Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1878-06-19

Their Peculiarities and characteristics
$50 Interestingly Skctched. 15''e
g. W. smallery in Philadelphia Times

u. w. om0IleTy IN CntlaueIpnlA Times.
To form any proper conception ofthe
condition of the poor white trash one
should see them as they are. 1t is true
that the war, emancipation and the es-
/ Enlistment of free schools have helped
their condition somewhat. but they yet
retain many of those characteristics
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 noun
famous regions generally, in commune
ties by themselves, and far removed
from the more refined settlements.
Why it is they always select the hilly
and consequently unproductive districts
for their homes is unknown. In the
settlements wherein they chiefly reside
the poor whites rarely live more than a
mile or two apart. Each householder
or head of family builds himself lit
tie hut of round logs or pine poles,
chinks the spaces between these with
clay mixed with wheaton straw; builds
at one end big wooden chimney with
a tapering top, all the interstices being
dObbed as above, puts down II pun
cheon floor. and loft of ordinary boards
overhead; fills the inside of the rude
dwelling with few rickety chairs, a
long bench, dirty bed or two, spin
ning-wheel (the loom, if any, is outside
under a shed), a skillet, an oven, n fry
ing-pan, a triangular cupboard in one
corner, and rack over the door in
which to hang old "spitfire,," the family
rife; 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 domicile, and these he pretends to
cultivate, planting only corn, pumpkins
and a little garden truck. He next
builds rude kennel for his dog or dogs,
Il primitive-looking stall for his mag"
ditto for Beck, his COW, and a pole hem
house for his poultry This last he
covers over with dirt and weeds, and
erects on one side of it a long slim pole,
from the upDer branches Of which bangle
gourds for the martins to build their
nests in-martins being generally re-
garded as useful to drive OH all bloody
minded hawks that look with too hungry
an eye upon the rising generation 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 ignor-
ance and general spiritual degradation,
he rarely suffers from hunger or cold,
AS class. indeed, they are much bet
ter OFT than the peasantry in Europe,
and many poor mechanic in your
city-to say nothing of the thousands
without trade or OCCUPATION wandering
through the north and west-would be
most happy at any time from Deem
Der to March to share the cheerful
warmth of the blazing pine-knots, which
glow upon every poor mans heart in
the south; rs well rs to help devour 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 boiled to de-
licious juiciness upon the glowing coal.
Indeed, the only source Of trouble to the
poor white is the preservation of his
yearly crops" of corn, owing to the
steriieness of his lands and deficient
cultivation that sometimes fail him,
running all to weeds and grass. But he
has no lack Of meats. Wild hogs, deer,
wild turkeys, squirrels, raccoons, opos-
sums-these and many more are at his
very doors, and he has only to pick up
"old Spitfre," walk few miles out
into the forest, and return home laden
with meat enough to last him week.
And should he desire to purchase a little
wool for spinning, or cotton ditto, or Il
little sweet'ning" to put in his coffee
or sassefock" tea, or a few cups and
saucers, or powder and shot, salt, meal,
or other household necessities. a weeks
successful hunting invariably supplies
him with enough game to procure the
withal for luxuries which he soon pos
sesses himself of from the nearest vii
lage or crossroads store. Having OBJ
tanned what he wants, he hastens back
to his barren solitude; 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-shoot-
ing, gander-pulling, marble-playing,
card-playing, and getting drunk. Pancs,
financial pressure, and the like, are I'M
known among 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 almost an unknown commO-
dity in their midst, and whether our
currency is gold, greenbacks, or the dol.
lar Of the" daddies, concerns them not.