Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1874-03-21

getting up was the growing of the
rOOsters. Thomas arose after MANY
grunts and groped his way toward
the great fireplace. The room was
as dark as cavern-the sky being
overcast with black clouds-and
the fire entirely out. We were made
aware of TOMS progress towards
the fireplace by the number Of chairs
run over, and his exclamation of
"Oh, Lordy!" when his shins came
in violent contact with these OBJ
structions.
"Mamma," said the hopeful after
he had reached the objective point
and poked around in the ashes
awhile, "thar amt nary bit of fire
here. Hits all gone out"
''Look good" came a voice from
I under the bed-clothing. "Jab around
IL the corners"
He jabbed around in the corners,
and brought out three diminntive
Goals, which looked like sickly light
ming bugs struggling for existence
in cane break. He was told to
put chips on them and blow. ''Thar
amt nary a chip here" he said dole
fHlly. "Nary one at ALL"
"Ain't there no dry wood?"
Not a speck."
81 toie the children to bring
chips"
''They never brought one"
"Well, | due say it beats all" D."
Thomas was sent out into the
darkness and rain to get dry board,
and as l heard violent breaking, l
think the "house" must have suffer
ed trifie somewhere about the roof.
1t started the fire, however, which
soon blazed up cheerfully, family,
and lighting the dismal surround
ings.
The good woman went about
breakfast. She took a lighted stick
and went out after a chicken. She
brought in the animal, cut off its
head, took off and out the objection
able parts, cut it up and put it into
kettle to fryl Poor woman;
could but notice to what disadvan-
tage she worked. While she was
getting breakfast she had to hold a
blazing torch in one hand to make
light, having no candle nor lamp.
Not half the houses in Scott county
are provided with any other light at
night than that of pine knots and
fireplace wood.
After day break the door was
opened to let in light, SO that we
could see to eat breakfast. The
wind swept in ferely, but the mem
bers of the household did not seem
to notice it. One little tow-headed
urchin got into the corner of the
fireplace, and there, with the smoke
driving into his eyes, contented-
ly gnawed at a bone and devour-
ed corn bread, made of coarse meal
and water. Another child was un-
der the table, alternately eating with
the dog and fighting him.
The rain fell heavily, and the sur
roundings were black and dismal
enough, but the family seemed to
be contented and cheerful, going
about their daily duties with alacri-
ty. The horses were fed, the sick
mare attended to, and fox trap ex-
amined. The boys were earning a
little pocket money catching foxes,
the hides of which bring thirty
cents. They trotted the fields and
through the woods without extra
coats, coming in wei, but taking no
pains to dry themselves. / asked
the boys if they had ever been to
school. They said they had been
some but not much, as schools were
scarce. The good woman said ''that
some how the schools didn't do no
good, the teachers didn't get their
pay, and the children didn't have no
show" She seemed anxious on the
subject, and affirmed that she had
rather give her "children larning
than anything else"
We paid our bills-seventy-fVe
cents each-and departed, taking a
muddy road a violent rain, and con-
tinuing in both uninterruptedly for
sixteen miles. .... -......
l do not know why people live so
poorly in these mountains, when they
have so many facilities for making
themselves comfortable. At the
house where we stopped-which l
have just described-they own a
farm of two hundred acres, pretty
fair land. They had lived on the
spot eighteen years, yet had never
set out any fruit trees, shrubbery,
or plants for use or ornament, and
never even put a window in the
house! They have no lamp, NO
candles, no sugar for coffee, and even
no teaspoons, Yet they are kind
hearted and hospitable, never turn
ing the stranger away who ask tor
food and shelter. They charge fol
it, of course, which is right, but
they always make their charges as
moderate as their accommodation
are primitive.
A man who is used to generous
living will find 1t hard to put NJ
with the fare for any length Of time
His appetite will be good, but he
will soon tire of the eternal round
of coarse corn-bread, fried bacoI
and strong coffee set before him.
From the time we left JackSonborc
until our return, we did not see an
butter, wheat bread or fresh meat
and only once had sugar to sw eetel
our strong coffee.
HISTORY OF A GREAT POEM.
RyrOn,s Earliest POem-HHo ours
! idlenessss-SaIirical Poetry II !, :
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