The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1879-09-12


attended that colored ballP"
mo, may it please the court" was
his reply, II didn't belong TO the aristoc-
racy at that tsme!"
Speaking of ''aristocracy," perhaps
there is no State in the Union where
anything like exclusiveness, pretension,
or what is comprised in the expressive
term, being stuck up" has been less
tolerated than in Kentucky, for, how
ever there have been in that State men
of commanding talent in national af-
fairs, it was treat to see statesmen like
Crittenden, Clay, and others there con-
sorting with their plain constituents at
home, there being no mistake whatso-
ever about hearty and appreciated re-
ciprocity of feeling such as was innate,
sincere to the last degree of sincerity.
And, in illustration of that sturdy dis.
like of anything like putting on airs"
story is told of Kentuckian who,
upon one occasion, found himself in q
Mississippi steamer below Louisville,
and who felt glad of chance to rebuke
bit of assumption as trifiing as it was
ridiculous. As most people know, there
isn't much to amuse people on a trip as
monotonous as that usually experienced
on Mississippi steamer; and, as every
occasion is seized upon for little fun,
it behooves every sensitive man to be
on his guard not to furnish it, or to take
good-naturedly, if he can, what falls to
his share. In this particular instance,
certain Gen. c., of Philadelphia, was
making q tour West and South; but,
when he got on the boat in question,
to his regret, and perhaps disgust, he
discovered that the forks on the dinner
table were not silver, but only steel.
Having travelling case with him, he
took out of it a silver fork, and, taking
the steward of the boat into his conf
dence, told him to put the fork away,
and, when ne got seated at the table, to
hand it to him. The steward was net
tied at the imputation upon his table
furniture, and, betraying his mission, it
reached the ears of the Kentuckian in
question. Going ashore at the first
woodward where the boat landed, he
procured forked stick about yard
long, trimmed it up, handed it also to
the steward, and awaited events. Some
of the other passengers were also
posted, so that when dinner was served
all were on the alert to see the fun.
Having achieved a seat, for in a crowd
ed steamer that feat could not always
be accomplished at the first table, the
little General was obliged to ask the
steward to "bring him that fork!" At
once it was brought, and, with low
bow, laid beside the Generals plate.
Thereupon the Kentuckian called out
loudly for his "forkl" The
movement by the steward being also re-
peated in due form, the passengers rose
up and gave three cheers. The little
General couldn't stand that and the
laugh which followed, for he had no
ability to pass it off as good joke. He
went to the Captain and complained of
it as an insult" but all the comfort he
got was to be told that he "really was
too big man to travel on that little
boat-that in walking about on it he
might overset it, and, therefore, he had
better 60 ashore at the first opportu-
nity;" and go ashore he did
The first Kentuckians were certainly
anything else than aristocrats, and the
burgoo soup" gatherings of their de-
scendants, designed to keep up the re-
membrance of hard times in the outset,
were evidence of the spirit and feelings
which prevailed on that score. Upon
these occasions grand hunt was insti-
tuted, the game brought in, and, if
deer, turkeys, ducks, rabbits, squirrels,
or what not, was all consigned to one
huge kettle to make one great ola
pOdridd and, with mussel-shells pro-
cured from Green river for spoons,
calabashes for soup-bowls, and pieces OF
bark for plates, the descendants of the
pioneers, the wealthiest and humblest
together, used to sit under the trees and
try to remind themselves of the "pit
whence they were digged." Itwould have
been a sight worth witnessing to note
the advent of silver fork at one OF
those gatherings.
And, indeed, it did not take that kind
of reminder to stamp the memories and
hardships and adventures of the past
in the minds and hearts of those who
followed and profited by them. Such
names as Lost Kettle creek and Greasy
Rock spring, with numberless others
quite as significant, have served to mark,
step by step, the adventures of the first
corners, since most localities were desig.
mated, in their simple way, Sith the &C.
currence indicating some incident in
their travels and camping-places. Lost
Kettle creek, for instance, speaks fully
for itself; but Greasy Rock spring is
said to have gotten its name from the
numbers of hunters who, in their
greasy hunting-shirts, laid themselves
down on the rock there to get drink,
and of course leaving the marks OF
their long-worn and greasy costumes on
the spot. The constant use of bear
meat, more oily than bacon, conduced
much to the condition indicated.
Speaking of bears" reminds me
of something, as our illustrious and la
mented statesman used to say. On one
occasion, one of the pioneers from the
eastern portion of the State, who was
down at the State capital at Frankfort
attended a grand Legislative ball. OF
course, when he returned, his wife and
the neighbors wanted to know all about
it, as it was reported fashionable" and
they had but an approximate idea oil
what that could be. well" said the