The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-06-16
THE POOR WHITES OF THE SOUTH.
Their Simple Existence UndistuFDed by
Panics and Financial Trouble.
tG. ". smalley In PhiladeIphia Times.l

To form any proper conception Of the con-
dtion of the poor white trash one should see
them as they are. 1t Is true that the war,
emancipation and the establishment Of free
schools has helped their condition somewhat,
but they yet retain many Of those character
stics which distinguished them in slavery
times. The poor white trash are about the
only paupers In the Southern States, and they
are very rarely supported by either the State
or community in which they reside. They
are found nowhere but In the country in hilly
and mountainous regions generally, in COM
munities by themselves, and far removed
from the more refined settlements. Why II Is
they always select the billy and consequently
unproduCtive districts for their homes Is I'M
known. In the settlements wherein they
chiefly reside the poor whites rarely
live more than mile or two apart.
Each householder or head of family
builds himself o little hut of round logs or
pine poles Chnks the spaces between these
with clay mixed with wheaton straw; builds
at one end big wooden chimney with ta-
pering top, all the interstices being "dobbed'
as above; puts down puncheOn floor, aud
loft of ordinary boards overhead; fills the in-
side Of the rude dwelling with few riGkety
chairs, long bench, q dirty bed or two, q
spinning-wheel 1.-THE loom, II any, is outside
under she'd, skillet, an oven, a frying pan,
triangular cupboard in one corner and q
rack over the door ON which to hang old "Spit-
fire." the family rifle; and both the cabin and
furniture are considered as complete. The
happy owner then "clears" some five acres or
SO OF land Immediately surrounding his domi-
cile, and these he pretends to cultivate. plant
ing only corn, pumpkins and d little garden
truck. He next builds rude kennel for his
dog or dogs1 a primitive-looking stall for his
mag" ditto for Beck, his cow and pole hem
house for his poultry. This last he covers
over with dirt and weeds and erects on one
side Of it q long slim pole, from the upper
branches OF which bangle gourds for the mar
tins to build their nests in-marblns being
generally regarded as useful to drive off
all bl0ody-minded hawks that look
Grafton of dunghills Being thus prepared for
housekeeping, now comes the tug of war.
| Whatever may be said OF the poverty OF the
poor white, Of his ignorance and general spir-
| itual degradation, he rarely suffers from
| hunger or cold. As class indeed, they are
much better off than the peasantry in Europe,
and many poor mechanic Ia your eity-tO
say nothing of the thousands without trade or
! occupation wandering through the North and
! West-wUuld be most happy at any time from
| December to March to SHARE the cheerful
warmth OF the blazing pine-knots, which
| glow upon every poor mans hearth In the
| South as well as to help devUur the fat
launches OF the noble old buck, whose carcass
| hangs suspended from one Of the beams of the
| loft overhead, ready at all times to have a
slice cut from Its sinewy bones and broiled to
delicious iuiciness upon the glowing Goals.
| Indeed, the only source OF trouble to the poor
white Is the preservation Of his yearly 'erap''
of corn, which, owing to the steriity OF his
lands and deficient cultivation that some
times fail him, run all to weeds and
grass. But he has no lack of meats. Wild
| hogs, deer, wild TURKEY s. squirrels, raccOOns,
opOssums-these and many more are at his
very doors and he has only to pick up "Old
Spitfre," walk few miles out into the for
est, and return home laden with meat
enough to last him a week. And should
he desire to purchase little wool for spin
ming, or cotton ditto, or little "sweet ELL
! ing to put in his coffee, or 'tsassefOCk' tea,
| or few cups and saucers; or powder and
shot, salt, meal or other household necessa-
ties a weeks successful hunting invariably
supplies him with enough game TO procure
/ the withal for luXuries which he soon Dos
sesses himself Of from the nearest village or
| crossroads store Having obtained what he
wants he hastens back IT, his barren sOl-
tudes; his wife and daughters spin and weave
the wool or cotton into such description of
! cloth as Is most in vogue for the time being
while the husband, father, sons and brothers
| betake themselves to their former idle habits
hunting, beef shooting, gander pulling,
marble playing, card playing and G tting
| drunk. Panics, financial pressure and the
! like, are unknown to them, and about the
! only crisis OF which they know anything, is
when poor fellow Is called upon TO shuttle
off this mortal coil" Money, in fact is al
most an unknown commodity in their midst,
and whether our currency Is gold, green
| backs or the dollar OF the "daddies," concerns
them not. Nearly all their tralficking is car
ried on by barter alone. In their currency a
COW is considered worth so much horse 80
much, q dog so much, fat buck so much a
lat turkey so much, coon skin so much,
etc, and by these values almost everything
else is rated Dollars and dimes they never
bother their brains about.
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