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bors of Mrs。 Egger。
Egger is well prepared to entertain strangers； having several rooms and several beds in each room。 Upon consultation with the drovers； they said they'd just as soon occupy an apartment by themselves； and we gave up their society for the night。 The beds in our chamber had each one sheet； and the room otherwise gave evidence of the modern spirit； for in one corner stood the fashionable aesthetic decoration of our Queen Anne drawing…rooms；the spinning…wheel。 Soothed by this concession to taste； we crowded in between the straw and the home…made blanket and sheet； and soon ceased to hear the barking of dogs and the horned encounters of the drovers' herd。
We parted with Mr。 Egger after breakfast （which was a close copy of the supper） with more respect than regret。 His total charge for the entertainment of two men and two horsessupper； lodging； and breakfastwas high or low； as the traveler chose to estimate it。 It was 1。20： that is； thirty cents for each individual； or ten cents for each meal and lodging。
Our road was a sort of by…way up Gentry Creek and over the Cut Laurel Gap to Worth's； at Creston Post Office； in North Carolina；the next available halting place； said to be fifteen miles distant； and turning out to be twenty…two； and a rough road。 There is a little settlement about Egger's； and the first half mile of our way we had the company of the schoolmistress； a modest； pleasant…spoken girl。 Neither she nor any other people we encountered had any dialect or local peculiarity of speech。 Indeed； those we encountered that morning had nothing in manner or accent to distinguish them。 The novelists had led us to expect something different； and the modest and pretty young lady with frank and open blue eyes； who wore gloves and used the common English speech； had never figured in the fiction of the region。 Cherished illusions vanish often on near approach。 The day gave no peculiarity of speech to note； except the occasional use of 〃hit〃 for 〃it。〃
The road over Cut Laurel Gap was very steep and stony； the thermometer mounted up to 80 deg。； and； notwithstanding the beauty of the way； the ride became tedious before we reached the summit。 On the summit is the dwelling and distillery of a colonel famous in these parts。 We stopped at the house for a glass of milk； the colonel was absent； and while the woman in charge went after it； we sat on the veranda and conversed with a young lady； tall； gent； well favored； and communicative； who leaned in the doorway。
〃Yes； this house stands on the line。 Where you sit； you are in Tennessee； I'm in North Carolina。〃
〃Do you live here？〃
〃Law； no； I'm just staying a little while at the colonel's。 I live over the mountain here； three miles from Taylorsville。 I thought I'd be where I could step into North Carolina easy。〃
〃How's that？〃
〃Well； they wanted me to go before the grand jury and testify about some pistol…shooting down by our house； some friends of mine got into a little difficulty；and I did n't want to。 I never has no difficulty with nobody； never says nothing about nobody； has nothing against nobody； and I reckon nobody has nothing against me。〃
〃Did you come alone？〃
〃Why； of course。 I come across the mountain by a path through the woods。 That's nothing。〃
A discreet； pleasant； pretty girl。 This surely must be the Esmeralda who lives in these mountains； and adorns low life by her virgin purity and sentiment。 As she talked on； she turned from time to time to the fireplace behind her； and discharged a dark fluid from her pretty lips； with accuracy of aim； and with a nonchalance that was not assumed； but belongs to our free…born American girls。 I cannot tell why this habit of hers （which is no worse than the sister habit of 〃dipping〃） should take her out of the romantic setting that her face and figure had placed her in； but somehow we felt inclined to ride on farther for our heroine。
〃And yet；〃 said the Professor； as we left the site of the colonel's thriving distillery； and by a winding； picturesque road through a rough farming country descended into the valley；〃and yet； why fling aside so readily a character and situation so full of romance； on account of a habit of this mountain Helen； which one of our best poets has almost made poetical； in the case of the pioneer taking his westward way； with ox…goad pointing to the sky：
〃'He's leaving on the pictured rock His fresh tobacco stain。'
