The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-06-25


es together, chew one end into pulp'like, dip
that into catarrh snuff, and then put 1t into one
side OF their mouth and chew, chew, chew! Per.
haps in their estimation IL Is no worse than to
see our Yankee girls puff their cigarettes. As
tobacco chcwers. ! never saw any that could
equal real heightened, blue grass kentuky gen.
tleman for chewing the weed. You may talk
about your country Jakes around the village tav.
ern, or the loafer that cXpectOratcs in railroad
depOts or on street corners, but when II kcntuck-
! ian and his friends sit down for chew, with Il
full load between the jaws, you have picture
that would lmmortalize Mast could be produce it
on paper. Such squirting and eXpectoratng is
not to be equalled anywhere else on the AmerI.
can continent.
! ON THE OHIO RIVER.
To say ii was "red hot this afternoon At Iron
ton would be faint way of expressing it; it was
just "meltingm and, as tackled my grip" and
made tracks for the levee to board steamer that
was going down the river, thought what little
there was Of me, grip and all, would melt into u
grease spot, The extreme heat and dust made
railroad travelling a torture and impressed fell
low with the belief that, If he had not struck the
gatory. On those Ohio steamboats, one occasion
ally sees many phases OF life such as no other
place affords, and from the moment one steps on
board until he gets of again there is continual
kaleidoscope changing OF things going on, but
of course nothing here like old times on the Mis-.
sissippi, when stcamboating on the Father OF
Waters" was in its glory. The Ohio at lronton
widens TO majestic proportions, and as our boat
pulls away from the lcyee and glides along the
banks the scenery in many places touches on
that Of subimity and grandeur On both sides
the hills rise to lofty altitude, and from base to
summit are thlckly wooded with various growths,
while many Of their tops are crowned with Jagged
peaks, resembling something Of the fantastic.
Then again they recede or gradually diminish
until scarcely veStige of them is visible and the
shore for miles presents low, fiat surface, until
bend IN the river brings to our view another
tier Of hills, which gradually raise their forms
high al0ft, presenting another but different pic
ture from those already passed. The Ohio was
''afoe de wah" and is yet the dividing line be-
tween Dixie and the rest of the Union, and in the
days of slavery any moke that crossed this river
was free man But this il not news, and many
will say 81. d. is giving US something musty"
As finished writing the above paragraph our
steamer had made her fifth landing-two on the
Ohio side and three for the Kcntuckans Some
Of these landing places are of the most primitive
kind, and many-thc great majority of them-are
on the bank or in woods, without a habitation in
sight or scarcely any indication Of house being
within miles Of it. On this journey one sees the
contrast in the people that dwell on opposite
sides Of the river. "By their works We shall know
them" say the Scriptures, and here we have o
striking contrast in the people that dwell on the
opposite shores. Thrift and industry, mixed with
a little pride and ambition, seem to characterize
the Ohioans, while the contrary would indicate |
the peCuliaritics Of the others, save in one par.
ticular-"M demonstrating" There is more Illicit
whisky distiling and Illicit stills in Kentucky
than in all the rest Of the United States combined.
They are in the woods, on the hillsides and in |
caves; and In this respect the Moonshlners have |
been more trouble and cost to the Government !
than all the rest at the whisky manufacturers in
America, and this region along the river seems
to swarm with them.
AS we glide along the river now and then We
pass little boats OF very small dimensions, with
covered decks. These are called Floats" and
most Of them are not over ten feet long and six
feet wide. Sometimes entire families eat, drink
and sleep in these cabins and for the most part
a family numbers anywhere from a half dozen
up. They are queer class-seem to live on
nothing and avoid all connection with civilza-
ton and civilized people. They are dirty, slouchy,
insipid looking creatures, with no ambition for
nytb MANI ~ boya lived oil hat
lives on board these crafts in fact were born and
raised on them, as were their fathers, mothers,
grandfathers and grandmothers before them.
But this is their way Of living; they know no
better, and would not enjoy the luxury and
pleasure of a home like civilians for in such
grandeur they would be like pig in china
shop-out Of place. But this entire region ID re-
markable for peculiar people, and perhaps the
queerest class OF all are
THE "sAUGEgs,"
a race Of beings living in the mountains Of West
rginia-remarkable for their squalor and rags
and simple ways of living. Whenever went to
Wheeling or other parts Of West Virginia al
ways heard more or less Of the "Saugers," but
never until within a year had an opportunity Of
seeing them, and that under very unfavorable
They are a queer class, aud
many strange stories are told OF them. They
live on wooded slopes or in mountain gorges, !
miles away from any township or settlement,
keeping entirely to themselves. The origin Of
the SAUCER is unknown. 1t is said that he exist
ed long before the war, and his ranks were large
ly recruited from the deserters Of the confeder-
ate army, most OF whom came from North Caro-
lima regiments; and the cross between the real
Tar heel" as the Carolinians are called, and
the native Sanger has produced breed unique
in texture and Of extraordinary mental pabulum.
They live by themselves and have no laws. They
make no wills and have no disputes over the
property OF dead men. Marriages are unknown
to them, but polygamy or anything OF that ma
turp ia not tolerated Their children arc never