The Bennington daily banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1877-1877, 1877-08-10
CORRESPONDENCE.

MACON. Miss, August 2, 1877.
EDITOR OF THE BANNER: -Several weeks
since, you published an extract from q cor
respOBdence TO the New York Times, entitled
"ihe Poor Whites Of the South" Now,
expect he has given a correct picture OF some
one, but did You get the impression from him
that such class Is numerous NV personal
acquaintance with the South is confined to
this State, but do not know that travellers
who have been all through the country cred
it IL with beng socially superior to tine other
States, so will suppose tine average here lsnOt
above that of the rest. This being the case,
the author has very unfairly # presented the
country III hetwOuid have us accept his dole
full picture of degredatiOn as representative
of any number approaching to large class,
for, in my wanderinks, l have not met the
first specimen yet. Such an establishment
as he describes are frequently the abode VI
freedmen, aud some Of them IRE, as he says,
"a blemlsh on Gods handiwOrk OF hills and
groves" Probably three-fOuTths OF the peo-
pie are in very straightened circumstances,
but poor does not always mean degraded
You are all too prone to look on the dark side
IL the South, and anything that sets of that
side of the picture. you copy, and call 1t
good" You say the correspondent in ques-
ton has given other good" descriptions.
Why not continue the quotation, aud let
him describe better class, IL you wish TO be
fair in your representation.
Bennington, but what would you think of
bhe traveller who gave such u one as speci-
men of New England life 7 The two and one
half years of INV life here has made me famil-
lar with the different phases OF people repre-
sented IN this region.
As YOU have gwen your readers picture
of life on the lowest round, allow me to
sketch for you the picture OF another class,
which includes q majority Of the people in
this region. In Gceordance with the writers
plan, will begin with description OF the
house. 1t is often of logs, but whether of
logs or lumber, most of them are Of the same
plan--a large room at each end, with gall
lery between, I'm the log houses, TINS Is left
open at the front and back in the Others, 1T
is closed. Back from the main building ex=
tends u kitchen, and generally there is a
stOOp in 'front.' It is the general plan to
have q smoke house few rods from the
house. whore the years supply Of bacon is
kept. Beside the above mentioned class OF
houses, there are large number OF spacious
mansions which arc z relic Of former times;
the honIesteads in New England,
There is very little of anything that APP
pears entirely completed ust enough has bCel
done TO make them comfortable, aud the fin
ishinR touches left for better times. The av-
craze fence around the yard and kitchen
garden is of pickets, or paliugs. as they are
always called here, which are split from Pie
or oak timber. .s.
1t is true that there is on the average, au
inclination to incidence, but this attribute
to their former atfluence, in part, and partly
to the general climate, which makes the Sc
we're exertiOns of the New England farmer
unnecessary, and there is that element in ev-
cry man which prompts him to shirk labor
when it can be done.
Many of the ladies who were raised from
infancy to maturity under the pampering in
fluence of fortunes smile, without any of the
practical housewives experience, until the re-
verse of fortune came, which drove them to
their own resources, are now model wives,
mothers and hOusekeepers, Having con-
quered their inexperience and adyer-
sion TO labor, they have become the
chief corner stones in the home kingdom.
dispensing to all around them the eulivening
and elevdting influence of intelligent Christ
ian culture. 1t is among the people Of the
above mentioned class that have found my
warmest. most congenial friends, and the ill.,
huence OF that friendship binds me to the
country with o force which no ordinary cir
cumstanee could overcome.
But enough for this time In dealing with
the be, South. fairbe friendly, and You will
appreciate them better after while.
As ever, yours truly,
e, L. BRECKENRIDGE.