On Hell-Fer-Sartain Creek

Abstract

On Hell-Fer-Sartain Creek by JOHN FOX, JR. Thar was a dancin'-party Christmas night on "Hell fer Sartain." Jes tu'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 headwaters, an' Harve Hall toted Nance Osborn clean across the CumberIan '. Fust one ud swing Nance, an' then t'other. Then they'd take a pull out'n the same bottle o' moonshine, an'—fust one an' then t'other—they swing her agin. An' Abe Shivers a-settin' thar by the fire a-bitin' his thumbs! Well, things was sorter whoppin', when somebody ups an' tells Harve that 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 a minute, stranger, hit was like two wildcats in thar. Folks got 'em parted, though, but thar was no more a-swingin' of Nance that night. Harve toted her back over Ae Cumberlan', an' Rich's kinsfolks tuk him up "Hell fer Sartain"; but Rich got loose, an' lit out lickety-split fer Nance Osborn's. He knowed Harve lived too fer over Black Mountain to go home that night, an' he rid right across the river an' up to Nance's house, an' hollered for Harve. Harve poked his head out'n the loft—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' night agin the bed whar Nance was a-layin', listenin an' not sayin' a word. Stranger, them two fellers slept together plum frien'ly, an' they et together plum frien'ly next . mornin', an' they sa'ntered down to the grocery plum frien'ly. An' Rich says, "Harve," says he, "Let's have a drink." "AU right, Rich," says Harve. An' Rich says, "Harve," says he, "you go out'n that door an' TIl go out'n this door." "All right, Rich," says Harve, an' out they walked, steady, an' thar was two shoots shot, an' Rich an' Harve both drapped, an' in ten minutes they was stretched out on Nance's bed an' Nance was a-lopin' away fer Ae yarb doctor. The gal nussed 'em boA plum faiAful. Rich didn't hev much to say, an' Harve didn't hev much to say. Nance was sorter quiet, an' Nance's mammy, ole Nance, jes grinned. Folks come in to ax atter 'em right peart. Abe Shivers come cl'ar 'cross Ae river—powerful frien'ly—an' ever* time Nance ud walk out to Ae fence wiA him. One time she didn't come back, an' ole Nance fotched the boys Aar dinner, an' ole Nance fotched Aeir supper, an' then Rich he axed whut was the matter wiA young Nance. An' ole Nance jes snorted. Atter a while Rich says: "Harve," says he, "who tol' you Aat I said that word agin you an' Nance?" "Abe Shivers," says Harve. "An' who tol' you," says Harve, "that I said Aat word agin Nance an' you?" "Abe Shivers ," says Rich. An' both says, "Well, damn 16 me!" An' Rich tu'ned right over an' begun mas night on "Hell fer Sartain." Rich Harp pullin' straws out'n the bed. He got two '11 be thar from the headwaters. Harve out, an' he bit one off, an' he says: "Harve," Hall's a-goin' to tote the Widder Shivers says he, "I reckon we better draw fer him. clean across the Cumberlan'. Fust one'll The shortes' gits him." An' they drawed. swing Nance, an' then t'other—they'll swing Well, nobody ever knowed which got the her agin, jes the same. Abe won't be thar. shortes' straw, stranger, but He's a-settin' by a bigger fire, I reckon (ef Thar'll be a dancin'party comin' Christ- he ain't in it), a-bitin' his thumbs! DISINHERITED for Elijah—all the...