Year: 1879

DaDy Is du auBelI





OLD.TIME "REMINISCENCES.


Rough Travelling in Virginia and Kentucky,


in EARLY Times.


BY W. W.


On one occasion it was my fortune to
take horseback trip from Big Sandy
to the Kanawha valley, across the coun-
try; and, as my time was rather limited,
was constrained to ride after dark in
region at that time altogether un-
settled and wild; and, worst of all in
my case for night ride, one quite un-
familiar to me. On the night in ques-
ton, ! had gone on several miles after
passing the last cabin seen in the after
noon, and as the thick darkness came
down like pail, preventing me in the
dense forest from even seeing the ground
itself under my horses feet, to my dis
comfort and perhaps dismay, I began to
hear the deep muttering of thunder re-
echoed by the mountain ranges in the
far distance while SO rocky and rough
was the winding pathway along which
my tired horse was stumbling that there
was no such thing as hurrying him in the
chance of finding some place of shelter
for the night, and from the coming
tempest.


Of course, I blamed myself for not
stopping at the last cabin I had passed,
instead of tempting untried and wild
forest paths at that time of night, but
that did not help the case, and I could
only drop the reins on the neck of my
jaded steed, and leave him to find his
way to some clearing" if such was
within reach, in time enough to escape
the storm.


was creeping along in this manner,
slowly, my horse sometimes stumbling
over log or fallen tree and coming to
his knees, at other times sliding down
some hank, when. in, the far distance,
1 heard something that sounded
worse than the muttering thunder to
me-that pest of those wild mountain
regions at that period-the scream of a
panther. It came occasionally in short,
snappish quavers, making my horse
restive and fairly tremble under me
and yet, after hearing it once or twice,
I felt treasured when it seemed to grow
fainter, as if dying away in the distance,
finally ending altogether. But it had
had the effect of hurrying me forward
at whatever risk of possibly breaking
my neck, until at length I was satisfied
that I had gotten into the bridle-path
again, as I came to an open piece OF
water, the crossing of creek, appar-
entIy-the faint reflection of the sur.
face, despite the deep darkness, making
it plainly percephble.


Supposing, of course, that it must be
ford" or regular crossing-place,
rode straight across, and found myself
on the opposite side in a thicket OF
laurel bushes-I could feel them-but
my horse couldn't climb up the steep
bank. Thoroughly perplexed, and get.
ting nervous as the heavy thunder
storm was rapidly coming closer and ]
had no desire to be caught out there in
the creek, or even on its banks, I got
off my horse and down into the water
and undertook carefully to feel TO,
horse tracks, to see, if possible, how
after entering the creek, they turned on
leaving it. Unable to satisfy myself
I next tried. in the deep dark.
ness, to ride down the bed of the
creek; but fifty yards or so of expert
ment, as I foundered in and out of deer
holes and over sunken logs, satisfied me
that it wouldn't do; SO, returning TO the
ford once more, fortunatelya sharp fash
of lightning showed me horse tracks
and a sort of path leading down the
bank of the creek on the same side
had approached it; and finally SHARP
gallop of twenty minutes, as the light
ming was more frequent, enabled me tc
reach clearing and cabin, and to ge
my horse and myself under shelter JUS
as the storm came down with the utmost
fury, making me thankful enough that
it had not caught me out in the darl
woods. That jaunt was one of man,
such experiences, where I had, in ths
blind forest-paths, to trust the instincts
my horse for holding the right di
rection to places of shelter, although
as it proved-he was not capable O
leading off after getting clear of th'
woods and into the bed of the creek.


I had dropped in upon settle
named Bill Short, who, late as it was
did not intend to let me go supperles
to bed. With house full of children
and only the one room below and tn
loft above it to accommodate the who'll
crowd, he was about the jolliest chap
had encountered for many a day. TAX
ing down some strips of dried yenison
his wife soon made sort of savory stey
of it, and this, fanked by corn-dodger
hurried up in the same handy way, ant
some honey-for he had found bee
tree few days Eefore-left me nothing
to wish for, besides this, milk supplies
the place of coffee, to me always first
rate substitute or alternative.


The lodging was not 50 easily man
aged; at least there was no chance fo
me except on the floor, with my saddl
for pillow and my saddle-blanket un
der me; but it has always been a pu7
zle to me where and how the goo
woman slowed away eight children
three of them daughters almost grown
although two truckle-beds played


large part in disposing of the smalle
fry, and the loft suficed for the boys
there being but two beds in the roor
below. It, after all, shows how yer
little could accommodate, and satisf
too, the early settlers, for a merrie
crowd I have seldom fallen among i
any circle CT condition in life.


The next morning, when came t
leave, I couldn't induce my kind-heart
ed and pleasant host to take anything
but it was some satisfaction finally, t
remunerate him with good supply {
| powder, which caused to be conveye