The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1874-05-07
Mountain Life in Kentucky.

lue tHOuSu, Que Hdll OF the WOrlu
does not know how the other half lives
There are old people in the mountains OF
Kentucky who have never seen a grain of
tea or coffee in all their lives. Not long
since [ heard Jealous Sunday school
missionary froa the mountain districts of
Kentucky, preaching about the destitu-
ton 10 that region, enforce his remarks
with the following incident: A Young
theological student from somewhere down
East, who knew far more of books than
of human nature, as DR.. Beecher used 10
say, and withal very delicate and uer
vous body to whom tea was an indispen
sable beverage, came to the mountains Of
Kentucky to improve his health, and do
good at the same time, to those plain,
poor people. BY way of preeaution he
brought his tea along with him, two
pound canister. He put up for the night
at plain log cabin, worn with the labors
of the day, and no tea. To his hostess :
Madam, can't you make me a cup OF tea
in the morning 7"
"Oh, yes; can cook anything that's
cooked" The young man handed her
his causister, aud ascended stick ladder
to his bed in the loft
Next morning" said the preacher
"they kept waiting for him to come
down for he did not know whether
the ladies' below were all up and dressed
but if he had had any common sense"
added the preacher, by way of paren-
thesis, "he could have peeped through
the cracks and seen for himself But at
last he ventured down and what was his
horror when he saw four or five little
white headed mouutaineers rolling the
tea canister across the floor. In the
meantime the good lady of the house
came in, her capstrings streaming 10 the
wind, and with her best smile on. Il was
not certain about them dried green's you
gave ME last night, but went to the
smok house and cut piece of middling
and put them altogether in pot, and
when they began to unkink then | knowed
| was right The loss of all his 'gunpow-
der in one night put an end to that sum
mer's campaign.
Those mountaipeers," said the mis-
sionary, "have sovereign contempt for
any man from the bluegrass who does
not know everything they know and more
too. This young preacher efectually
ruined his influence over them. One
morning he was washing his face from a tin
pan on stump in the yard, when a deer
came bouncing through the lot. He
threw down the bowl of water, and took
after it as hard as be could 90. Now
they said any man who n't,know be
cant catch deer afoot, must be born
fool"
A young sprig Of nobility from the
blue grass rode up into the mountains on
business quite a number Of years ago,
where he first met Mr.--(I forbear
to mention his name. as he is now the
Cicero Of the mountains, representing one
or nore of those counties iu the senate Of
Kentucky.) | overheard the coDversa
ton on the train of these now old friends
Mouutaiueer well, Mr. Bluegrass,
do you remember your first visit to this
country? You had on the first pair OF
overshoes | ever saw, and | said to my
self, il these mountain boys don't strip
you Of them double shoes [ won't know
the reason why"
"Yes," said Mr.. Bluegrass, 81 remem-
Der too the hotel put up at that night !;
a log cabin with only one room, no loft,
the old folks, one boy, five bouncing,
buxom lasscs. | was tired and sIeeply,
and began to look around to see where
was to sleep. pulled out my watch.
'Lor, what is that 2 said one Of those
bouncing girls.
My watch
'Watch-what's that for? [ never
seed the like of that before
The landady spread down some deer
skins, when puff and out went the brief
tallow dip leaving just light enough
from the fire for every man to see how to
she'd of without seeing any one else, and
fnd his own quarters for the night.
And such is mountain life.