The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1876-09-07


and beast, almost to suffering, from
this cause. The crop last year was album
dant, but several families arc now existing
in a state of scmi-starvation waiting for
The new crop TO come in
In all these observations it must be re-
memhBre1 that there are honorable exeep-
tions. The untaineers as class, only,
are referred to.
I hardly know what 20 say Of the moral
condition Of the people. If reports are at
all trustworthy there must be considerable
Iaxity in those respects which would not
be so apparent on the surface. 1t is stated
as fact that one man, who row Las fami-
lily Of ten children, some years ago snapped
wives with his brother, receiving two and
half gallons of whisky to hootl But what
eyer has been the past condition Of the peo-
| pie, there has been manifest and growing
for a few months past in this
vicinity, owing to the healthful influence of a
Sunday School started last spring.
1t WIS an entirely new thing then, many
never having heard Of such thing, but al
ready it's transforming work has been real
i ICED in several degraded families. The
lmaiorty of preachers who circulate through
She mountains are men of bat limited educa-
Ition. Some are positively illiserate. APP
IpoIntments to preach perhaps average once
of which are fulfilled. Here and there are a
few christian people. but they partake
largely Of the native shrewdness Of the peo-
pie at bargain, 10 say the least. One must
look OUT for number one in dealing with all,
or suffer the consequences. They are al
ways ready for trade. Anything and
everything are for sale that can be turned
into money, or bartered for something which
can be exchanged for something else that
will bring money. Trading seems TO be in
Structive.
Education is sadly neglected, Here and
/ there is miserable log school house, with
few slab benches, but without desks, where
some one keeps sehoop few weeks or
moths each year while the public money
last. Perhaps half the men and women
can neither read nor write. It was my for"
tpne to visit district school recently
held in a log house, without windows,
the open door and the large cracks between
the logs where the clay had been displaced,
serving the purpose very well. The teacher
was fine young man recently graduated
from southern college, and with good ideas
of education and of what q school should
/ be. But the material upon which he had
to work was like ursmelted ore. The
noise from stepping on them in an almost
! constant passing TO and fro was like 8
small bedlam. Order was out Of the guess
ton. The blackboard was about ~ 10y 3 it
| In size. Two or three shelves about the
walls furnished a,yeceptacle for hats, bon
nets, dinner pals sndboolzs. The people OF
Highlands, however, are eocn 10 have I'M
proved facilities for sproutjng and training
the young idea An Educational Mass
Meeting" was recently held, twenty-five or
thirty patrons being present, for the purpose
OF arousing interest in this subject, and for
considering what could be done to provide
| a better house. Several speeches were
made. one by northern visitor who had all
sumner long been endeavoring to arouse
their dormant energies jan all those respects
which look toward civilization. Considera-
bic enthusiasm prevailed. Subscriptions for
TIE new building were made IN 80 many
days labor, money not being thought of
from necessity. About 60 days Of work
were subscribed, and some sort Off struc-
t,a6 will be made, either one entirely new,
or the old one repaired. This VIII answer
fol the present for both educational and re
lielous purposes. 1t is hoped that a few
years hence, when more settlers come in
frsm the north, good school with modern
improvements, may be sustained.
The current expressions 10 conversation
are somewhat peculiar and amusing
Smart" 'rght smart" and fright smart
chance. ~ form the positive, comparative and
speculative adiectives for almost al! conceiV
able applications. / heard minister say.
in regard to certain place. 'Ihere's
right smart Of christianity there" In
giving directions to a certain place, a woman
said, "Go on TIL You come TO rightI
smart chance OF dug out place, then turn
to the right and foller the trail' ETC. When
they wiah to express something In strong
language, "powerful'' is almost invariably
used. "We have powerful sight o rain in
this country" "a powerful hos day"
powerful bie crowd" One woman went 60
far as to say. wishing to convey the 'dea OF
q very largo quantity of apples, "a p0''e'J"1
right smart chance Of apple" although 1t
is unusual to pile up the superlatiVes Ike
this. No matter what the connection,
''powerful'' is supposed to add intensity
"You'uns', and "we'uns" are FREQUENT BE
you'uns a goIn, to stay with us all summer
- - oborfv we were greeted