of the man who had
saved my life.
"a woman admitted us and lighted
a candle. / noted that she was slim
and that she had motherly face;
noted, also, that the features Of her
husband, my savior. were strong ana
clear, and that his hair and beard
were as black as jet When I had
taken chair. the mountaineer point
ed to the wound on my head. His
VITO understood; she bathed the.
bruise. then applied a bandage skill
fully.
"a little later, when We were sip
ping hot coffee. I asked to be en-
lightened concerning the manner IN
which my host had saved me. had
asked the same question when we
were struggling over the mountains:
but he had whispered that we must
not talk for fear OF being overheard
The mountaineer looked toward me
with faint smile.
"I1I tell you he said, in as few
words as possible-because you'll
have to leave here afore daylight. i
/ haint edzactly afeard to have It
knowed that I befriended you; still.
that thar bunch chat had you Is
pretty pizen bunch, and I'd ruther
not have trouble.
"a man who can shoot hosshar
in two at twenty-five steps shorely
rope in two at sixty. hadn't he ought
%? So I shot the rope In two-but
I know / did: Jest wait a minute.
81 follered you and yore guide
acrost the mountains. a-thinkin' you'd
need help. When they was a-sur-
roundup you on the cliff. ] was ASH.
in up trees for the handiest hangin.
pIace-and / shore guessed right
was on t'other side o. the creek.
above the falls, in the lorrels. As
first. meant to do the shootin open.
and tell with the difference; but, see
In. that a boiler log laid close to
hand, resorted TO a trick. SO TO
speak.
zone end O. that thar log had .
big hole In it: t'other end had little
hole in it-about as big as yore eye.
/ turned the log until ti1e little hole
pinted straight to'arda the hangin
limb; then ! crawled m me DIG 1 ,se;tS
and stopped 1t up ahind OF me WITH
pieces o. bark and rotten wood.
done my shootin' through the little
hole. thereby maxim the crack % my
gun mighty nigh nothin'. although Il
burned near busted my head. When
you fell, sneaked down. waded the
creek and got you, takin you up TO
the falls and through EN- ~ = lAo ~
ahind of 'em. Thar waited until
night. and then set out for home with
you on my shoulder.
AN efrective, if primitive. gun 81
lencer, wasn't II!
"T can't shank you enough be-
gan. when the mountameer inter-
r.Thank yoreself.' he said, Tor
haytn, the heart in you to gid down
OMEN yore boss and tear up . brand
new handkerchief to tie up pore 1T
Also. YOU let him ride yore boss home
While YOU walked. I'm that thar
how pap. Big Jake Holloway.
81 cannot go to arrest that man
RS really a case of being afraid
AFRAID of my conscience. WHATS that
I don't have to go! thank you Tor
that. Mr.. Davenport
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-08-01
Continued from Last sunday

The volunteers needed shirts. breech-
es, underwear. The four leading cities
in the manufacture OF cotton goods.
the four that led in milking wooden
goods and the leaders in making ciotlr-
ing were cut or from the United
States.
The volunteers needed shoes. More
than all. they needed shoes-shoes,
shoes and again shoesi Americans re-
allied with heavy hearts how these
unromantic things were making them
helpless; what blow it had been to
their defense when tile great SIassa-
cbusetts factories of Lynn. Brockton.
Haverhfll and Boston with their I'M
replaceable machinery had been taken
These cities and cities scattered through
the rest OF lost New England had pro
duced 81 per cent OF the boots and
shoes for the United States.
The army was short, even under It's
old, economical estimates of more tlIan
500 field artillery. To put the nrmy or
BOO. 600 volunteers into the field it,
would need at least 1900. In the days
of peace it had been calculated that the
shortage then existing could not be
made good in less than two years.
Now, with half hundred factories
toilkns, with blackened Wateryilet
roaring and changing as never factory
had Iabored before, guns We're being
turned out ut rate that promised to
reach surprising dimensions when ali
the shops were fully ut work.
But at best there were six months
during which nothing could be done
except to prepare. During those six
months while the country poured forth
It's money prodigally to make up in
wasteful speed whatsit had neglected
during long years the invader could sit
In the conquered seaboard cities and
suck them dry.
The volunteers had to learn every
thing. They had to learn TO shoot, TO
survive slush and rain and cold. to dig
trenches, and to march twenty and
more miles day with blankets, half u
tent. frying pan, plate, knife, fork,
water bottle, first mid kit, an emergen-
cy ration, an intrenching tool and bay
onet, heavy rifle and ninety heavy
cartridges.
six months at the very lowest pos
sible estimnte." said the secretary OF
war. And 1t viii be six months of
such work as this country never did
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-08-01

l6iana
The invaders take Block island. Nan
tuckct and Martha's Vineyard and warm
tho population not TO resist They bonn
bard with their warships the coast or
New England below Cape Cod
mainland IN powerful numbers and trans
ports protected BY submarines and torpedo
boat deSsroyers Ito on shore. with stu
more troops, artillery and horses Tnc
Rhode Island coast is held by the enemy.
the United States forts along the coast
md themselves too short handed TO emec-
lively attack the invaders They haven't
enough men Our ayiatorS are rendered
almost useless by the superior number OF
the enemy's air men.
Fene1ny aviatora ny over eastern. citis0
dropping written warnings that the In
vading forces arc about to advance ana
that civilians who resist will be dealt with
summarily. Our militia Is found TO be In
q state of cisorEani7ed decentralization
Tho enemy gains control of tho New
York, New Haven and Hartford railroad
and places a force OF 1000 men In shapo
to make inroads along the Atlantic sem
board Minor engagements occur.
In a desperate attack. began In . dense
fog by tho coalition feet. the dctense9 OK
Narragansett bay arc shattered and they
fall. The enemy's feet enters the bay
and the nation Is literally stunned
Tho killing of fourteen New England
farmers by the eneny's soldiers furthef
inflnmes public opinion. The invaders are
pressing onward through New England
against comparatively feeble opposition
The New Engianders blow up bridges
and tear-up railroad tracks In frantic eff
forts 10 stop the progress of the enemy
Dynnmiting occurs everywhere Stern re-
prisals are commanded by the chief OF
the foreigners. City after city was set In
flames.
A terrific commandment OF cities about
Boston harbor occurs. Hull is destroyed
By fire. The enemy lands forces at Ma
liant after preparing the way by heavy
assault with big shells. This action takes
place at night
whilo our forts put UP a gallant resist
ance and sink various of the hostile war
craft, the pressure becomes too great and
Boston Is surrendered The enemy an
nounces that Boston Is now to be ruled
by the headquarters stdr OF the foreign
army.
A mass of several thousand men from
New Haven. Hartford and other New
England cities seize rifles from factories
and trains and prepare to supplement the
regulars in resisting the attackers OF their
homes and cities.
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-08-01
BY j. ". MULLER
convriehted 1915 by J. Mulier All rights reserved

An the messages that we have re-
ceived prove that He has shown them
that their fate Is wholly in our hands:
that II we REFUSE to send them money
and foodstuffs and raw material they
viii have to blame US for the conse-
quences.-
The president of the United States
rose. Gentlemen" he said. they are
our own people. There is nothing else
that we can dor
That is the story of the invasion OF
America. There was nothing else that
we could do!