New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-22

49,. s,or.tceper. and cheap fabrics from the 'n'is
'"e .s,,sIi, crovdinq out homcspun. But III
~. go districts, IL is almost universally WORK.
md Young wife,s dowry is her dexterity 40 'no
,,h.oI The aora Of this region may De priehs
o,ass,aed Palmetto and pine cover the race Vi
tho earth There are dreary stretches known 10
PALMETTO fats and they form the most de'oia''
wilderness possible 10 conceive Inc 49,
tronded trees are rooted in vast lagoohs' 90
treachcrous as q quagmire, and impasSaDie =. 80
save the backwoodsmen who hold inc KEY :"
intricate system of paths by whicn 'ncs
crossed Here and there are llttfe isia""'' o.
sneak. of solid land. and on each Oh tnese o"D"
is usuaJIv ts be found But unlucky thc
stranger who knocks there for shelter inc
nucb.vauuted Southern hospitality Ii S'rs'
Harris as far as the Florida cracker Is concerheo
and the muzzle OF ON antique rifle is toierapy
certain 10 be thrust through a convenient crach
with n warning TO be off, Nearly all OF the nat
aveIIers are moonshiners on a small scale. Ihey
manufacture for home consumption, the stu con-
sisting of an old pot with coil OF pipe' coo'e"
under the waters Of q spring. In this they mani
a vanous article of corn whiskey, ana h"'c
seen q whole neighborhood, cups ana gourus ~
hand. congregated about the oriiice Oh % sui
waiting for it to run.
As NAV be surmised, United States marshals are
not popular, and for years no warrants lor T'onoe
violations have been served from the court a'
Jacksonville, although indictments have oeen IT,
turned by the hundred. The usual process Is 10 u,
indorse them Not found" and put them pack III
the pigeon.hOe again, but before IL was oiscov
cred that this was wisest and best, the bones VI
many an officer were left in the lagoons. ia tne
piney woods turpentine culture is pursued ia
| desultory and half-hearted fashion. Inc pine
trees are tapped for this resinous gum 6y laDo-
rious process known as chipping and th ;,a pro
ceeds collected frequently by women ana n
farmer cutivates CROP Of trees, but 1t is more
as makeshift to obtain little ready money onan
as regular vocation, and has never peen ioiiowSt
systematically and extensively except by conVict
labor. m
word here as to the negro question. The
counties named have long since settled the race
problem for themselves. 1t is emphatcally q
white mans country. In La Fayette County, 10
| use the expression of an old settler. "a Niger
goes through on the with his hat on Inc
in this region would fill volume II told IN Its
| entirety. and the is under subiugation pro-
found and complete. Al elections they are at
lowed to vote as they choose, but their votes
are never counted if there is the least doubt OF
| the issue. Nobody denies it it is accepted as a
matter Of course
Even this brief sketch would be incomplete
without some reference to the amusements ana rec
reations Of the denizens of this wilderness They
may be briefly summed up as going to meeting
and "frolics" few church houses are scat
Il
somewhat the order of the od-fashloned circuit
rider makes the rounds on horseback lie Is
| usually some selected by common consent as
being "a right smart hand at preaching. and
whether his methods are borrowed from the negro,
or they have borrowed theirs from him, i have
! never been able to determine At all events, they
| are on the same lines. alterations of wild ex-
hortation and wilder prayer. frolic' Is word
Of native adaptation. 1t means promlscuous
gathering of settlers at one of the cabins. where
dancing and generally hilarious time Is INDUCED
in. Music is furnished by fiddler or two. and
some damscl, 80 the manner BORN works the
strains, as it is called. In other words she taps
tim on the strings of the instrument with a
splinter of wood. At the word, the couple
take the floor for the dance There Is no fashion
able nonsense about it. but with arms alSimbo
they face each other and begin an agile break
down that lasts until nature Is exhausted. The
lady with the best pair Of lungs is the belle of
the occasion. Meantime the matrons and grand
mothers have found seats on the floor around the
wall and sit solemnly dipping snuff and watching
the fun. It Is queer spectacle. Lighter knots,
full Of crude resin. are stuck in creviceS and il
illuminate the scene with their fierce fame. Now
and then lively guest gives vent to an.
uncanny yell that wakes the midnight woods, and
the daerhOundS take up the echo with their
melancholy bay But it bears one resemblance
at least 70 more conventional affairs-it lasts
until daylight: the jewellers disperse at streak
Of day, the whole township goes TO bed. and
twenty-fonr hours of silence settles that part
Of crackerdOm.