The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-05-22

~ LIE WEST Virginia GlRL AS
SIZE USED TO BE.-A Country Girl"
writing from tho neighborhood oil
I.eadsville, in Randolph county, gives
some idea Of tho primitive style Of liv-
ing 10 that section. She says that
,hei. girl. know how to cook and to
carve without the aid Of books. and are
not ashamed to roll up their sleeves
and 60 for the wash.tub, or weed The
vegetable garden, so as to give them an
appetite; or they can feed the pig and
milk "Old Briudie." and then find
time, after the days work is done, to
sit down at night and read tho weekly
paper. She then adds: 1--WE cauuot
inl time to study the fashions. nor DO
we want the time, as VIC never wear
the pull.back dress or the grccian bead.
We can make our own dresses out Of
ton yards without trimming, and wear
calf.skin shoes, which keep our feet
comfortable" This gives US vivid
picture OF primitive life as i, was one
hundred years ago. Then there were
no railroads, indeed. no turnpikcs, 10
this region. The citizen living west
Of tho Alleghaniss carried his pel'ry
and ginseng TO the East on pack hor.
SEES. where he bartered for powder aud
coffee, and returned with his years
supply to his mountain home. That
home was q log cabin with dirt or
puacheon for. and he was regarded as
aris,ocratic who built his house Of
hewud logs or had glass windows in it.
The little clearing was made 10 the
woods when a supply Of corn and po.
tatoes was raised, aud there never was
necessity for laying away the win.
ter's meat, for ut any .ime the advsn-
turous settler could step hundred
yards from his cabin aud with the
crack Of his unerring rifle bring down
deer or turkey, The good housewife
who was equally hale and aearty as the
husband. and who could lay hand to
tho grubbiug hoe, or with her axe help
to fell the forest monarchs, would al.
ways have ready the evening meal for
tho man when hc returned from bis
days work or hunt-and it was suv-
DRY meal Of broilcd vcnison and hot
cake and coffee with q pure aroma, and
no bedeviled chickory in it to rob it Of
its righteousness. Such was life in tue
primitive days-tbs life that our an.
cestors lived. Bu. what a contrast b..
twean thon and now. Then tho hulo
pioneer, With bis long blue jeans hunt.
ing dress, ornamented with the ever
lasting yellow fringe and moccasins on
bis feet, would shoulder his ria, and
sang hoe aud think nothing Of walking
twenty miles day over the bills and
mountains, and return home at night
with q stout deer strapped 10 bis back
Now, the tidily dressed gentleman.
with cloth coat and tight boots think it
is a wonderful hardship to have to
walk threo squares without catching n
street car. Then tho rosy checked
matron was satisfied with two dresses q
year, made of striped liusey and six
yards to the dress. aud made by bel
own hands, even clipping the wool
from the sheep, cardiug it By hand
spinning. weaving it and making it up,
aud all done in less timo than it takes
her grand daughter Of :o.day to flute
ind aOunce hers. Now it requires
thirty and forty yards Of goods Of the
lutest style, until often tho store bill j:
is larger than tho skirt Of the grand
mothers dress. Thcn o bonnet was q
good honest bonnet, the crown full two
feet and half long. Now it is often
q wee, wee thing. scarcely observable
to tic naked eye. Then marriage
was only msrEiage-wi,h no marie g
scttlsmcnts--the ceremony being per
formed by the country squire or The
circuit rider, who made his circui. Of
hundred miles q week. and though
himself happy il be got sixty dollars
Tor bis years services. Now the father
cougraiula.es himself il the daughter
wedding oply relieves bis pocket Of q
thousand or two. Then the groom ant
bride would 60 on horseback, direct tt
the cabin which was to DO their future
home, he carrying bis wardrobe in hi
saddle.pockets and she hers in an old
fashioned saohcl fasteued to the hor!
Of her saddle. Now Europe must b.
taken 10 on tho wedding tour, aud tn
couple finally return to settle down OF
the old folks. There was but littl,
need 70: doctors in those days. Plain
healthy food and abundance Of exercise
gave no occasion for govt. Rheumatism
or liver dsea.s 5, common 10 this dis
sipalcd age. III, early pioneers on
joyel health. lived long, aud whol
they got ready to die, they just die
and didn't fool about it. A ccntur
has made many changes, many i'm
: provemeuts, and brought with thor
t their attendant evils. But tbs vic
We take Of the old tunes being bette
than the new, is a klud Of morbid feel
ing after all, for there arc just as geo
pure men and womr- To-day as eve
il scd. Still, when Ne fId NOW IN
/ then among our mountains picture
: primitive life, it is we'll enough
. puusc and look at it under the light
hi. Centennial year,