Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-06-04

Straight, slim, angular, white bodies av-
erage or even unusual stature, without great
muscular robustness features regular and
colorleEs, unanimated but intelligent in the
men sometimes fierce, and in the women Of
ten sad among the latter occasional beauty
of q pure Greek type manner shy and
deferential but kind and fearless eyes with
a slow, long look of mild inquiry, or of gen.
eral listlessness or of unconscious and unac-
oountsble melancholy; the key of life low
minor strain, losing itself in reverie voices
monotonous in intonation movements unin.
formed by nervousness are character
istics of the Kentucky mountaineers. Liv-
ing to-day as their forefathers lived before
them a hundred years ago hearing little of
the world, caring nothing for il responding
feebly TO the influences of civilization near
the highways of travel in and around the
towns, and atterly along the lines of railway
communication, but sure to live here, if un-
invaded and unaroused, in the same condi-
tion for hundred or more years to come
utterly lacking the spirit of development
from within utterly devoid of any symps-
thy with that boundless and ungovernable
activity which Is carrying the Saxon race in
America from one state to another, whether
better or worse. The origin of these people,
the relation they sustain to the different pop.
ulation of the central region-in fine, an &C
count of them from the date of their settling
in these mountains 10 the present time, when,
as it seems, they are on the point of losing
their isolation, and with it their distinctive
ness-would imprison phases Of life and char
scter valuable alike to the special history of
this country and to the general history of the
human mind. The land in these mountains
is all claimed, but is probably not all covered
by actual patent As evidence. a company
has been formed to speculate in lands not Sc
cured by title. The old careless way of mark
ing of boundaries by going from tree to tree,
by partly surveying and partly guessing ex-
plains the present uncertainty. Many own
land by right of occupancy, there being no
other claim. The great body of the people
live on and cultivate little patches which they
either own, or hold free, or pay rent for with
a third of the crop. These not unfrequently
get together and trade farms as they would
horses no deed being executed. There is
among them a mobile element-squatters-
who make a hillside clearing and live on it
as long as it remains productive, when they
move elsewhere. This accounts for the pres
ence throughout the country of abandoned
cabins, around which a dense new forest
growth is springipg up. Leaving out of
consideration the few instances of substantial
prosperity, the most of the people are alb
jeetly poor and they appear to have no sense
Of accumulation. The main crops raised on
the patch are corn and potatoes. By the
scant gardens will be seen little patches of
cotton, sorghum, and tobacco; flax also,
though less than formerly. Many make in
sufficient preparation for winter, laying up
no meat, but buying piece of bacon now
and then, and paying for it by working In
some regions the great problem of life is to
raise two dollars and half during the year
for county taxes. Being pauper counties
they are exempt from state taxation. Jury
fees are highly esteemed and much sought
after. er.-Harper's Maqazine for June.