The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1877-07-18
FRAGMENTS OF THE EARLY HISTORY
OF OHIO COUNTY.
BY II. ID. TAYLOR.
CHAPTER XIV.


II was our intention to devote one OF
more chapters to the manners and Gus
toms Of our early settlers, contrasting
those with the present day, and as an in
PRODUCTION to the subject, we now gave
some extracts from the Fairly Expert
cnccs of Ralph Ringwood:
These extracts were written out and
published by Washington Irving, 10 which
he amends the following note Of explain
alton: Ralph Riuswood, though ticii
tious name. is a real perSoGage-the late
Governor DuvaI, Of Florida. have given
some anecdotes Of his early and eccentric
career in, as nearly AS ! can recollect, the
very words in which he related them.
They certainly afford strong temptation
70 the establishment Of felton, but
thought them 60 strikingly characteristic
the individual, aud ofthe scenes and so
ciety Into which his peculiar humoTs car
ried him, that preferred giving them in
their original simplicity.
In addition 20 Mr.. lrying's remarks we
would also premise that there are some
inaccuracies in dates, names and places,
and in at,ributing certain quantities TO
wrong individuals. For instance, he de-
scr,6es Bob Moseley as great fiddler,
when it is asserted by those who knew
him well, that he never played fiddle IN
his life yet there were many other per-
sons answering TO the character given to
Mosclev; and upon the whole, noiwi'h-
standing these inaccuracies. the hole Is
very good description OF hae~Woods
life. II is too lengthy to give entirely
We will have 10 give only extracts. lie
commences thGs.
| ana Keutuckiaa 10y residence and
choice. hut Njgeiuian by birth. The
cau>e Of my fret leaving the Ancient
Dolainons' and emigrating to Kentucky
vac iackassi ION stare. but have 4
little patience, and IN soon show you
how it came TO pas- Ny father was onc
of the old Virg:hia families, who resided
IN Richmond. file was w,dower, and
his domestic affairs WAS managed 10y a
hougcheeper Of the old school, such as
used 10 administer the concerns Of opu-
lent Virginia households. (ilere follows
lengthy description OF Barbara and her
housekeeping. which we will have to
omit Such wss our good housekeeper,
Barbara, who was determined, unwItting>
Iy, 20 have mos, important effect on my
destiny. Ills first introduction TO
troub!e) II so happened that my way TO
school lay across the common. The first
time ! saw one OF those animals, 1t set mp
braying and frightened me confounded-
". However. soon got over my fright,
aud seeing it had something OF horse
look, my Virgins love for every thing OF
the equestrian species predomiuated, and
I determined to back it. accordingly
applied at a grocer's chop, procured a
cord that had been round loaf OF sugar,
and made a kind OF halter. Then sums
moning some Of my school fellows, we
drove master Jack about the common
until we hemmed him in the angle Of a
worm fence After some difficulty we
fixed a halter around his muzzle, and |
mounted. Up flew HE heels. away l
went over his head, and of he seam
pered. However, was on my legs in
twinkling, gave chase, caught him and
remounted. BY dint Of repeated tumblcs
I coon learned to stick TO his back so he
could no more cast me than he could his
own skin. From that time master Jack
and his companions had romping life OF
it, for We all rode him between school
hours and on holiday afternoons, and
you may be assured that school boys
nags never let grass grow under their
feet lie coon became SO knowing that
he took to his heels at the sight of
school boy, and we were generally much
longer in chasing him than in riding
him.
Sunday approached upon which l pro-
jected an excursion on one OF those long
cared studs AS knew Jacks would be
in great demand on Sunday morning, Sc
cured one over night, and conducted him
home, to be ready for an earlv out set, but
where was to quarter him for the night2
| could not put him in the stable. for our
old black groom, George, was as absolute
in that domain as Barbara was within
doors. and would have thought his horses,
his stable and himself disgraced by the
| introduction of Jack. ] recollected the
smokehouse and out buildings appended
to old Virginiau establishments for the
smoking OF hams, aud other kind of meat
So ] got the key, put master Jack in,
locked the door, returned the key TO its
proper place and went TO bed, intending
TO release my prisoner at an early hour,
before any of the family were awake. l
was so tired, however, with the exertions
/ had made in catching the donkey, tb ct
| fell into sound sleep, and the morning
broke without my awakening.
Not so with Barbara, the housekeeper.
As usual, to use her own phrase, she was
up before the crow put his shoes on aud