Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1875-01-08
gellolrs falls Timss,
BELLOWS FALLS, JAN. s. 1876
Huntsville Gala Letter to New York Times,
The Poor Whites of the South.

In the very loneliest part of the for
est, We came to the cabin of family
belonging TO the class known in tn,
South, as poor whites, Before the wal
these people were looked upon with con
tempt by the rich planters and slave
holders. By the negroes they were chris
tened "poor white trash" Since then
they have not improved their condition,
still living in wild and remote places
and bringing up large families of chill
dren to be as ignorant and shiftless as
they are themselves. How these people
live, or where they come from, is often
a mystery TO their more prosperous
neighbors. They settle ON a small patch
of land in some out-of-the-way place,
and, raising just corn enough to sustain
life. huddle together from years end to
years end in wretched cabin clumsily
built Of rough pine logs. Sometimes
they come to the town or village nearest
to them and sell few quail or 'poss-
nm With the money procured in this
way they buy a supply of the vilest
whisky, and then return again to their
secluded homes They hold but little
intercourse with the outside world, and
a stranger has great difficulty in under
standing their many outlandish express
sions. One characteristic of this strange
class of people / must not forget to men,
ton. They are thoroughly honest. At
all hours of the night or day a traveller
may pass their huts without fear of de-
tention or molestation, and | have met
with number of gentlemen who tell
me that they have often been forced to
spend the night in one of these noun
tain cabins, and in the morning have in
variably found their valuables safe and
untouched The hut which | speak of
above is situated some hundred feet from |
the road, and is almost concealed by the |
many trees with which it is surrounded
AT my request, our wagon was drawn up
in front of the cabin, and had the OPP
portunity of closely inspecting it. The
walls were built of unhewn logs, the
openings between them being filled up
with what appeared to be dry mud.
In the middle of the hut and facing
the road, low doorway was cut, and to
the right of this, an opening not more
than two feet square and half filled with
a piece of old cotton cloth served as
window. 1t is perhaps unnecessary to
state that the structure contained only
single room. In one corner tumbled-
down bed was placed, and near this, and
running along the back wall of the cab
IN, was long bench made ofrough pine
wood a homemade table and two stools
completed the furniture of the apart
ment. AS | walked up to the cabin, {
tall, thin man, with long, hemp-colored
hair and bushy whiskers, came to the
door. he was dressed in a torn coat and {
trousers of a species Of cheap cotton
cloth. lie had no shoes or stockings on
his feet, and his head was bare. As |
approached him, he looked at me very
closely, and, to open conversation, | said,
" Good morning, sir Mornin'," was
his reply. You have built your house
in very lonely place" "Yers,' was
his only answer. How long have YOU
lived hereP" | asked. Not long; /
reckon" said he. / was just beginning
to despair Of obtaining any information
from the strange being when Mr.. Reed
came over from the wagon with whis-
ky bottle in his hand, and giving it to
the man said, Take a drink, old boy"
The bottle was received without word
the man placed it to his lips, and, after
drinking half pint, handed it back,
saying, Tain't strong; too much water,
| reckon" He seemed to look more
kindly upon our party after he drank
the whisky, however, and coming away
from the doorway / was able to see every
part of the room. 1t was occupied by
pale, careworn-looking woman and four
ragged children. AS looked in the wo-
man stared at me in halfidiotic way,
but said nothing. The children never
noticed my presence many way. | tried
to talk to the man already referred to,
and asked him many questions regard
ing his mode of life, and what he did to
supporthis family. To all my questions
he returned short and irrelevant answers
and / was obliged to leave the hut not
much wiser than | came. Subsequently
/ was informed that the poor whites can
seldom be induced to talk about them
selves or how they live
THE Corn CRoP.--The November re-
port to the department of agriculture