The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1888-03-22
THE MOUNTAINEER'S HOME.
A Description of the Abode of n Georgia
Moonshiner.

From the Athens, Ga. Banner. Watchman.
Did you ever visit one of those humble
little homes in northeast Georgia, that
nestles at the foot of some spur OF the
Blue Ridge?
1 do not refer to one Of the prosperous
farm. houses you often see on the road
side, where summer tourists are..wont to
spend the day or night; butt mean for
you to leave the public highway, and fol-
lowing one of those trails that lead
directly over mountain ridge and carry
you to little settlemen. that seems en-
tirely cut off froln the outside world.
During my recent trip through White
County I had occasion to spend the
night at one Of these rude homes, and
will endeavor, for the entertainment of
the Banner. Watchman readers, to draw
penportrait of it. I do not, in my de-
scription, refer to one Of the wretched
little huts of one room, where hunger
and misery guard the door, but the abode
of mountaineer of average means and
thrift.
The house stands in clearing Of some
ten or fifteen or twenty acres, comprising
a narrow STRIP of bottom land on the
banks of little stream or branch, while
the rest of the cultivated ground gently
slopes upon the mountain side. The
house is built of logs, the cracks either
stopped with mortar made of clay or by
split boards nailed over them. There are
generally two rooms in the house, and
the one lam about to describe had rude
porch in front used as storage place for
agricultural implements, as also saddle
and bride. A winding path of about
fifty yards carries you to bold spring,
from which the family bring their water
for domestic purposes.
You summons the lord of this manor
at the gate by loud "halloa." he is
generally found in the house or around
the premises attending to some minor
duties. The stranger is kindly received
and seldom refused shelter or entertain
ment. Shortly after l had dismounted
and seen my horse attended to, two pale,
sickly.looking women came to the gate,
each driving little bull calf attached to
a plough. They seemed thoroughly
wearied out and touched my sympathy.
They were dressed in cloth spun and
vowed by their own hands. Their heads
were protected by oldfashioned sum
bonnets, and their shoes badly worn.
Pretty soon they were Joined by young
mountaineer, apparently about 25 years
old, with an axe on his shoulder. He
was six feet tall, remarkably handsome
man, and proved to be the husband of
one of the women, while the older was
his mother. Introductions among this
class are unknown, and if you wish to
know man or woman's!name, you are
at perfect liberty to crafty your curiosi-
ty by asking them the question.
was as kindly received and treated
as Hospitality as their means allowed.
On entering the door of the house I
found myself stunned for an instant by
receiving severe blow upon the fore.
head. I then discovered-what I after.
wards found to be custom among
mountaineers-that in cutting the door,
at least one more log should have been
taken out: and unless you humbly bowed
your head you are reminded of the in
civilty BY bump on the forehead.
In spite of the fact that the mountains
abound in wood, you very seldom find
good fire. The wood don't burn as read
lily as the growth of middle Georgia, and
when hauled up lis left exposed to the
rain until ready for use. There is a
scarcity of chairs in most all the mountain
houses, there generally being only enough
for the adult members Of the family.
The visitor, however, is given the most
comfortable seat, while the family find
accommodation on the beds and boxes
in the room. The wealth of noun
taineer seems 10 rest in bed quilts, and
you see.these coverings piled up in the
corner of the room as high as your head.
When these people have superauous
money, instead of investing it in stock
or bonds, they 60 to the nearest store
and purchase calico with which to make
more quilts. When one of the girls
marry, this is her principal dowry. You
find the room filled with beds, and they
are stuck everywhere it is possible to
place one. Their literature is f.the
crudest kind, consisting of several Grier's
almauacs, dating back a uumber of years,
and perhaps two or three odd volumes of
old novels or we'll thumbed school
book. They are never read, however,
for when I opened one or two of the
books, I found on shelf in the room,
they were covered with thick coat of
dust. The room is decidedly uncomfor.
table. There are numerous cracks in
the floor and walls, through which the
keen wind whistles.
The meals are prepared in the other
rooms at an open fireplace, where is also
kept the loom and spinning wheel. You
are given seat at the table, but the
chair you occupy is so low that your
plate is about on level with your chin,
and eating is decidedly disagreeable
undertaking. You are given a greasy
old knife with one side of the handle
broken of, and fork with a single
prong. Your plate is the oldstyle blue
trimmed crockery, with dirty crack
nearly through it. The table-cloth has
been stained yellow with the numerous
meals eaten upon it since the last wash.
day, and it is stiff enough to stand alone