The Moonshiners at Hoho-Hebee Falls

The Moonshiners at Hoho-Hebee Falls

The narrative unfolds in a rural setting, primarily around a schoolhouse in Holly Cove, where the protagonist, Leander Yerby, is a spirited and adventurous boy. He is raised by Tyler Sudley and his wife, Laurelia, who have taken him in after the death of their own child. The couple's differing attitudes toward Leander create tension; Tyler is more affectionate, while Laurelia harbors resentment, feeling that Leander's presence is a constant reminder of her loss. Leander is depicted as a bright and curious child, excelling in his studies and displaying a natural talent for music, particularly with the violin. His carefree spirit often leads him into trouble, and he is drawn to the allure of the mountains and the river, despite the warnings of his guardians. The narrative explores themes of belonging, identity, and the struggle between duty and desire. As Leander grows, he becomes increasingly aware of his status as an outsider, particularly in relation to his biological family, the Yerbys, who are portrayed as less refined and more connected to the illicit activities of moonshining. Nehemiah Yerby, Leander's uncle, is introduced as a scheming character who seeks to exploit Leander's talents for his own gain, particularly in the context of running a store and engaging in illegal whiskey production. The plot thickens when Leander runs away, seeking freedom and adventure among the moonshiners. His journey leads him to Hoho-Hebee Falls, where he encounters a group of moonshiners, including his uncle Nehemiah. The tension escalates as law enforcement closes in on the moonshiners, leading to a chaotic confrontation. Leander's loyalty is tested as he navigates the complexities of his relationships with both his adoptive and biological families. Ultimately, the story culminates in a dramatic showdown between the moonshiners and the authorities, with Leander caught in the crossfire. The narrative concludes with Leander returning home, having learned valuable lessons about family, identity, and the consequences of choices. The themes of belonging and the search for one's place in the world resonate throughout the tale, highlighting the struggles of youth against the backdrop of societal expectations and personal desires.

By Mary Noailles Murfree · First published 1901 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Regional Fiction, Historical Fiction · 2 chapters · 33,338 words

First lines

If the mission of the little school-house in Holly Cove was to impress upon the youthful mind a comprehension and appreciation of the eternal verities of nature, its site could hardly have been better chosen. All along the eastern horizon deployed the endless files of the Great Smoky Mountains -- blue and sunlit, with now and again the apparition of an unfamiliar peak, hovering like a straggler in the far-distant rear, and made visible for the nonce by some exceptional clarification of the atmosphere; or lowering, gray, stern; or with ranks of clouds hanging on their flanks, while all the artillery of heaven whirled about them, and the whole world quaked beneath the flash and roar of its volleys. The seasons successively painted the great landscape -- spring, with its timorous touch, its illumined haze, its tender, tentative green and gray and yellow; summer, with its flush of completion, its deep, luscious, definite verdure, and the golden richness of fruition; autumn, with a full brush and all chromatic splendors; winter, in melancholy sepia tones, black and brown and many sad variations of the pallors of white. So high was the little structure on the side of a transverse ridge that it commanded a vast field of sky above the wooded ranges; and in the immediate foreground, down between the slopes which were cleft to the heart, was the river, resplendent with the reflected moods of the heavens. In this deep gorge the winds and the pines chanted like a Greek chorus; the waves continuously murmured an intricate rune, as if conning it by frequent repetition; a bird would call out from the upper air some joyous apothegm in a language which no creature of the earth has learned enough of happiness to translate.

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The Moonshiners at Hoho-Hebee Falls is listed on Textopian as a novel by Mary Noailles Murfree, dated 1901 CE.

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Southern Gothic · Regionalism · American Literature · Folklore · Moonshine · Prohibition Era · Rural Life · Mountain Culture · Social Class · Economic Struggle · Family Dynamics · Coming of Age

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