Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1916-02-11

there won't be any Mc-Briars or
HaVeys. Well all be mountaineers
standin' together an holdin' what God
gave us. God knows l hate Milt Nc
Briar an his tribe-hate EN- with all
the power of hatin' that's In mean
I'm a mountain man. But Mills peo-
pie an my people have n thing In
common. We're mountain men, al
these hills are ourn. We have the
same KILN instinct when men seek to
rob US. We want to be let alone, an
II We fight amongst ourselves it amt
nothin' to the way we'll fight. shoulder
to shoulder an back to back, against
the robbers from down below"
The mar paused, and as Juanita
looked into his blazing eyes she shud.
dered, for it seemed that the killing
instinct of which he spoke was burn.
ing there. She thought Of nothing to
say, and he continued:
Its war between families now-but
when your people come-come to buy
for nothin' and fatten on u starva-
ton, we men of the mountains will
| forget that, an l reckon we'll fight to-
gether like all damnation against tho
rest. Thet's why I'm counselin' folks
not to sell needless"
Then you did not forbid your peo-
pie to sell to me?" inquired the girl.
why, in heavens name, should !
! make war on ye?" he suddenly de.
manded. Does a man fight children?
We don't fight the helpless up here in
the hills"
Possibly" she suggested with a
trace of irony, when you learn that
I'm not SO helpless you won't be SO
merciful."
We'll wait till that time comes"
said the man shortly. He paused for
a moment, then went On: Helpless!
Why, heaven knows, ma'am, l pity we,
Can't We see what odds ye're contend
in against? Can't We see that ye're
fightin' Gods hills and sandstone an
winds an thunder? Can't We see ye're
tryin' ter take out Of mems veins the
fire in their blood-the fire that's beer
burnin' there for two centuries? Ye're
like a little child tryin' ter pull dowr
a jail-house. Ye're singin' lullaby
songs to the thunder. Yes, l feel righi
sorry fer we, but I amt a-ightin' ye.'
I'm doing non Of those things
she answered with a defiant blaze IL
her eyes. I'm only trying to show
these people that their ignorance II
not necessary; that it's only part of
scheme to keep them vassals. Yo'
talk about the wild, free spirit of thu
mountain men. l think that free mel
will listen to that argument"
Anse laughed.
Change emf" he repeated, disre
garding the slur Of her last speech
"Why, If We don't give 1t up and 6,
back to your birds that pick at berries
do you know what will happen to we
I'll tell We. Thar will be a change, bu
it won't be in us. It'll be in you
You'll be mountainiZed.
"Ye can't live where the storm
come from an where the rivers ar
born an not have their spirit get int
your blood. Ye may think ye're l
partners with God, but l reckon ye1
find the hills are bigger than you bt
How much land do We need?"
Why"
Because l aim to see ye get it. Y
say I'm SCARED of We. aim to shoV
we how much I'm SCARED. l aim t
let We 60 your own fool way an flour
der In your own quicksand. An
nobody won't sell We what we wan
let me know an, by Almighty God, II
make We a free gift of a farm an T.
build your school myself. Thet's hoy
much I'm SCARED of we. I've tried t
be friends with We, an We won't hav
it. Now just go as fur as we feels II
clined an see how much l mind We.
He turned abruptly on his heel an
went out, quietly closing the door be
hind him.