The Worthington advance., 1882-01-05
SOUTHERN INCONSISTENCIES.


the Future ot His People.
Atlantic Monthly for January
These mountalneers are race ofa risto-
Gratis. They desplse the life of towns and
cities and think the inhabitants of such
places much inferior to themselves in wis
do m, character and happiness. They are
all Repu blicans IN politics. asked the
leaders in the mountains how they could
support the political party which makes
and executes all the laws and carries on all
the prosecutions against th.m; but they
said: Jest so; yes, We know; but that makes
no difference. We know a lot o them big
men g got the Gov 'ment now an runs it for
what they can steal. But we've always
voted agin them fine chaps down thar in
the towns, amt We always she'll" Both
the moonshiners and the business men in
the towns said that the continued manu-
tacture Of whisky in violation of tee laws
was partly a feature of the old warfare of
the mountaineers against the clvilz ltivn
and the people Of the toms. Yes in many
instances this caste feeling seemed to be
an abstract or general idea rather than a
personal feeling, as the relations between
individuals belonging to these two opposite
classes are often very kindly. But when
ever there is any display OF the patronizing
spirit, or feeling Of class superiority, it is
on the side of the mOuntaineers.
l was soon informed of the meaning and
origin of the old mans saying, I'D orta
know, fur I've sarved my time," He was
one OF the first men ever convicted and
punished under the revenue laws in that
part OF the country, and he had really
aserved his time in the Northern peniten.
tiary. On his way home he had been in
New York and Philadelphia, and bad &C.
quired some definite, if not entirely cor
ret, ideas regarding northern civilization.
Neither he nor any Of his class felt that there
was any degradation or disgrace involved
in their punishment for crime against the
revenue laws. They did not regard them-
selves as criminals, but ape cared to accept
the resulting hardships as a part of the
fortune of war;" They seemed to feel no
personal hatred against officers who had ar
rested them without unnecessary harshness
or insult. They often used tho express sion,
Il ain't nothing agin him. He only done
his duty" But their detestation of "the
reformor." rs their phrase is, is most in
tense, u.u heir thurst for revenge is rot
extinguishable by time.
asked the old man if the unlawful dis
tllling would always be kept up. "No,"
he said, lit wont last long. But the gov
ment will never put it down. But this
Ayuf comfy a!la-goln to change. itsa-
goln to be most everlastinly improved. ye
see. 1 sha'n't never be improved; I'm too
old: But the old ways Is a-comin' to au
end. They's men a-buying up thousan's OF
acres Of this land. They'll be railroads
built directly hither an' yam, more'nll do
anybody any good. They'll cut of the
woods for fuel an lumber an they'll be
mines an quarries up hyur, they say. An
they'll be mean, dirty little towns laid out,
all abou'. Then instid O. people drinkin'
little healthy whisky, as we've always done.
they'll be forty times as much miserable pi-
son stuff sold an drunk, an whoever drinks
it II begin to see, and I reckon there will
be some mighty fine houses built som 'e-es
aleng this river, an they II put up big sclen-
tIhc locks on to their doors, an thieves
II come mp from Cincinnarter an Chat
noog'. an break into 'em. They amt new
er ben a lock on to door in these noun
tains But they's goin' to be the all-firedest
improvements about lyur, an s'pose our
people IL larn to steal too; haf to, to keep
up an live. An they'll be some O. them
city women hyur, reckon, from them big
places. with their fine feathers, and their
dresses a-draggin' on to the ground, an
they'll be the devil to pay among our young
men. That's what they call civ'ly zation, ain't
1t, stranger? tell ye. this country'll soon be
lmprovin' like hell, but shan't live to see
much of it, I reckon. I've pretty nigh
about sarved my time; but Of you oo9e
round hyer in about twenty years, mebbe
you'll remember what I've said. Our folks
is been hyur nigh on to hundred years,
an no man nd ever say that one Of the
name 'u'd lie. or that anybody ever needed
help an didn't get it from the Fo]jambes;
put they'll be more enterprise after awhile,
reckon. an we'll all be a-cuttin' one an
others throats."