Attica High School - Crimson Yearbook (Attica, IN)

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awed by his title and dignity, tried to set her at ease by starting a conversation. But Kate was obdurate and the Judge gave up in despair, promising himself, however, that he would win her interest. For, he thought, she would make an excellent heroine for a mountain novel. When Jed invited him to spend the day with them, say- ing that perhaps Kate would show him the country, the Judge was delighted, but his delight was short lived for Kate said sweetly, I am sorry I cannot do that for you, daddy, but I have promised Collins to go with him to Sas- safras Gulch tomorrow. You know Collins is going away the next day, and I could not disappoint him. But you may come anyway, she added, turning to the Judge, l'Daddy can show you many things in which you will be inter' ested, and Miss Kate rode away leaving the Judge disconsolate, and the townspeople hurt because their honored guest had been treated so coolly. As the postmaster said, i'Kate Darrow could ride with Collins Warner any day, but it wasn't every girl who could have the Judge as a guest. The next day the Judge set out for the farm in a happy mood, for he felt that Kate would change her mind and let Collins Warner go to Sassafras Gulch alone, but about a mile from the farm he met Kate and the young surveyor running a race on their playful horses. Ah , he thought, perhaps she fears that I do not enjoy her so- ciety. If only she knew how much I should like to know her she would not ride away from me so swiftly. He spent the day very pleasantly with Mr. Darrow and as they stood on the bank of a deep gulch, Jed told him the story of Bud Warner who had conducted a still in this very valley. Bud Warner had been a wily trans- gressor of the law but he had finally been discovered and was now serving his sentence while his wife and Collins tried to live down the stigma of their disgrace. When Judge Chesterfield returned to the town he made covert inquries into the facts of the Warner case. Young Dick Howitt, a jilted admirer of Kate, wrathfully denounced the whole Warner family and naturally the Judge conceived a bitter distrust of Collins. He now spent much time near the Warner Gulch and the townspeople who thought he was writing another volume, left him strictly alone. But soon it was whispered among the town dignitaries that there had been queer actions on the part of the stranger concerning the tale of the moonshiners. Some one had actually seen him near the cave of the old still, so now they felt that Humphrey Chesterfield must be a revenue ofiicer, and their reverence turned to hatred. The cave itself was near the Darrow home and one day as he was nearing the place he had met Kate coming from the Gulch with a tin bucket on her arm. That very day he had noticed a few broken weeds and following them he found that they made an undeniable trail thru the woods to the still. He also learned that young Warner was not at heme and by putting two and two together he had decided that moonshining was not extinct in the mountains, that Collins although honored by the neighborhood was even then engaged in unlawful business. To be sure it would be hard to accuse such a girl as Kate of being an accomplice in such a crime, but the law must not be violated and so he carefully planned to bring the transgressors to Justice. Q Y

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ff K Jilin? . X - f ,, 1 :fm if as :fri i'L-'ff' 2 if J' 'W 4' -VJ r ZF sf s ri LiTe'. RFIRY 3' ' -W Af 1 2i.5ff J 1 3 F if ' ei 2 X- as Z0 jk J 7? f 5,90 fa fy fa e W 'Wloonshining in Warner Gulch. OONBORO is a sleepy little town among the hills of Kentucky, that is, it is sleepy most of the time for there are only three things which yearly arouse the lethargic village. The first is the annual fair at which the thoroughbred horses make their grand runs, the second, a feud which has been many years in forming and is now sustained by periodic outbreaks, the last, the great husking bee at some farmer's barn. But the year of which we speak Coonboro was treated to a fourth excitement in the arrival of the dignified Judge Humphrey Chesterfield from Charleston. The villagers spoke of him in subdued tones and wondered much concerning hisfhealth for the benefit of which he had come to their locality. When some one discovered that he had actually written a book, all spoke of him in awed whispers. And when the Judge told them of the men he had sentenced in an hour, of his great prowess in catching a bold band of burglars, their awe was turned to reverence. Here surely was a man! But when Jed Darrow and his daughter Kate, who lived in the heart of the hills, came to town they were unawed by the dignified stranger. To be sure they had been to Boston but that was no excuse for their treatment of the Judge. Jed, when introduced, had said, Howdy, Mr. Chesterfield, glad to meet you. Be you any relation to blacksmith Chesterfield over at Center? , and Kate had merely nodded her recognition of the introduction. However, the Judge was favorably impressed by the girl's coolness and thinking that perhaps she was over-

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Now Jed Darrow happened to he shocking wheat near the path along which the Judge was passing and while quietly resting in a small copse of hazel brush he heard a voice and listening intently caught the words, We'll fol- low the trail tomorrow. Instantly Jed thought of the trail to the still and he hastily set out across the field to the house. He told Kate what he had heard and together they prepared to meet the Judge on his own grounds. The next day with a detective, Mr. Burch, whom he had called from the city, Judge Chesterfield set out for Warner Gulch. In the meantime Collins had been told of the coming invasion and now with Kate and Jed was safely hidden among the bushes and rocks near the still. Collins had objected to hiding, but Jed had said, Ult may not seem like the man's part to hide but under these circumstances I think it is best. As the officers approached they looked often at one another as if for mutual support and the Judge stealthily crept up the trail and drew near the mouth of the cave. Among the bushes sat a small tin bucket and in the bot- tom was a sparkling liquid. To this Chesterfield pointed and Burch gave a significant nod. As they neared the place of conflict both sides were nerved to the tense pitch of battle. A short rustle and a quick breath from within the cave and the officers paused for a moment. Then the Judge quickly stepped into the darkness of the cave and in a loud voice called, Immediate surrender! You are found and under cover. But his pistol was knocked from his hand and the report sounded dully against the roof of the cave, while with a hiss and a beating of wings a huge bird flew out and gracefully alighted on the ground near by. Detective Burch peered intently into the cave and as his eyes became accustomed to the darkness saw in the great bowl of the corn press a neat bed of round speckled eggs, and with an oath he turned to the Judge who stood staring stupidly at the kyowking fowl, and said, Well, we have madea nice mess ofit. What shall we say to the chief? As they talked Jed, Collins and Kate had come to the entrance and now looked mirthfully in upon the dis- comfited officers. So you thought we was moonshiners, did you?, exclaimed Jed. i'Well it would almost take judges and detec- tives both to find a turkey nest. But Kate here, she's ahead of you. You bet she watched that turkey. Why them young 'urs when they're hatched and grown are to go to buy her weddin' gown. She's been a carryin' water up here for the last three weeks. The eggs are a'most ready to hatch now. Come on out of here and let the turkey go back for if the eggs get chilled, the little turkls 'll die in the shell. So you thought we was moonshiners! Sounded more like angels when we flew didn't it? and Jed doubled up in an ecstasy of mirth while Kate and Collins kept him company. But Judge Humphrey Chesterfield and Detective Burch had quietly and shamefacedly gathered up their fallen pistols and ignominiously made their retreat along the turkey path. And now when you mention moon shiners to the Coonboro folk they look at one another knowingly, with an unseemly mirth, and when they are in a good humor will tell the story of Kate's turkey. -VELMA LIGHT '15 Wadi