The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-10-11
AMONG TIE SKATERS.
OuEEa LIFE IN THE PINE BARREN9
or LOWER DELAWARE.

I 4 Trip Throngl The i'ach region :"
Ieve, aad Among tho Primitive People
Who Live Therc-wrc',ling with tho
Agy''- Civilization.
Iourncying southwark oFer tho Delaware
division Of tho Philadelphia, wilmington
and Baltimore railroad ono gets fairly in
tellirent impression Of the magnitude Of
peach cultivation IN the Delaware peninsula.
/ i few r,iles below New Castle an abundant
growth Of trees and the large number Of
wagons and n,eu scattered here and there in
the open Geids indicate the commencement
Of the great peach belt. AMI rs the train rene-
1 trates still further there l. greater density
Of trees. hemmins in the track upon either
/ side until ttey seem 10 expand into an inter
riuable wilderness OF interviewing trunks,
b0uchs aud leaves. Weighted down WIKI
frtut Long lines OF cars are stle tracked at
the different stations loading With crates
end baskets for shipment 70 Philadelphia.
Now York and the eastern maraets, the
fruit coming not Only from the prolific
orchards skIiing the main sten but ir0l
the numerous feeders which ramily the
country.
Every mile the train covers You get deeper
aud deeper into the region. IL IS peaches.
peaches everywhere. until YOU become ALSO
iuteiy surfeted The very atmosphere IS
imprecnated with tie aroma that IS waited
through the car windows from the depths OF
the orchards. Numerous little urchins, al
most before the wheels have ceased to gy-
rate. are climbing on the ears like pirates
boarding an ocean prize They impudently
thrust their baskets in your face and yOcif-
erousiy importune you 10 buy OF their stock.
Every other man on the ear Is q grover,
buyer, worker or a Spectator, or IN some
way interested in the business.
Harrington Change cars for Lewes"
shouts the brakeman.
At twilight the train comes 70 halt at the
station at Leves, the historic old town OF
Sussex county. with il antique, moss COW
cred honses. alnos. hidden from view in the
midst OF a grand old forest OF oak and pine
trees. While looking about for n suitable
CONVEYANCE venerable looking negro. driv-
ing n cadaveroIs OK attached to rickoty Old
blackboard. cane clong | found the Old
fellow to be quite communicative and read
iiv agreed 10 take me for a consideration,
and In a short time we were off for the Capes,
leaving a crowd of people gazing curious!y
after us.
At last we reached open country and ar
rived at Cape Henlopeu light house. Here
for miles, stretching along the ocean front,
IS a great pine forest inhabited by c0mmu-
riiy Of people whose manners and customs
are similar TO those Of the CRACKERS" Of
Georgia Near the light tower the road di-
ycr1es 70 the right and runs parallel with
the ocean beach for u long distance. Wo
followed 10 for a mile and half. when 20
turned abruptly into "a 10y path and plunged
into the dismGl looking place. Suddenly We
were greeted by the shouts If a troOpo dirty.
ragge looking children, who seemed 10 have
sprung up out OF the bushes The driver ~
planned that We had struck the "clarir5.'
which | Interpreted as meaning the clear
ings, and so they proved TO be
These clearings are located at short inter
walls. and consist OF from one-half to an aero
of crabe land il q comparatively Sood state
OF cultivation Upon this ground Is ra.sed an
abundance OF vegetables and cabbage; sweet
aud round potatoes are stowel away IN large
quantities for winter use Thefsare cherry,
apple, peach, pear and plum trees, an" some
If the more csthetic and intelligent delight
in lolling in the shade Of the silver n1o!o or
gathering exquisite bouquets from the luxu-
rious flower beds set off n one corner Z the
clearing. The manner IN which the houses
arc constructed h. frOm which the appclla.ion
of "pine shatter' is derived, and. indeed, it
is no rlisnomcr. The houses arc one story
high, built Of pine slabs, some with and some
without tho bark and are put together sub
stautially The roof y constructed Of pine
shats. These shafts ar6 the refuse from pino
trees such as cones, leaves, twigs, etc, which
arc mixed with composition Of boiled sea
water and clav, which forms n compact mass
absolutely imperviOus to water Tho chiu-
new is Of hard clay and cscends from the oat-
side Of the house.
These people are evidently great ccoao-
mixers VI space, for Lera in one OF these small
rooms Il whole family. frequently consisting
Of six ana seven persons. cat, sleep and cook. \
large open fire place, With a swinging crane,
from which is suspended the Old fashioned
iron dinner pot, an antique belstead, two or
three chairs and an immense chest complete
the furniture There IS no sign OF carpet, and
10 attempt - laINf az 4uAN4lp4 htcp4 dlp.is
except that The slabs have once upon time
been whltewashci, for they are now 50 be-
grimed with so0s and smoke 10 - hard ID dis
tinguish the preserve of the calciminer. \
few pictures, cut from national newspapers.
which, in some uuaccountabic manner, found
tacir way ilto tho dismal abode Of the shat
ter, rrc pasted on the slabs, and fishing nets,
cobwchs and herbs are mixed in apparent in
extricablo confusion overhead, clinging to
nails ard wooden pegs. At the end Of tho
house the inevitable rain barrel to catch tho
drippings from the roof IS used Tor washing
and drinking purposes, and besides the barrel
tie ubiquitous "go-rd,n 50 famous every
where in Gao southern country as drinking
utansI
Sitting in tie shade Of a tree near ono Of
these houses, knitting a seine and smckiaga
dirty clay pipe, was thin, sallow faced man,
barefoo.ed and bareheaded Ho was talka-
tive lie SAID that be bad been nigh ono
death, hu- was row "ieelin right smart
A slatternly looking woman, with noe in
Ter hand, came ap and catered at once INTO
conversation Taking a rub Of snuff
they a-e al ilyeterate snuff takers-she
replaced tie paper carefully in her pocket
and began ia q most Folablo tongue 10 cx-
patiatc upon tie family misfortune: Yes,
the oh man over thar Lad tAcagy for more'n
year
TIA. community is dir1iui-hiu.r however