Talk:The Law in Little Egypt

HEN he sent us “The Law in Little Egypt,” Hapsburg Liebe sent us this:

There are localities in these hills here that remind one of the old bad West, and more than one of them bears the picturesque name of “Hell.” In one of these places a certain man set himself up as the Law, and he had to kill some six or eight men, and then get shot in the back himself—and this is where I got my story. Little Egypt is a real place, but it is not a hell. The aversion the hill-folk have for negroes is interesting. A friend of mine, Tom H, a drummer, was crossing the mountains with a negro driver, when he was accosted by half a dozen hillmen.

“Hi, friend! Whar’d ye git him?”

Tom H realized that his driver was in danger.

Quickly he replied: “I’m the sheriff of Washington County, boys, and I’m taking him to jail.”

“What did he do?” asked the hillmen; and Tom replied: “Oh, he stole a shote.”

“He did!” said the hillmen. “Well, we’ll jest hang him for ye, sheriff!” And it was only by the timely intervention of an old mountaineer who had a level head that the driver was saved.