West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1880-06-19
kackcnsackers.

Scattered along the hillsides and i'm the
valleys of Arkansas, are numerous wretch
cd little hovels that afford show OF shelter
TO the indigenous population. Take a
specimen. 10 stands perhaps six feet square.
a rude hut of rough boards supposed TO hc
placed in vCrtiClC position, and about the
same height on the highest side, but mar
rowing down some two feet to the opposite
side. \ few boards laid CareleSsly across
the upper ergc from the roof There is no
door, no window. no chimney. An apcr-
ture in the side of the hut, which is partly
concealed 10y n ragged, dirty quilt is the
means of ingivss and cgrcSS
Propped up against the outside wall with
sticks Of wood is an old table soddcn with
dirt and warped bv the weather. A gaunt
gray cat sits loisuroly tapping water from
pail that stands upon it. At little dis
tance two mCngTc yellow dogs are swapping
and snarling over the contents of a rusty
iron kettle that, recently having done ser
vice in cooking the family dinner, is thus
undergoing the cleansing process prcpara
tory 10 the next meal. In the sunshine.
her bare, ircCklcd arms skimbo, stands "A
woman.
Her faded petticoat hangs IN shrcads
about her thick bare ankles. Her loose un-
buttoned sacque only partly hides the slit
ted waist beneath AS the long shadows
fall on the grass beside her, she looks up.
anC pushing back her limp sun bonnet, dis
closes the sunkcn, yellow face, the matted
hair and the dull, washed-out eyes of the
female indlgenc. She is not troubled with
diilidence any more than the more cult
waited ot her sex, and intimatcs her desire
for conversation by the question:
SAY, stranger, kin yo give me the time
o day Z"
The stranger gives her the time, and,
emboldcncd by her iriendlncss, essays "A
glance into the interior. When his eyes
grow accustomed to the dim light emitted
from the chinks in the walls they discover
the figure of IA half dressed man with ton
seled hair, crouching upon heap of dirty
rags which form the nuptial couch He Is
chewing lazily, an occupation which he
varies by "A skillful frcscong of the oppo-
site wall with various designs in toDacco
juice One or two Police Gazcttes pasted
up on the wall come in for share of the
liquid decoration. tin waeh basin half
full of dirty water sits on broken-backed
chair, and two or three nondcscript gar
ments hang upon the walls This is liter
ally all the cabin contains
~ YOU AlNt htlNl llNlNlIth lnt NlInn-
ger in tone of increduity.
The man does not vOuChsafe IA reply.
lie is too deeply engaged in invcnting new
lantaslics in the decorating line. But the
woman answers, nothing 10th
"Ihis is just whar we uns do live, stran-
ger"
But you haven't room TO turn around.
''Ihar's heap o room out doors,
~. f.... Al l.. 4
no controversy.
That subject being exhausted the stranger
tried another.
"Iou haven't any childe-n?"
'No; we had two but pears tike some
thin was the matter with 'em long from
the first Never was very pcart Reckon
twas fits, or mcbbe worms. cot power
OF doctors stuff for em, but pcared like
they couldn't live nohow. Chldren's
mighty contrary mortals Reckon its Just
as we'll they died they wouldn't never
have been much count anyhow"
But what do you do for a livIng?"
There was no sign Of cultivation, not 40
much as spccr of grass about the dwell
ing.
wall, lac hunts mostly. Sometimes he
gets somethn' and sometimes he doesn't.
some days ! do right smart o washin'
when / feel like it.
but couldn't you get regular employ
mcnt, you, and earn enough to live more
comfortably ~
we live comforbly enough, and we
amt agoin' TO work less we're a mind ter.
We ain niggahs if we is pore
The last argument was conclusive, and
the visitor walked away sadder, but wiser
from the interview after the woman's part
ing thrust
II reckon you uns must be from the
moth = The charge was mcekly admitted.
81 might "a knowcd il, " with an indie
scribable infection Of contempt in her
tone. "NO'thcrners never was very smart
nOhow.
-s ~s--