The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-12-26
W they had they were willing to divide

Whatever they had they willing to divide
with the strangc's who came among them.
I heir want were rev ana easily satisfied. A
farm comprising few acres or cleared land on
which Ia rsisc "patcn" OF ccrn and tobacco. II
the fam did incline at an angle or forty dc grecs
90 much the hcttcr, the corn was more easily
harvested Mills were few itc far between, NJ u
consequence the people had TO grit (and by
the way when fret Tried grit meal thought
1t WI named, as it requires grit 10 eat it, I he
gritter Is a very simple affair made rom piece
OF tin, usually an old oystc can steal. nt:ncd ont
and holes punched through il with II hail, IL is
then tackled to Il board. nl- ompic,-- The grit
ter The process OF griifing con-s,s in rubbing
an ear u corn n9nii II III: ron shcnnd tin until
sufficient meal IL made for lh- d,y's supply OF
dread " Others more ambitions had htnd mills
the indians. Road were unknown luxury
and wheeled vehicles h.long to the world OF the
"furrinor' In he hundreds or miles have rid
den horseback the creeks and bride path. through
The woods were my only Z hide, and the directions
OF the natives are sometime. rather hard to fol-
low. One Sunday morn NJ wh lie goii g to Ham.
ill., the county seat o. Lincoln county. became
bewildered and asked a woia"r standing In
the big road. | was then r.,i,'ig In "A creek
over which an OK team M '" nan. 4 -
slcd-till you come 10 the 1T h"T-e. t1r" tax:
the mountains of course hie was c%!i"ii q"
her. Er"ry article OF food an vcnriii. apparel
not produced On The farm !.an to hc h,u"d from
Bro "natown. sixty miles away pushed from
the mouth of Guyandot river. scventy-fve miles
therefore many or the commOncsr necessities
were to hem luxuries MT To be thought of
have ften sat down to table, illuminated by n
pine knot or piece or cotton twisted and ilont-
| ing in II saucer OF lard At one time my party
| boarded ~ Al cabin consisting Of single room
and no loft. The cooking, eating and sleeping
| were all done i'll this room and the cooking was
! done over an opci fire
Stories fr iii III. outside world told by "fur-
| rinrr-," who like mysc had drlicd in.o their
mountain homes stores ~ tie wonders Of
| modern scicncc Ivy invention OF The steam en-
! gine which was so n 10 force its way thronge
| their mountains, digging tons upon tons OF
I mineral wealth NOW lying nnhisturbcd beneath
the farms which they them elves and their fathers
| before them II al He'd Tor generations oil cleo
! tricity, iha, wonderful agent, which enters 20
/ largely utO the economic measures OF moIcrn
| civilization. All these things accepted with
u sort OF half c.edr Ou- belief but wncn spoke
| OF he spherical form OF the earth there my rcpn
! tation "a disciple of Annanias was fully cstiO-
/ lshcd. Steam "kyars' might run II mile Il
minute electricity might furnish !ight b; motive
power, Int the earth was Mat, squntc. an rested
! was old Paris iirumilcd who bore u II i!onnl re
putation IA "shootist." yet was one OF natures
noblcmcn. Rough and nnlc trntd he may nave
been hut he was nlwaSs loyal TO his fricni'
and impacablc To his cnimics quick TO resent nj
insult and equally quick TO ralieve distress; the
assassins bullet thai struck him Gown tool
from me one of the hest friends | had in al
that country, and when | pass his lonely grave
by the rippling waters OF GuyIndot river
think Of the wild rides ana j0ll, III. C. we have
had together and murmnr peace 40 his ashes :
Already the utilizing influence OF the rnilro u
ia being felt. ana the litlc white school house
dot the hills which echo back the shrill whistle
of the locomotive that darts around the cnrve
and winds III { he quiet valleys with the p3eciou
freight OF human beings. On every aide IL hear,
the ringing sound OF the miners pick and IN
woodlands axe making ready for the market
OF the world the almost incxhaustibl- wealth u
min, |. and timber, which III k West Virgni
one or the richest state. iii all the Union.