Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1874-05-07
Down Among the Clay Eaters.
SECOND PAPER.

Truth crushed to earth will rise again
The eternal years of God are hers"
Truth is stranger than felton," and
should we be suspected of having in
advertantly crushed the truth a little
in the following narrative, we ask the
forbearance of the readers of the
CHRONICLE until they visit the regions
described. Over road noted for snake
heads and strap-rail, coiled upon the
seat trying to catch little sleep, we
sped toward the mountains. The
trucks sang lullaby as they ran upon
the rail, aud thus they sang-Of the
track-Off the track-of the track
while the locomotive put in an accom-
paniment of the most demonical
shrieks and wells. From time to eter-
nifty is the only transfer on this road,
and contrary 10 our usual custom, we
uld not SOLICIT the. conductor to wake
US at the transfer. After many hours
Of rapid transit we left the train at a
station somewhere under the shadow
of the American flag, but in what To-
cality We are not free TO speak; we do
not wish TO injure land spectators, who
represent the mountain regions to far
mers as the garden of the world, nei-
ther do we W sh TO call down upon
our head the inaledictions OF the good
people we have written up. After a
weary journey through the bush we
reach the homes of the "clay eaters,"
just as the setting sun is gliding the
highest peaks of the mountain tops.
Their cabins are built of logs-some
with one window, some with two, and
Others none that we could discover.
We applied at the most respectable
looking building of the group, and our
rap on the door was answered by y
pleasant looking woman, holding fat
fraud of a baby upon her hip, and fol-
lowing her closely, was tall, lank,
leathery specimen ofa man, minus hat,
vest or coat, with shirt open at the
breast, and his left cheek disiigured by
an immense chew of tobacco hidden
snugly away somewhere within its am
Pile folds. We briefly explained the
situation--Wanted to stay perhaps two.
days and nights-would pay sill
Yer money. His only answer was,
''Suse, cal the gall" 'Su5e' opened
her face and let out yell that would
have excited the admiration of a Co.
manche Indian; similar whoOp was
echoed from the spring above; there
was a crushing of the bushes, and the
GAL had come. After brief consulta-
ton, we were informed that they could
'eai u.s. but couldn't sleep u.s. We
Overcame that objection by stating that
a blanket upon the floor would render
US truly happy. Matters thus satisfac-
torily arranged, our thoughts turned to
the assertion that they could 'eat u.s.
and y remembering that we We're
made of the dust of the earth,' and
that all flesh is as clay in the hands of
the potter, we did not know but what
these two little words might convey a
double meaning. Then we remem-
bered with, joy that 'all flesh is as
grass and were sad again that it was
the proper season for spring greens to
taste nice. After hearty supper of
corn-bread, bacon, and milk, we gath
cred with this happy family around the
blazing fire OF fragrant rine, and lis
tened to- the most thrilling tales of
mountain life, as related by the boss
We weuld not suspect our worthy host
of lying-but we do know that at times
he caused a very unwhOlesome SWELL
ing of the truth. For these good folks
we should have brought little pres
ent in our hand--a package of fried
slate pencils, as peace offering; or
jar of picked sandstones, as a relish,
and as We had neglected this, we could
not now ask them to make for us pic
mic, when we Would all go in compa-
my to a neighboring clay-bank, turn
out cart-load of earth at once, and
have jolly good time for one day at
least. Remorsefully we laid us down
to sleep. III.