The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1879-08-29

of the section that il was the very aris-
tocracy of log-cabinism.
We were very emphatically welcomed
to the place by remarkably sturdy
gentleman in Kentucky jeans, a man of
herculean build, about feet IL inches
in height, about 60 years of age, with
iron-gray hair in short vigorous curls,
which, browning massive, bullet-shaped
head, didn't need a marked expression
of buh-dog-like courage, qualified by
kindly expression, however, to stamp
him as indeed q peculiar specimen of
Kentucky growth and sturdiness, such
as a 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
a large room which, opening into 9TH
ers, contained the rustic congregation,
constituting camp-meeting on small
scale-for the Squire had undertaken
the charge of finding quarters on his
own premises for as many as chose to
stay through the several days the meet
ing was to be held.
On glancing 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, / was the only
marked outsider-marked as such by a
suit of store clothes" (broadcloth), 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, 1, 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.
Taking position or being assigned to
a place about midway at the long table,
my first blunder was funny miscon-
ception CT Kentucky " hospitality" for
when the 'Squiie's wife sent down to me
a plate containing several slices of
boiled ham, although good deal con-
founded at the bountiful supply, was
a good deal worse COMPOUNDED when the
good lady called out to me from the
end of the table, as 1 was accepting
plate and all, "Stranger / 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, L got over that sort of
thing-later.
But-while on this part of my story
Il must relate how 1 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 saunter into the woods
near by, although carefully hunted for, 1
couldn't be found when the horn was
blown. Timing my walk, however, 1
drifted in to the table with the advance
f. 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" was
expected to dine from my predecessors
unwashed plate. The reader may be-
lieve that l was on hand at meal-time
for the two days after that, after con-
fining myself for thai meal to dry bread,
and one or two other articles not requir-
ing plate at all, my actions-fortu-
nately, for what they might have con-
sidered fastidiousness-not being OBJ
served
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 sufficed 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 1
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.
And the sermonsl They were fair
specimens of much that we hear upon
such occasions; bat what must the
reader think of 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" biiouterie 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 thes acqui-
sition and display of so few pretties
the occasion of arraigning and pro-
nouncing severe judgment in such
quarter.
But, leaving the quarterly meeting
proceedings, which had afforded me a
chance to study some new phases of
Kentucky life in that regard, 1 must
not forget study of some of the pc
culiarities of the old Squire himself, too
remarkable to pass over, as illustrating
some new features of primitive life in
Kentucky. He had been-as his build
and appearance indicated indeed, he
had been the bully" and terror of his