The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1854-05-05
LIFE IN TEXAS.

rr LIFE IN TEXAS. ID,
The following graphic description of do.
lnes,ic life in Texas, we take from cores
pondence of the N. Y. Times. The, ques,
lion suggests itself TO every freeman, shall
Kansas and Nebraska be fled with such
citizens, and be cursed by such Incidence
and shifllessness
AT Nacosdoches, an old town, with pop.
ulation OF 1000, we enquired at five stores
for flour, butter, and refined sugar, and were
informed that there was none Of either in
The town. AT Crockett, we enluired at sew.
en- stores and two hotels for fresh mea, and
butter. There was none of either in town.
awe have good grazing country all about
us" one merchant said, but we never
can get any butter except from New York ;
the farmers never make anything but cotton
and corn." We went TO bakers for bread.
Nothing but gingerbread and pound,cake
The only flour he had was veiy poor. AT
The stores we obtained New York crackers
(biscuiD at twenty cents n Eound, and poor
raisins, lhe only .frniD at fifty cents. Out
of these Two towns, The only articles of food
that we have been able TO procure, are corn
and pork, and the game we have ourselves
shot. Corn has not been sold TO us, in but
one case, a, less than one dollar bushel.
Once we have paid dollar ard a quarter,
and many planters, and nearly all the coun-
try people who do no, own negroes, refuse
10 sell il n, any prce--not having raised as
much as they want for themselves. ..
The corn is commonly mouldy, aud half
the bread we get has mouldy taste. To
make bread The corn is coarseIy ground in
mills, like coffee mills - one of which is
possessed by every family. The meal is
then sometimes siiled (oflen nol), formed
into cake, with wafer and salt only, and
baked in skillet. .r ..I
This corn bread with pork "fryn and
coffee, has been placed before us al every
meal, breakfast, dinner, and SUPPER a, every
house in which we have taken any food
during the three weeks we have been in
Texas, About half The time sweet potatoes
have been added 10 il. Twice or thrice we
had eggs with the "fryn-and these have
been no, only the invariable but the onl,
articles of food that we have found in any
house, with two exceptions, in Texas
Less than one-half the houses in or near
which we have spent the nights, have been
provided with wells or cisierns, and all The
water used in them is brough. by negroes,
generally from creek or branch, 5u, ofien
from mere puddle. distance, on an aver.
age, OF quarter Of mile. When we no.
lice the length of time these residences have
been occupied, apd observe the value OF the
slave and landed property Of their owners,
the absence OF so many conveniences oil
housekeeping, which we are wont 10 con,
slider indispensable; the entire want OF com,
fort, the apparent absence Of all means and
appliances of happiness above the most sim
pie savage and animal, is astonishing, and
its universally only 10 be credited aNel
Heightened experience. - ...,
What is the reason Of il! I, seems 10 be
occasioned by sheer Incidence. "Have
you no milk 2" "Non HBu, YOU have
plenty OF cowsW dts loo much trouble
TO drive them up and milk lhem.' Again
we have milk, but no bul,er-il s TOO much
trouble TO churn. No eggs-it Is TOO much
trouble 10 hun, for them. No beef-ii's han
dier 10 Try some more pork. No potatoes
II s loo much trouble 10 90 10 the bin iol
,hem--or il was loo much trouble 10 raise
them. No latch 10 the door-il's less irou
BILE 10 letit remain open, or 10 set. a log
against il, now everything lis diriy-it's toc
much trouble 10 wash; besides, awe have
10 send so far for wafer" "Why no, dig q
welllp at would iako SO much work, and
it's no trouble 10 send the niggers for walel
when they are any Of them about" Nc
candles-it's too much trouble 10 make
them. No more wood for The lire-it was
too much trouble 10 think of providing il
before-hand-"Wake up niger and LEI
him Gu, some now." All the corn and
consequently, all the Bread is mouldy
was TOO much trouble 10 SEQ that il was dry
when il was put into the crib. So II is
ereryirlere. Or course, there mus, be ex.
ceptions; bu, ,ha, we have no, met them,
is evidence ,ha, they are extremely rare
iha, Incidence, carelessness and Indifference
are characteristic of ,he,people in general.