When Pa got home he called a family meeting. “Boys, I see you got all of the tobacco reaped and hung in the barn. I’m mighty proud of you. I guess the corn will have to be next. Lucy, I imagine the root cellar is gettin filled up with applesauce and apple butter. Do you think the lion meat will be havin room in there, too?”
Lucy said, “Oh, we have plenty of room fur the lion meat and lots of other goodies too! The girls and I finished up the last of the apples today. Tomorrow we will have wash day and then the following day get back to cannin.”
Earl said, “We need to make a few changes around here. There was a revenooeer man at the general store today and he means business. Kids, we can’t talk about moonshine or stills anymore. Outsiders done made laws and will put your pa in jail if’n they find any moonshine or any part of a still. From now on, we can’t mention the still and the cabin up there is now known as ‘The Huntin Cabin’. We talked about it before, but this ain’t no joke and that is that. When we go up there, we will do some huntin every time. We could use some good old venison to keep us over the winter, anyway.”
“ The revenooer man is goin to be snoopin around, you can count on it. The best answer you can give him if he asks you a question is,’I don’t know’, “ Earl said.
“Pa, if there are laws against moonshinin, does that mean it is wrong?” little Hattie asked.
“Honey, our ancestors brung over our moonshinin makin skills from the old country and it is a part of our heritage. The Scots-Irish has been makin whiskey for many, many years. It’s like makin quilts and carvin furniture and playin the gitar and banjo. It’s a part of who we are. Now, I don’t plan on quittin makin moonshine, just becuz outsiders tell me its wrong and they made laws agin it, but we sure as shootin ain’t goin to flaunt it either. I don’t plan to go to jail over our heritage. It just has to be a super secret and not be talked about. Do you understand?” Earl explained.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
“Yes, Pa, I think I do. Besides, 5 year olds don’t know what grown ups business is. Ha ha!,” Little Hattie said.
“You is one smart cookie, Hattie,” her pa said proudly.
Pa said, “I want you all to be friendly to strangers, but don’t give out no information.”
The next evening at supper, Carl said, “I was workin on gettin in the corn today and seen something out of the corner of my eye. I thought it might be that big old rattler and whipped my head around right fast and saw a man walkin out across the back of the field toward the spring. Well, I stopped what I wuz doin and follered him. When I got to the spring, he was drinkin big gulps of our water. I asked him, “Kin I help you?”
He answered, “Oh, hello. I’m Steve and was just drinkin some of this fine, clear spring water. It is mighty fine water for makin shine, ain’t it?”
Carl said, “I wouldn’t know. It is mighty fine fur drinkin and coolin off the spring house and waterin the crops. Purty darn cold fur takin a bath, though. Where did you come from and what are you doin on our land?”
Steve said, “I’m from down the mountain a ways. Lookin fur people with the talent of makin moonshine. Do you know of anybody in these here parts?”
Carl said, “I can’t say I do. Are you goin to be around here long?”
“No, I got to be moseyin along. Nice meetin you,” Steve said as he backed off and left the way he came.
Earl asked, “So he said his name is Steve? That’s the revenooer.”
“I figured as much,” Carl said. “Well, I know what he looks like!”