THE QUARE WOMEN THE QUARE WOMEN A STORY OF THE KENTUCKY MOUNTAINS _By_ LUCY FURMAN [Illustration] THE ATLANTIC MONTHLY PRESS BOSTON COPYRIGHT 1923 BY LUCY FURMAN ALL RIGHTS RESERVED First Impression April 1923 Second Impression May 1923 Third Impression January 1924 Fourth Impression October 1924 PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA CONTENTS I The Quare Women 1 II Taking the Night 24 III The Fourth of July 45 IV The Singing Gal 63 V The Widow-Man 81 VI Devil's Ditties 107 VII The Funeral Occasion 132 VIII Moonshine 155 IX The Danger Line 176 X Farewell to Summer 203 _The atmosphere of this story, its background, and even many of its incidents, arise from the author's connection with the Hindman Settlement School, in Knott County, Kentucky._ THE QUARE WOMEN I THE QUARE WOMEN Aunt Ailsie first heard the news from her son's wife, Ruthena, who, returning from a trading trip to The Forks, reined in her nag to call,-- "Maw, there's a passel of quare women come in from furrin parts and sot 'em up some cloth houses there on the p'int above the courthouse, and carrying on some of the outlandishest doings ever you heared of. And folks a-pouring up that hill till no jury can't hardly be got to hold court this week." The thread of wool Aunt Ailsie was spinning snapped and flew, and she stepped down from porch to palings. "Hit's a show!" she exclaimed, in an awed voice. "I heared of one down Jackson-way one time, where there was a elephant and a lion and all manner of varmints, and the women rid around bareback, without no clothes on 'em to speak of." "No, hit hain't no show, neither, folks claim; they allow them women is right women, and dresses theirselves plumb proper. Some says they come up from the level land. And some that Uncle Ephraim Kent fotched 'em in." "Didn't you never go up to see?" Ruthena laughed. "I'll bound I would if I'd a-been you," she said; "and but for that sucking child at home, I allow I would myself." "Child or no child, you ought to have went," complained Aunt Ailsie, disappointed. "I wisht Lot would come on back and tell me about 'em." Next morning she was delighted to see her favorite grandson, Fult Fallon, dash up the branch on his black mare. "Tell about them quare women," she demanded, before he could dismount. "I come to get some of your sweet apples for 'em, granny," he said. "'Peared like they was apple-hungry, and I knowed hit was time for yourn." "Light and take all you need," she said. "But, Fulty, stop a spell first and tell me more about them women. Air they running a show like we heared of down Jackson-way four or five year gone?"