Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-24
ON THE MOUNTAINS.
Life In q Primitive West Virginia
Locality.


Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
BROOKSIDE. VIVA, July %. 1894.
Your daily visit to me for over twenty
years whether by rail CT by boat, by noun
tain coach or announcement at my front
door of your arrival by Here var Even
Star" forces me into the belief that we are
very good friends. and letter to you will
not be a presumption. Not many of your
readers realize that few hours by rail,
and, after leaving the train at Oakland,
Nd, delightful ride over an excellent road
will bring them 300 feet above the sea
level. Here are nestled several cottages,
some large, some small. The little settle
nent is termed Brookside-a pretty name,
suggestive of rest, Of quiet. Of all things
sweet.
AS we drive through this wondrous coun-
try, this wilderness of hills, greeting us
everywhere is a perfect fairyland of laurel
blossom, extending On either side as far as
the eye can reach. Trees they are-not
shrubs-crowned with every hue and va liety
Of this wax-like flower. Here We find the
Omish ana the Dunkard-an industrious,
energetic and prosperous farming class.
Few of these people have seen anything of
life outside circuit Of few miles. The
snuff stick is used continually by old and
young; even little children and a pleasur-
able delight IN the use of the bitter weed
after II has been ground into powder. FISH
ermen, who follow trout streams with rod
and fly, penetrate these mountain forests
and find a very ignorant, superstitious class
dwelling on the outskirts of dense woods.
motherly housewife at one of these iso-
lated homes greets the weary, hungry fish
erman with smiles and gladly offers him of
her small supply. She will, II asked. fry a
few of his speckled beauties. Served in her
quaint country STYLE the meal is relished
as none has been for many a day.
In contrast to this fisherman will, at
times. find an altogether different sort of
mountaineer. Standing at his threshold the
other evening a man was approached by
one OF our guests who had become quite
exhausted from climbing through a laurel
jungle. To his query, What can you do
hungry there came in gruff tone and
sullen look this response: Thar bent
narthun ter eat round here'bouts."
Have you no eggs, little bacon, some
milk?" persisted the hungry fisherman
MARI" with a scowl, var kin git
narthin' fur grub outen this house." and
the very "disagreeable man. Of the noun
tains slammed his door in the stranger
face. Very few mountain people in this
locality are so suspicious Of city folk as to
show an unwillingness to offer even a cup
Of cold water. We become attached to
them, for, as rule. they are most civil
and kindly disposed to us. Men of this
community have rugged, severe. changeless
features; long hair and beard. They are
not inclined to be social nor friendly The
women have very sweet gentle faces. Peep
ing from beneath the peculiarly shaped
hood worn by the Dunkards are some of
the most refined, delicate and pretty faces
1t has been my good fortune to see at any
place.
Last Sabbath we attended the morning
service at n Dunkard church. This was
optional on our part, for services are held
each Sabbath at the churches of a villa e
only short distance from here where one
can hear an excellent sermon, and select
between three denominations.
"Will you join us?' l said to a friend
THANK you, no; have been once" was
her unhseitating reply. Another friend
still another. showed the same reluctance
to attend service at the Dunkard church.
having been once" Though my desire
and curiosity were somewhat lessened, a
little party were soon turned toward the
chapel, a short half mile down the road. -
We entered the primitive white little edi-
flee. Men and boys crowded the pews on
one side, women and children on the ether
Babies, too, were there of all ages Now
these babies added much to the noise IL not
devotion, of this morning hour, and as
some Of them were blessed with whooping
cough, they made the scene one of con-
siderable-well-? / think l will say con-
fused sound. for the louder a babe cried or
ccughed, to SO much louder pitch did the
preacher raise his voice.
Brookside is full of guests. Philadelphia
Baltimore, Washington, Wheeling are ali
well represented.
NJ