〃To my mind the incident has Homeric elements。 The Greeks would have looked at it in a large； legendary way。 Here is Helen； strong and lithe of limb； ox…eyed； courageous； but woman…hearted and love… inspiring； contended for by all the braves and daring moonshiners of Cut Laurel Gap； pursued by the gallants of two States； the prize of a border warfare of bowie knives and revolvers。 This Helen； magnanimous as attractive； is the witness of a pistol difficulty on her behalf； and when wanted by the areopagus； that she may neither implicate a lover nor punish an enemy （having nothing； this noble type of her sex） against nobody）； skips away to Mount Ida； and there； under the aegis of the flag of her country； in a Licensed Distillery； stands with one slender foot in Tennessee and the other in North Carolina〃
〃Like the figure of the Republic itself； superior to state sovereignty；〃 interposed the Friend。
〃I beg your pardon；〃 said the Professor； urging up Laura Matilda （for so he called the nervous mare； who fretted herself into a fever in the stony path）； 〃I was quite able to get the woman out of that position without the aid of a metaphor。 It is a large and Greek idea； that of standing in two mighty States； superior to the law； looking east and looking west； ready to transfer her agile body to either State on the approach of messengers of the court； and I'll be hanged if I didn't think that her nonchalant rumination of the weed； combined with her lofty moral attitude； added something to the picture。〃
The Friend said that he was quite willing to join in the extremest defense of the privileges of beauty；that he even held in abeyance judgment on the practice of dipping； but when it came to chewing； gum was as far as he could go as an allowance for the fair sex。
〃When I consider everything that grows Holds in perfection but a little moment。。。〃
The rest of the stanza was lost； for the Professor was splashing through the stream。 No sooner had we descended than the fording of streams began again。 The Friend had been obliged to stipulate that the Professor should go ahead at these crossings； to keep the impetuous nag of the latter from throwing half the contents of the stream upon his slower and uncomplaining companion。
What a lovely country； but for the heat of noon and the long wearisomeness of the way！not that the distance was great； but miles and miles more than expected。 How charming the open glades of the river； how refreshing the great forests of oak and chestnut； and what a panorama of beauty the banks of rhododendrons； now intermingled with the lighter pink and white of the laurel！ In this region the rhododendron is called laurel） and the laurel （the sheep…laurel of New England） is called ivy。
At Worth's； well on in the afternoon； we emerged into a wide； open farming intervale； a pleasant place of meadows and streams and decent dwellings。 Worth's is the trading center of the region； has a post office and a saw…mill and a big country store； and the dwelling of the proprietor is not unlike a roomy New England country house。 Worth's has been immemorially a stopping…place in a region where places of accommodation are few。 The proprietor； now an elderly man； whose reminiscences are long ante bellum； has seen the world grow up about him； he the honored； just center of it； and a family come up into the modern notions of life； with a boarding…school education and glimpses of city life and foreign travel。 I fancy that nothing but tradition and a remaining Southern hospitality could induce this private family to suffer the incursions of this wayfaring man。 Our travelers are not apt to be surprised at anything in American life； but they did not expect to find a house in this region with two pianos and a bevy of young ladies； whose clothes were certainly not made on Cut Laurel Gap； and to read in the books scattered about the house the evidences of the finishing schools with which our country is blessed； nor to find here pupils of the Stonewall Jackson Institute at Abingdon。 With a flush of local pride； the Professor took up； in the roomy； pleasant chamber set apart for the guests； a copy of Porter's 〃Elements of Moral Science。〃
〃Where you see the 'Elements of Moral Science；'〃 the Friend generalized； 〃there'll be plenty of water and towels；〃 and the sign did not fail。 The friends intended to read this book in the cool of the day； but as they sat on the long veranda； the voice of a maiden reading the latest novel to a sewing group behind the blinds in the drawing…room； and the antics of a mule and a boy in front of the store opposite； and the arrival of a spruce young man； who had just ridden over from somewhere； a matter of ten miles' gallop； to get a medicinal potion for his sick mother； and lingered chatting w