Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-06-28

at White House, II miles from Rutherford.
We arrived at twilight. Tho landlord point
ed to tin washbasin on the verandah. After
my ablutious he pointed out a towel behind
the door Supper over, he conducted me TO
a room on the ground floor containing three
beds. One was occupied by mountain
magistrate who had cast his saddle-baSs
upon the floor and was snoring right Justify
gentleman from New Orleans and the land
lords son slept in the second bed. The third
was reserved for my use. The hotel proprle-
tor advised me TO hang my watch on the wall
beside the squire silver ticker, but as
both windows were open and faced the ne
gro quarters preferred to place it under my
pillow The next morning was Sunday.
When | awoke the room was cleared. The
landlord entered with n pitcher of water
One of my friends had given me bottle OF
moonshine whiskey and ! had left 1t on the
table. The proprietor promptly seized H.
gave me n toast zone of the customs ot the
country. and after long pull decided that
New York whskey was no better than Caro-
lima corn At breakfast the squire and my
self were seated at the table ON a wooden
bench without back. The landlord raped
upon plate with knife and every head
was bowed. He said grace-"Oh, Lord, bless
this breakfast to our use, and make us thank
1ul. HIS uGNOuIntSS tItdltu l'lplbuhu
preston, but not lasting one for after the
meal he appeared upon the veranda and
cursed shambling darkey so heartily that
the negro turned in his toes and took to the
scrub. And five minutes afterward the pIous
man was advising me to stop to church on
my way to Marion.
QUOTING SCRIPTURE.
The mountain churches stand on elevated
points in the woods near the cross road.
They are built of rough boards, and are
without bells and steelles. stove-pipe
generally runs through the side OF the build
ing, and turns the smoke over the roof. In
the summer the seats are taken out nnder
the trees, and the congregations enjoy pure,
unadulteated open-air preaching. The most
of the mountainers are Methodlsts. There
is sprinkling of Baptists and Presbytenans
but YOU might raise the whole country with a
fine tooth comb and not find an Eplscopa-
lian, Unitarian or Roman Catholic. Nearly
every man processes religion, but many copy
the lordlord in its practice. Some are so de-
vout that they are continually quoting Scrip
ture While at Bald mountain, Mr.. Free
man, living at the foot of Nances Nose, said
that he regretted to see me, for my appear
ance was the tulfllment of the spirit OF pro-
phecy. The Scriptures say, he nverred,
THAT in the last days mon shall be running
around in search of knowledge, and your
visit convinces me OF the truth of the pro-
phecy" The whites. however, speak in con-
temptuous terms ofthe religion of the blacks
The worst thieves" said an influential gen.
tleman of Marion, ARE the negro exhcrters.
They will steal anything from chicken down
to a shingle nail.
DEVOTION To WHISKY.
With all their piety and honesty.the noun
taineers dearly love whiskey. Illicit stills
are hidden in the dells among the crags, and
sweet mash may be found III any out-ot-the-
way cabin. These distillers are called moon
sinners, and their whiskey is known as moon
seine ohiskey. They ere Young, happy-go-
lucky fellows and fine singers and juba
dancers. Honest as the day IN all dealings
with neighbors. they shoot revenue officer
as quickly as they would shoot wolf. l
find them free and open-hearted, and willing
to put themselves to any inconvenience to
accommodate stranger. They disappeared
on the most unfrequented paths, iand inva-
riably turned up at an unexpected moment
with new whiskey put mp in pickle bottles
and old tomato cans. lou can never forget
their kindness nor the taste Of their whiskey.