Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-07-22
THE MOUNTAIN HUT.
BY MRS. REBECCA HARDING DAVIS.

David, with his uncle and sister, had
ridden far into the Balsam mountains
of North Carolina one day, leaving the
bridle-path behind them and pushing
their way through the underbrush of
laurel and rowan, when storm over
took them
There should be a hut on the bank
of this stream" said her uncle, "if my
memory does not fail me"
81 see it," said David "But it is
more like a piggery than a dwelling
tor human beings, like most of the
houses of these mountaineers."
"These mountaineers are a kindly,
honest folk, whatever their houses
may be- and lam never afraid to claim
welcome, which cannot always say
Of those who live in the Cities his
uncle retorted.
The welcome in this case was given
cordially. The hut was built of logs,
between which were wide cracks; the
rain beat in and ran down the floor.
II like a plenty OF air. said their
hostess, piling up logs on the hearth.
Her bed was a mattrass of husks Sit
filed one corner, rough pine table
another; heap of sacks full of roots
lay piled near the door. The cooking
utensils were coffee-pot and two iron
frying pans. The woman stirred some
corn meal with water, filled one of the
pans, put on the lid, and covered it
with hot ashes; the other held siz-
zling mass of fat pork.
"Yes, we're very comfortable" sho
said, proudly, observing Polly's curious
glance "Got everything snug and
genteel. I'd be powerful sorry to live
like some folks"
David followed his uncle out to the
covered shed, where he sat looking at
the pelting storm. II never supposed
any human being lived in such soli-
tude," he exclaimed. "Why she has
not left the mountain for twenty years;
she never has seen town larger than
tho village of Waynesville-she did
DOT know there was any larger"
still it is impossible for any living
beings to shut themselves off from
their kind. If you look little farth-
or, you will be surprised to find how
widely connected this poor lame Great
ure is with the rest of the world.
"This coffee, which is making such
a comfortable smell just now, came to
her from the far-off Brazils; black
bearded mulattos picked it for her on
the shores of the Amazon; other slaves
in the West Indies grew her the pep
per which she is sitting on the meat !;
English mill-hands in Manchester
woye her Sunday calico gown; mild
eyed Chinaman gave her tea; even
this hen clucking at my feet came
from eggs from Poland.
"Ihere is scarcely State in the IN
ion which has not its part in this poor
little hut. Here is an axe; Pennsylva-
MIA gave the iron, Connecticut the
handle. Here is sugar from Louisiana,
rice from Georgia, shoes from Massa-
chusetts."
"The world is very liherafto the, old
woman," sad David laughing, "she
ought to give something in exchange"
"Perhaps she does We will look
into that presently. l told you that
we were all closely bound together.
In well-furnished city house there is
scarcely country in the world which
is not represented, if you. choose to
search it out. You ask what the old
woman sends back. Come, let us ask
her. What is in the bag, for example?''
"Roots-Angelica." promptly re-
sponded their hostess. pays eight
cents in the pound, delivered in the
village yonder. The doctors use il
in the North to cure nervous people
That next bag-But set up, set up
dinners ready. Fall to, young folks
there's plenty of it, such as it is" hos
pitably urging great chunks of hot jon.
nycake on them and delicious yellow
butter. David and Polly "fell to-
with good will.
"The other bag, you were about tc
say" suggested their uncle.
"Oh yes; ginseng. l gather heap'
of that ere. My son takes it to thu
store, and it is shipped to New York
and from there to China. Them poo
heather will pay its weight in gold fo
some kinds of ginseng don't know
what they do with it though"
"Going to China" David said
looking respectfully at the sack,