New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-11-18
DOWN SOUTH.
,oop WHITES ON THE MOUNTAINS.

POOR WHITES ON THE MOUNTAINS.
Limestone Township, Nov. 13.-h was inc 'him
day after our arrival at the cabin on the mountains.
We had becn out all The morning and had uaveised
tho valley which lies between our - own mountain
and Busbee But we had been careful 10 Keep III Sisht
ctrtain tall pine with a tufted Top tna' s'oou
hack OF the Aver house We had en)oyeu All INC
experience Of being lost which we dcsiiru. ncsi"'s
having the tree for landmark we had win Us threc
dogs We felt we'll protected, and toleraDiy sure uat
they would know how to reach home, IL we should
NOT We had climbed and had Slid, rather han
walked down pitches had crossed three branches
or one branch three times. we we're not certain "ch'
The air was thrngly sweet, while 1t was aiso sunni"
latipQ We had recalled all the descriptions vi 'hese
North Carolina mountains, and had agreed as I'd 'io
srpreme folly of them all They arc as iaf beyond
words as that benIgnly vivid sky Is beyond painter
mower, Ono may feel, however, II one cannot
portray. n..oA %
Amabel who is a great scofer at all approach "
sentiment even when It be not sentimen'an'y' hao
had become so affected by her SURROUNDINGS a. ~
ouote poetry. She had just said that 'hero was
A distant DEAFNESS in the hli
secret sweetness in the stream,
h . bo,se came slowly walking down
,he sIdpe opposite us, on the further SIDE OK
,he branch Buster dashed forward and swan inc
stream Tip followed him, but little Bull VINO had oeen
allowed by Tip to go on the EXCURSION rena'"o' ="
our side Of the bank and barked convuisNeH' W.
stood still and looked for the horse bore TWO uis
two little girls, the in front sitting on sauuio
so much in atters that 1t was wonderful no" u was
fastened. the one behind astr1de with her arh'S
,oupd her companion Both children were iookins
us with so absorbed a gaze that the horse was
left 70 take care of itself, which 1t did by Walking
into the middle of the stream and there paisins ~
drink Buster and Tip spashed ana Darhcu !" I,o
water with great demonstrations OF JOY. iho s'ris
were of the same size we're dresseu aiiho i" ua'h
calico frocks red tires" and white sunbonnets' Ihey
looked remarkable tidy Their faces, seen now were
precisely alike. OF course they must De the i~Iirs
tbev must be on their way TO Mrs. Ayers lhelr
whole existence the present was merged In stare
at u.s. That stare opened not only then piepuo eyes
but their mouths; II prevented them nom noucins
the dernonstratlve dogs At last the morse ii'eo 10
head and walked TO the bank, which was mere qni'o
stocp While the steed scrambled up, its riders CON
tnued their unswervihg gaze. We advanced, ana inc
horse stopped that might crop some green leaves
II sunpose YOU arc the twins" said AmabeL'
"Yes-um," said they in unison.
al suppose you are going 10 Mrs Ayers"
"Yesum," said they.
aYou have been visiting on BusoeeP
"Yesum.'
Did You have good timer
"Yes-um.'
Perhaps Amabc felt a. this point that the converse
ZION was not sufficiently varied, for she became silent
The borse continued to eat The twins continued to look
I now said that Mrs. Aver had been expecting thein
the day before and they responded Yes-um'" re-
marked that the dogs were glad to SEQ hem ana they,
not CHANGING at the dogs, said Yes-um'
The gravity Of the chdrens faces appeared 10
be very doep. They had that preternatural soemniy
which is never seen save on childs countenahce'
Their manner and voice, their very stare were
so intensely respectful as be almost fattering 1t
did not seem to me that had ever excited so much
respect before and naturally We felt kindly disposed
toward the children. They did not seem 10 nave any
idea of going on and we at last requested them to ride
forward and would follow. They obeyed u.s.
and we heard them chattering TO each other as We
walked behind Their little sun-bonnets were fire.
quently turned in direction but nothing more was
said until We reached the cabin. There Mrs. Aver
came out the twins kissed her and began instantly
flow of talk speaking with an undescrlba0le into
nation with a curious hatncss, and using strange
terms sometimes Immediately liked them.
On nv expressing this feeling to ANA
bel she denurred She astounded me by declaring her
belief that they were "underhanded" and decetfuL'
| did not think Had the respectful homage Oh
their manner affected my judgments
When t,er bonnets were removed saw that
their faces were of no particular color with round
vacant eyes family tnged with blue as to be almost
white, palld mouths, hair in its way also almost
devoid of color like wellcured hay. They were fiat
faced seemed TO be- Whom they laughed their mouths
stretched, bat the laugh never Affected their eyes
They stubs of hands grmed deeply as II the Crime
had been a birth mark never to be removed The
only difference in their appearance that had
more widely opened eyes, and she was Ella, the other
Ellen.
They were very voluble with Mrs Aver, but also
very respectful They expressed deep regret that
they had not taken their learnin book to their
| aunt's and so kept up their lessons, for now Dee
| would be ahead of them.
"And Deen said Ellen hurrtedly, he don't know
nawhn of hiSsef but reckon he's CURT or head of us
| In his learnin' book now
Ella quickly repeated what her sister had said
They spoke as II in hurry, and breathed rapidly.
They seemed TO fill the little cabin as with dozen
| people. They Rugged each one of the dogs; II one
said ANYTHING the other invariably said 1t after her
The interior Of the house Immediately had an effect as
If great wind were blowing in II and hustIng every
! thing. They began to help about getting dinner
They mixed a pone and set IT down in lis Kettle by
the fire they called II making bread" In doing this
they scattered meal all the house, and they
ratified the hot Goals TO the floor when they settled
the kettle Ella poked the Goals, and then Elcr
| poked them. Ellen, on being told, took broom Il
sweep up the meal and she diused 1t yet more widely
| the They always dropped every utensi
at least before being able 10 use H. thcn the Other
| would say: Thur now See what you've durn! :"
| They ratified, banged, pervaded, talked, laughed
constantly at work they grabbed at the dr,ieS
! things with entire good humor. They listened wher
| you tried to teach them TO be gentle, and said
| yes-um" If your words would have effect: the!
seemed to try, but they did not succeed. II was ON
Of their duties to that there was plenty of WOO,
for tho fire. This first night they forgot this unit
| they were cnddled the broad lounge where the!
both slept. All at once they sprang up with tn
suddenness Of a whirlwind, rushed oit of doors II
| their night gowns and returned laden with WOO
which they flung furlousy down the floor by tn
| chimney.
al done furgot ter tote that wood" said Ella II
| explanation Of this sudden movement and Ellen I'M
mediaely added that she " done furgot ter tote tina
| wood
They each insisted upon having dog TO sleep witt