"Through the Gap" by John Fox Jr., A Melungeon's HomePage

"John Fox Jr. wrote two stories that had Melungeon characters-- he often included them in early 'drafts' but usually changed the characterizations before publication. This short story, called 'Through the Gap,' was published in 1897, in the collection, Hell-fer-Sartin and Other stories He is referring to Big Stone Gap, (the gap in Wise County's Stone Mountain and a gateway to Lee Co., VA, Bell Co. and Harlan Co., Ky, and also toward Cumberland Gap, and thus Hancock Co., TN). Notice how Fox uses 'Malungian' and 'half-breed' interchangeably; of what 'ethnic' background is the woman? What's her relationship to the 'Malungian'?

THROUGH THE GAP

by John Fox Jr.

WHEN thistles go adrift, the sun sets down the valley between the hills; when snow comes, it goes down behind the Cumberland and streams through a great fissure that people call the Gap. Then the last light drenches the parson's cottage under Imboden Hill, and leaves an after-glow of glory on a majestic heap that lies against the east. Sometimes it spans the Gap with a rainbow.
Strange people and strange tales come through this Gap from the Kentucky hills. Through it came these two, late one day -- a man and a woman -- afoot. I met them at the foot-bridge over Roaring Fork. "