Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-06-05

immovable as ever, not even taking his
pipe from his mouth, and consequently
mumbling his words. Bell did as re
quested, took his saddle-bags upon his
arm and stepped into the plat Of ground
in front of the house, which was totally
devoid of flowers, grass or shrubs. As he
entered he was rather surprised at two
lean and glaring hounds rushing out from
under the house, and giving him q wei
come that was not very reassuring, each
one in single dismal howl.
At this the old gentleman lifted him :
self up with some energy, took his pipe
in his hand and stamped violently on the
ground.
Git down, you cussed brutesl' he
said, in heavy growl. stranger, come
in. There ant no harm In EN-. They
don't often see nobady in this yer Sec
tion."
The hounds went back meekly to their
shelter under the house.
Come in, come in" said the old man.
Yer hoss'll be took care on"
Bell entered the house, and found an
old woman knitting and dipping snuff in
one corner Of the Fireplace. She said
nothing. The ERE was on the hearth, for
stoves were considered a villain ous
Yankee invention in this region. The
old man gave the burning brands a
vicious kick and punch with his boot. he
then went to the door and roared out, in
a voice so grum and loud that it seemed
likely to shake all his bones out of their
sockets:
"Yoy, JAKE Ho, JAKEr
A response came in peculiar and an.
earthly sound, q kind of "bsrbaric
yawp," as Walt Whitman might call it,
that was evidently of African extraction.
Bell heard the sound of the negro's steps
approaching, and the old man said to
him 4:
"You, Jake Take this strangers hoss
down ter the stable and give him feed. I"
The negro made no response, but Bell
saw through the open door that the order
was obeyed.
Bells host now came in and gave the
fire two or three more punches with the
toe of his boot, and threw on some oak
chunks that lay on the hearth. He then
took his pipe from the mantel, while his
wife dipped snuff. This disgusting
habit consists in rubbing the gums
with snuff that is sold in the
South in large quantities in wide
mouthed bottles. A stick about the
size of lead pencil is chewed at one
end until it becomes similar to a brush,
or, as it is called, "a mop" The snuff,
in which it is dipped, moist from the
mouth, adheres to it and is rubbed against
the gums, producing O sort of stupor or
intoxication. The practice is said to
have originated with the negroes, but is
now very common with the whites.
The house contained but one room, on
opposite sides of which there were two
rickety beds. The kitchen, as is usual
in this region, was a separate building
When the old man began to get warm be
commenced conversation.
"Stranger, whar you from p he asked,
breaking the silence with no preliminary
movement, while he was looking steadily
into the FIRE.
"Corinth," replied Bell, with equal
stolidity.
"What's the Yanks doin' up thar"
fisherman has gone east with large
force" said Bell, ITO join General Grant
at Richmond"
"Umphi Han't got nary newspaper
with yod ?"
Bell desired to use his newspapers TO
propitiate more important persons where
he was going, and, therefore, shook his
head. The old woman spoke up:
"What on yearth do you want news
papers forP Yer can't read" said she,
"nur me nuther, for that matter"
"Well, reckon some of our neighbors
kin if we can't" responded her lord, in
a Modifying tone. Papers is cussed
scurse south nv hyer, stranger. We don't
often hyar from the lines nuther."
The old lady now got up and busted
herself in preparing q supper for the
scout. The repsst consisted of loaf or
q "pone,p as It is called, Of corn bread,
seme rancid bacon and coffee made of
burnt corn. The Ingredients of the corn
bread are remarkably simple, being mere
ly meal, cold water and little salt II is
baked in covered iron skillet, which is
embedded in GOALS, The meal is always
unsifted, and not unfrequently contains
large pieces of the cob, and it is thrown
in a rough lump into the skillet 1t will
stay hunger and is no doubt healthy, bat
it occurred to Bell, as be was attempting
to make q meal of it, that it was much
better adapted to be used as q curry
comb. The old gentleman still contin-
ued the compensation at intervals:
"The dog g-gOned coniederacy,r be
said, "conscrip,ea our two boys, and left
me aud the old 'ooman all alone. Ian't
got only two niggers, and they ant with
8 dorm. Yer can't treat 'em anyways
rough, bat tas jos.goned cusses git of
and 90 North 10 the Ysnkees.
He further expressess Wish, in his
own vernacular, that all the Yankees
we're in the internal regions, and he was
stirring the ere. a.- .r.-
Bell then went out and found that bis
horse had been we'll attended 20. De
then sat for an hour looking OF the warm
blaze and bright Goals on the hearth,
while the old lady was absent in the
kitchen, and began TO feel drovsiuess,
=hich was reaction from the days chill
and damp and fatigue,
n c.oIlx, r,of t,fo one nf tha haa=