ON HELL-FER-SARTAIN CREEK
THROUGH THE GAP
A TRICK O' TRADE
GRAYSON'S BABY
COURTIN' ON CUTSHIN
THE MESSAGE IN THE SAND
THE SENATOR'S LAST TRADE
PREACHIN' ON KINGDOM-COME
THE PASSING OF ABRAHAM SHIVERS
A PURPLE RHODODENDRON
Thar was a dancin'-party Christmas night on "Hell fer Sartain." Jestu'n up the fust crick beyond the bend thar, an' climb onto a stump,an' holler about ONCE, an' you'll see how the name come. Stranger,hit's HELL fer sartain! Well, Rich Harp was thar from the head-waters,an' Harve Hall toted Nance Osborn clean across the Cumberlan'. Fustone ud swing Nance, an' then t'other. Then they'd take a pull out'nthe same bottle o' moonshine, an'—fust one an' then t'other—they'dswing her agin. An' Abe Shivers a-settin' thar by the fire a-bitin'his thumbs!
Well, things was sorter whoopin', when somebody ups an' tells Harvethat Rich had said somep'n' agin Nance an' him, an' somebody ups an'tells Rich that Harve had said somep'n' agin Nance an' HIM. In aminute, stranger, hit was like two wild-cats in thar. Folks got 'emparted, though, but thar was no more a-swingin' of Nance that night.Harve toted her back over the Cumberlan', an' Rich's kinsfolks tuk himup "Hell fer Sartain"; but Rich got loose, an' lit out lickety-splitfer Nance Osborn's. He knowed Harve lived too fer over Black Mountainto go home that night, an' he rid right across the river an' up toNance's house, an' hollered fer Harve. Harve poked his head out'n theloft—he knowed whut was wanted—an' Harve says, "Uh, come in hyeh an'go to bed. Hit's too late!" An' Rich seed him a-gapin' like a chicken,an' in he walked, stumblin' might' nigh agin the bed whar Nance wasa-layin', listenin' an' not sayin' a word.
Stranger, them two fellers slept together plum frien'ly, an' they ettogether plum frien'ly next mornin', an' they sa'ntered down to thegrocery plum frien'ly. An' Rich says, "Harve," says he, "let's have adrink." "All right, Rich," says Harve. An' Rich says, "Harve," sayshe, "you go out'n that door an' I'll go out'n this door." "All right,Rich," says Harve, an' out they walked, steady, an' thar was two shootsshot, an' Rich an' Harve both drapped, an' in ten minutes they wasstretched out on Nance's bed an' Nance was a-lopin' away fer the yarbdoctor.
The gal nussed 'em both plum faithful. Rich didn't hev much to say,an' Harve didn't hev much to say. Nance was sorter quiet, an' Nance'smammy, ole Nance, jes grinned. Folks come