The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1879-08-28
mansion so much above the average
of the section that it was the very aris-
t0cracv of lOp-cahinism.

tOcracy OF lOg-cabInlSm.
We were very emphatically welcomed
to the place by a remarkably sturdy
gentleman in Kentucky jeans, man of
herculean build, about 5 feet IL inches
in height, about 60 years of age, with
iron-gray hair in short vigorous curls,
which, GROWING massive, bullet-shaped
head, didn't need a marked expression
of bull-dog-ike courage, qualified by
kindly expression, however, to stamp
him as indeed a peculiar specimen of
Kentucky growth and sturdiness, such
as stranger would look at twice before
concluding to needlessly arouse or pro-
woke.
Calling one of his sons-for contra
bands were hardly known in that por-
ton of Kentucky-he directed him to
take our horses" and then, leading
the way, we quickly found ourselves in
large room which, opening into 9TH
ers, contained the rustic congregation
constituting camp-meeting on small
scaie-for the Squire had undertaken
the charge of finding quarters on his
own premises for as many us chose to
stay through the several days the meet
ing was to be held. tH
On CHANGING around upon the COM
pany [ found, not little to my annoy
ance, for [ hated to be picked out, as it
were, from the crowd, that, excepting
the presiding elder, I was the only
marked outsider-marked as such by q
suit Of " store clothes" (broadcloth) J, in.
stead of wearing the inevitable Ken
lucky jeans. The first pronounced re-
suit to me- was that, when the tin horn
was sounded for dinner, [, although
comparatively youngster, was pitched
upon to dine at the first table along
with what might be called the General
and his staff, viz, the elder, two or three
preachers and their wives, and several
others, old people, distinguished by
their standing in society or in the
church. +tUt a 9a all
Taking position or being assigned to
a place about midway at the long table,
my first blunder was a funny miscon-
ception CT Kentucky hospitality" for
when the 'Squite's wife sent down to me
a plate containing several slices of
boiled ham, although good deal con-
founded at the bountiful supply, was
good deal worse, confounded when the
good lady called out to me from the
end of the table, as [ was accepting
plate and all, Stranger! I intended
that to go round!" Bashful and con-
fused before at my rather novel sur
rounding, it took just that to--as the
expression is" obfuscate me complete-
ly." However, I got over that sort of
thing later.
But-while on this part of my story
i must relate how I, sought to mend
on the 'Squire's determination to make
me dine with the magnates of the occa-
sion, Deliberately absenting myself at
meal time by a saunter into the woods
near by, although carefully hunted for, [
couldn't be found when the horn was
blown. Timing my walk, however, I
drifted in to the table with the advance
of about the second or third platoon of
youngsters, and then found-to my dis
may-that in the scarcity of plates, of
hot water, or something else, or because
it was only a " crowd of boys" I was
expected to dine from my predecessors
unwashed plate. The reader may be-
lieve that was on hand at meal time
for the two days after that, after con-
fining myself for tha5 meal to dry bread,
and one or two other articles not requir-
ing a plate at all, my actions-fortu-
nately, for what they might have con-
sidered fastidiousness-not being OBJ
served 0fae a5'.
The +" camping out" as it might be
termed, when bedtime came didn't
dismay the Squire and his hospitable
family at all. The huge double log
house suficed to accommodate four
preachers and their wives somewhere,
the floor, above stairs, besides, being
paved with long series of straw beds,
answering for, perhaps, twenty of the
rank and file" of the occasion, the
young men. Of perhaps fifty more I
could take no account, but as it was
summer, or rather early fall, and the
average Kentuckian is what some one
terms "shifty" specimen of humanity
all managed well enough pretty GER
tainly. s@G Ia.iF @-l
And the sermons They were fair
specimens Of much that we hear upon
such occasions; but what must the
reader think of a fervent and exhaust
i've appeal against the abuse Of Sew
elry," making the half dozen or so of
pretty girls in the congregation who
had managed to bedeck themselves with
copper brooches and other specimens of
washed " bijouterie hang their heads
sorrowfully at the thought of so much
sin committed in the innocence of their
untutored hearts. Surely the reverend
brother must have been hard up" for
subject when he could make the
limited chance presented for the acqui-
sition and display of so few pretties :"
the occasion of arraigning and pro-
nouncing severe Judgment in such a
quarter.
But, leaving the quarterly meeting
proceedings, which had afforded me a
chance to study some new phases Of
Kentucky life in that regard, I must
| r. "a ~ d ].