The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-12-18
Letter From Kentucky.
La GRANGE, KY, Dec. 9th, 1874

La GRANGE, KY, Dec 9th, 1874.
EDITOR PREss;-Night's sable goddess
has drawn her somber curtains DER all
nature, and amid the dreary and lonely
hours Of this winters night, l sit me
down to drop you friendly line, with
no known friend near me, saveGod him
self, to witness my attempts. | left
Cincinnati about the middle of October
last, and have been in this aristocratic
State ever since. left the city with
about forty thousand dollars in claims,
which propose to settle before leave
Kentucky. Ny territory for this trip
extends as far down the Ohio River, as
Louisville, at which city, 1 remained
three days, and will extend to Frank
fort, Lexington and Maysville, together
with many intermediate towns and
cities. Expect to finish the trip some
time in February next. La Grange is
the county town of Oldham county,
and is situated in very poor region of
country. The masses here, are very
poor, and ignorant, but are inclined to
be hospitablc and generous. Tobacco is
the principal production here, which, on
account of the extremely dry season,
was flilure-in consequence of which
times are very hard here. Tobacco is
selling, at from twenty to sixty dollars;
wheat one dollar, corn three dollars per
barrel. and pork from seven to eight dol
lars gross;--hotel bills furiously high.
There are scarcely any wagon roads in
this country, owing to the fact, perhaps,
that people do not raise much to sell.
They can stick niger on bag of corn
mounted on a mule, and he can take it
to mill over very rough roads; and be-
fore the war, they could get their mig
gers to market, in about the same man.
ner. Farmers here, live very rough,
but they take great delight in etiquette
The old danes will sit at the head of
the table, perched up over her hoe-cake
(made Of meal, salt and water) with as
much dignity, as preacher on chick
en- bone.
In driving over these hills, last week,
we accidentally drove too late, and fail
ing to secure a lodging place before
dark, we got lost. We drove on and on,
till some time after dark, over the roads
before described, and over some fearful
hills, not often touched with wagon
wheels. We finally pulled up to little
cabin and imperatively de-
manded lodging. The honorable host
came out to greet US, and said "Woll
stranger, whar you gwine this dark
night?" very pleasantly told him
that I was not going any farther, pro-
vided, he could keep me all night, said
he: "Woll, guess kin keep ye," and
turning to his first born, he said "John,
tote this hoss to the stable, and give him
a turn of shucks, and turning to me
again, he said maby that hoss would like
to have few yers of cohn?" l remark
ed that I would like for him to have a
few ears, thereupon We proceeded to the
house, where supper was ordered by the
old gentleman. The good hostess soon
sat her wits to work, and in due time
a repast composed of hoe cake, tea and
molasses, was on the puncheon, used for
a table, and the lost party soon found
himself comfortably seated on a stool,
partaking of the hospitality of clever,
Kentucky farmer. But l was very eau
tious not to eat SO much as to cause un-
pleasant dreams. Soon after the repast
was over, bed time came, / of course,
proposed to sleep alone, and my lap
robe spread upon the floor was my bed,
my overcoat was my covering and my
revolver my only bed fellow, in which
condition I spent one of the nights,
which will not soon be erased from the
tablets of the memory of the writer.
arose early, and left before breakfast,
and my bill was one dollar and fifty
cents, which 1 think was the first money
the honorable host had seen since the
close of the war. Yours as ever.
S. NJ.