Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-09-25
AMONG THE SKATERS. QUEER LIFE IN THE PINE eARRENS
 OF LOWER DELAWARE.

A Trip Through the Peach Region to
 Lewes and Among the Primitive People
 Who Live There-wrestling with "the
 Agy''-Civilization.
 Journeying southward over the Delaware division of the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore railroad one gets fairly in- teligent impression of the magnitude of peach cultivation in the Delaware peninsula A few miles below New Castle an abundant growth of trees and the large number of wagons and men scattered here and there in the open fields indicate the commencement of the great peach belt, and as the train pene- trates still further there is greater density of trees, hemming in the track upon either side until they seem to expand into an inter mlnable wilderness of intertwining trunks, boughs and leaves, weighted down with fruit Long lines of cars are side tracked at the different stations, loading with crates and baskets for shipment to Philadelphia, New York and the eastern marHets the trult coming not only from the prolific orchards skirting the main stem, but from the numerous feeders which ramifv the country.
 Every mile the train covers you get deeper and deeper into the region It is peaches, peaches everywhere until you become abso-
 
 impregnated with the aroma that is waited through the car windows from the eDths of the orchards. Numerous little urcuins al most before the wheels have ceased 10 gy- rate, are climbing on the cars like pirates boarding an ocean prize. They impudently thrust their baskets in your face and vocif- erouSly importune you to buy of their stock Every other man the car is a grower, a buyer, a worker or a speculator, or in some way interested in the business
 "Harringtonl Change cars for Lewes!" shouts the brakeman.
 At twilight the train comes to a halt at the station at Lewes, the historic old town of Sussex county, with it's antique, moss cov- | cred houses, almost hidden from view in the midst of a grand old forest of oak and pine trees. While looking about for suitable conveyance a venerable looking negro, driv- ing a cadaverous OK attached to rickety old blackboard, came along. I found the old fellow to be quite communicative, and read | fly agreed to take me for a consideration ! and in a short time we were off for the Capes | leaving a crowd of people gazing curiously [ after us.
 At last we reached open country and ar rived at Cape Henlopen light house. Here 1 for miles, stretching along the ocean front is a great pine forest inhabited by commu- nifty of people whose manners and customs are similar to those of the ''crackers" of ! Georgia. Near the light tower the road di- verges to the right and runs parallel with the ocean beach for long distance. We followed it for 0 mile and half. when we turned abruptly into by path and plunged into the dismal looking place. Suddenly we were greeted by the shouts of troop of dirty, ragged looking children, who seemed to have ! sprung up out of the bushes. The driver ex- plained that we had struck the "clarins," which interpreted as meaning the clear ings, and so they proved to be.
 These clearings are located at short inter- vals, and consist of from one-half to an acre of arabic land in a comparatively good state of cultivation. Upon this ground is raised an ! abundance of vegetables and cabbage; sweet and round potatoes are slowed away in large i quantities for winter use. There are cherry, apple, peach, pear and plum trees, and some of the more aesthetic and intelligent delight in lolling in the shade of the silver maple or i gathering exquisite bouquets from the luxu- ] rious flower beds set off in one corner of the clearing. The manner in which the houses are constructed is from which the appellation of "pine shatter" is derived, and, indeed, it ! is no msnomer. The houses are one story high, built of pine slabs, some with and some without the bark, and are put together sub stantially. The roof is constructed of pine shats. These shats are the refuse from pine | trees, such as cones, leaves, twigs, etc., which are mixed with composition of boiled sea water and clay, which forms compact mass absolutely impervious to water. The chim- ney is of hard clay and ascends from the out side of the house.
 These people are evidently great econo- mixers of space, for hero in one of these small rooms Q whole family, frequently consisting of six and seven persons, eat, sleep and cook. 4 1orc fire rara with from which is suspended the old fashioned iron dinner pot, an antique bedstead, two or three chairs and an immense chest complete the furniture. There is no sign of carpet. and no attempt Is made at interior decoration, except that the sa bs have once upon time been whItewashed, for they are now so be- grimed with soot and smoke it is hard to dis tinguish the presence of the calciminer. 4 few pictures, cut from national newspapers, which, in some unaccountablc manner, found their way into th> dismal abode Of the shat- ter, are pasted on the slabs, and fishing nets, cobwebs and herbs are mixed i'll apparent in- extricable confusion overhead, cliuging to . nails and wooden pegs. At the end of the house the inevitable rain barrel to catch the drippings from the roof is used for washing and drinking purposes, and besides the barrel the ubiquitous ''gourd," so famous every where in the southern country as drinking utensil.
 Sitting in tho shade of tree near one of these houses, knitting a seine and smoking dirty clay pipe, was thin, sallow faced man, barefooted and bareheaded. He was talka- tive He said that he had been 'nigh onto death" ," but was now "feelin' right smart" A slatternly looking woman, with hoe in her hand, came up and entered at once into conversation. Taking a rub of snuff they are all inveterate snuff takers-she replaced the paper carefully in her pocket and began in @ most voluble tongue to ex- patiate upon the family misfortune: "Yes, the old man over thar had the agy for moren a year."
 The community is diminishing, however, for the encroachments of progressive civil ization and the development of internal inn provements has somewhat scattered them. A great many have vacated the clearings for the near by towns. They are, comparatively speaking, an industrious people, and just at this season find plenty of employment in the fruit orchards or drying houses, earning