Semi-weekly interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1881-1905, 1886-05-07
IN NORTH.CAROLINA.
NOTES FROM AN OBSERVER So
JoURNINo IN PlNEvlLLE.

Euclid In a Fit of Delirium Tremens-
Singular Uncertainty OF statisties-The
Poorest of the Poor white" Inhabit-
ants-An Underbred Race.
When the original engineers surveyed this
country timber was very thick and rum
very cheaper, II not rum, apple brandy,
which was the patriotic colonial and Revo-
lutionary drink. The result was a set Of
boundary lines which reminded one Of
Euclid in a fit of delrium tremens Instance
the line | am now on or near, between the
two Carolinas which in its entire course
runs to every point of the compass, besides
forming an arc in one place and following
the meanderings OF creek in another And
no one knows why 1t was so located
But the lines OF farms are still more
mysterious To an Indiana or Illinois man
they seem the very madness Of perverse in
genuity, Is IL not a strange thing that in
royal and colonial times no one ever thought
OF as sirnnle nm evpedient as LAYING out
land IN square tracts, In the course of
time and changes by sale and trade most Of
the farms have got into some convenient
shape; but the habit of speech il more en-.
during than the habit of action, and very
few peop.e direct a traveller by the points Of
down the creek" @over the next creek
around t'other side Of the swamp" and so
on And very few planters know just how
much land they own; IL IA sold or rented on
estimates, and sometimes a survey will show
a variation Of fifty acres
This singular uncertainty runs through
the most OF the statistics of North Carolina.
You always have TO discount or add a per-
centage to make them square with the rea-
son of things Apparently there never is
as much gold produced from mine or as
much corn from an acre as last years sta
tistics present 1t depends 30 largely upon
the temperament Of the man who gives the
figures; and surely there Is no other state
where big men are 50 ready to give big
figures or little men feel so awfully little
and small spirited as in North Carolina
Take one of these little, peaked-nosed, stoop-
shouldered, and weakened fellows who "crop
it" on these pine fats, and he certainly can
take the most narrow, contracted views Of
the universe Of any creature outside Of
Lilliput That the world Ia nearly %, 900
miles around and contains some ], 4OO, OOO, 600
people is a conception he could not possibly
take in-though he would assent to it in
stantly if some man of imposing air stated
it confidently.
AN UNDERBRED AND UNDERFED PEOPLE.
He has less color in his face, less spring
in his walk, and less "tone7 in his speech
than the native Of any section have Wis
tied. His peculiar grayish or mealy, tai
lowish complexion is a mystery to me.
Many pretend 1t Is due to the climate; but
that is an evident error, as the wel-to-do
people are noticeably rudy, and certainly
IL should be more healthful in the pines than
on the darker lands / am satisfied IL is
the result Of defective nourishment, from
generation TO generation They have scant
food, and don't know how TO cook that
@Jowl and green's with buttermilk, is their
feast at this season. corn-bread and "fry"
fried bacon their standard Not one fam
lily in three has a vegetable garden worthy
the name Not one house In ten has grass
plat or shrubbery around it IL isn't a
good days walk from Charlotte to this piney
sand strip, yet 1t is from the nineteenth to
the sixteenth century.
like backwoods people IL they have the
flavor Of the woods, for IL well fed and
housed they always have primitive humor
that is racy Of the soil, and their homely
wit is worth long walk to hear. But the
Carolinian Of the pines seems totally desti-
tute of that humor which charms even in
the negroes Of the black lands He is
essentially a sad being. Evidently he does
not enjoy this world, though rarely hear
him speak of better. That the race is I'M
derbred is clearly shown by the fact that
those graceful curves are lacking which
mark nearly all natural human forms-that
Is there is no swell Of soft flesh here and
there to finish Off the body. Arm or leg is
Of the same circumference for its entire
length In sight Of me as write is an
adult female Of the species Fit ring
tight around her just under the arms, and
IL would slide to her heels and touch evenly
all the way. Near by Is her husband,
chopping wood with such an indescribable
overwhelmed sweep that can not tell
whether he is right or left handed
"Parke's" Letter in Chicago Times