Smokey Cove

Near Singer is the site of the old C.V. Logging Camp. Since August 4, 1891, it's been referred to as "Smokey Cove" because of the amount of gunsmoke that hung in the air down in hollow, or "holler" as my people say. My cousin, Linda Bass Clark, just told me that in response to the plea below. Other cousin, Terry, wrote to me about it because he's a double descendant of those Redbone outlaws. Terry's grandmother, Estelle Ashworth Yarborough, had two grandfathers in the fight. Her paternal grandfather was Amos Owen Ashworth, and her maternal grandfather was ol' Josh Perkins mentioned in the tale. Well, anyways, Terry writes that Ol' Josh had a pipe shot out of his mouth, but by golly, he killed the low life that shot at him. According to family legend, Ol' Josh--finding himself outnumbered--ran into the swamp and jumped Beckworth Creek, which Terry says must have been a lot smaller in those days or else Ol' Josh was one helluva broadjumper. He got away because none of his pursuers would even try jumping it.

You know, if a bunch of men with guns were chasing me . . . . ? Hell, I'd jump that creek or give it a helluva try.

Now, the following is a true story (sort of). I remember once when I lived in Alaska, this buddy of mine and I were going hiking back off in the country, or as they say up there, "the bush." Well, anyway, I show up in my adiddas and he looks at my feet and laughs. "Why you wearing running shoes," he asks, "We're going hiking in the tundra." "I'm wearing running shoes," I answer, "just in case we run into a bear." Says he to me: "You can't outrun a bear, even in running shoes." "No," says I, "but I can outrun you."