Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-11-26
CURIOUS KENTUcKlANs.
Congressman Taulbee, OF Kentucky, Tell
How His Constituents Live.


How His Constituents Live.
Representative Taulbec, of kentucky,
comes from the mountain district OF
that State. and he lives in the region
described in Charles Egbert Craddock's
novels: There are 5000 square miles
Of territory in his district. 1t COM
prises twenty counties and has one Of
themost curious populations in the
world. talked with Mr.. Taulbce
about 1t. Said he: "The district ia
very we'll described by Charles Egbert
Craddock and the dialect is very much
kke that she puts in her stories, though
l have never seen the language In
In print before. The population is the
product of the frontiersmen of several
States. The first settlements in Ken
turky were along the Ohio river and
in the valleys Of the Kentucky rivers.
As the country became more settled
civilization drove such OF those of tho
early settlers who liked hunting and
frontier life upward into thu mountains.
II WAS the same with Virginia and
Tennessee. These huntsmen and
frontiersmcn married and Intern lrricd
and they have now become . separate
people like unto no other in the world
They have been away from the civiliza-
ton OF the railroad, the telegraph and
the daily newspaper, and they have
grown into language and customs of
their own. They are n very patriotic
people and during the late war, il you
will look at the records in the War De-
partment, you will find that my Con-
gr1ssional district furnished five Union
regiments. They are very simple in
their tastes and 1t docs not take much
in my country to maks man wealthy.
II he has $2.500 he is considered
well to do. II he has $4,000 ho is
rich"
''rell me how the people live"
'rherc are very few towns, about
two only to the county. and these will
average about thre9 hundred inhabit-
ants each.
"fhs ordinary house is n log one,
consisting OF two rooms, with boards
shaved smooth with draw knife. or
split, nailed over the cracks between
the logs. Ono of the rooms is used for
sleeping room and the other is the
living room, d ming room, kitchen AMI
parlor. all in one, in which the family
stay during the daytime. There is
but one sleeping room for n whole
family, and when they have guests
visiting them these turn in and sleep
in the same ROOM There are a num-
Der of beds used, and stran ger always
gets ths best bsd. They arc very
modest with it all. They turn their
backs II they are up. while the others
Of the family are undressing, or il they
are In bed they will cover up their
heads until you have completed your
nightly toilet. 1t is the custom. you
know, and think our people are noted
for their large proportion Of virtuous
women. Virtue is % much respected
In the mountains as anywhere else in
the world. These mountainecrs are
very hospitabls. They entertain n you
and give you the best they have, and
II you oiier to pay they will refuse and
say they do not make their money that
way. The little money they do make
comes from farming. You have heard
Of the feuds of these mountaineers.
have nearly half score of murder
cases to defend in ons county on nc.
count OF them. know place where
two families have been fighting each
other for generation, and where the
different families of the two tribes
never go out to work except in squads,
and they always carry Winchester
rifles with them"
sis the country improving?'
"Well, yes, somewhat; but civiliza-
ton comes slowly in tho mountains.
We have not the best facilities for edu-
cation, and, though the people want
their children educated. they use native
teachers and they do not push matters
like you do in the North. v Wgshiilg-
Ton Cor. C4eceiand Lcater,