The Adair County news., 1921-08-23

didn't fO'git to ak what might De yOre
name, mister!"
"Bill Dale" came quickly-"Bin
Dale. Settlement? Sure! Lead the
way, By Heck. Who's the young wom-
an l was talking with when you came
upT
"Who? Her? That's old Ben Little
ford's gyurl. Her names Babe. That's
what they call her. She's got another
name; but it amt been used fo' so
long it's been fO'got, l reckon. She's
the youngest one O. old Ben's children.
She hain't like none O. the rest O. the
LittlefOrds BY gosh, she's awful high
headed. She can read good, Babe can.
Old Major Bradley, from down at Car
tersville in the lOwland, he spends his
summers up here fO' his health, and he
teached Babe how to read. Fine fell
Ter, Major Bradley. Lawyer. Babe
she has done read everything in the
whole DANCED country. The's sev'ral
Bibles, and a book about a Pilgrims
Progress, and a Bakers HOSS and
Cattle Almaneck, and a dic-dictionary.
But we'd better light out fO' the
settlement, MIR. Bill, or We'll miss din
ner, mebbe. I'm a plumb DANCED fool
about eatin'. l ct twenty-five biscuits
o. tiOur-bread this mOrnin' fo' break
fus', asides a whole billed hamshank,
and other things accordin'. It's the
dyin' truth! Come on, MIR. Bill"
They went down to the creek,
it n
climb the low cliff.
After an hours travelling Heck
stopped in the trail and put the butt
of his rifle to the ground.
From right here, Bill" he said, I'VE
can see every house in the whole
DANCED settlement"
They were standing on the crest of
David Morelands mountain. Below
them lay q broad valley checkered
with small farms; and each farm had
its log cabin, its log barn and its apple
orchard. Beyond it all rose the great
and majestic Big Pine, which was
higher and more rugged with cliffs
than David MOreland's mountain.
The Morelands lives on this side O.
the river, and the Littlefords lives on
yam side" drawled Heck. "They don't
never have nothing to do with each
other, but they don't hardly ever fight;
they're all strappin' big men, and they
fights so DANCED hard 1t don't pay. My
gosh, Bill, every man of 'em can shoot
a gnat's eyelash off at four hundred
yards-I wisht | may drap dead eff
they CANT! Do ye see that big cabin
right plumb in the middle O. the nigh
half O. the settlement, Bill? Well, the
boss O. the Morelands he lives thar
John Moreland. That's whar you want
to 60, Bill, sence we've got oncyor-
able case O. the disease knowed as
coal-on-the-brain. But l can tell ye
aforehand, you amt got enough money
to buy that coal, don't matter how
much money we've got"
Dale was not looking toward John
Moreland'S home now. His gaze had
wandered to the other side of the
river. By Heck waited a full minute
for a reply to his speech. then he
spoke again:
''The gyurl. or the Goals that
what's a-botherin' ye, Bill?"
Dale's eyes twinkled. Must 1 choose
between them?" he laughed.
"ShOre" By Heck wasn't even smil-
ing. "Shore! The Morelands and
Littlefords hates each other wuss nor
a blue-tailed hawk hates a crow. The
gyurl, or the coal, Bill"
wen go down to John Moreland's," )"
announced Dale.
The mountaineer took up his rifle.
Let me gi' We word or two O. warn
in" he continued seriously. Don't
you offer to pay John Moreland fo'
eatin' his grub, nor fO sleepin' in his
bed, nor fo' chawin' his tobacker. Eff
We do, yOre goose will shore be cooked
with John Moreland. But eff We was
to brag on the vittles a little, Johns
wife a-bein' pOw'ful handy in the
kitchen, it wouldn't do a DANCED bit
O. harm. Do ye understand it all now,
Bnl?"
Dale nodded, and they began the de-
! scent.
OOhu N4OL MUST was DullL VI
whole oak logs, which! were chinked
with oak splits and daubed in between
with clay; the roof was of handmade
boards, and a chimney of stones and
clay rose at either end.
John MOreland himself sat on the
front porch, and beside him lay a re,
peating rifle, two young squirrels that
had been very neatly shot through the
head, and weary black-and-tan
hound. He was an uncommonly big
man, and about fOrty-seven; his eyes
were gray and keen; his thick hair
and full beard were a rich brown, with
only few threads of white. There
was a certain English tineness about
the man. One felt that he could trust
John Moreland.
AS the moonshiner and his compan
ion reached the gate Moreland rose
and pushed his hat back from his fore
head.
Hi, John," grinned Heck. "This
here feller wants to stay with ye 6
few days, John. Seems to be al
right"
Come right in," invited the CHIEF
Of the Morelands. He indicated the