Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1894-12-26

time natives nOtDlnB dU ali udoIoiihS
can be said Hospitality may be as
plentiful as persimmons in the South,
but when it has to be shared in the
natives cabins a little of it goes long
way. The cabins are usually of logs
plastered together with clay. There is
always enough clay missing to fur
nish plenty of entrances anC exits
through the sides of the structures for
the cats and dogs that share the COM
forts of the cabins. S.noe saw-mills
and, consequently, sawed slabs have
become plentiful, many of the native
huts are now built of boards, set per-
pendicularly. Whether built OF logs
or slabs there is always an abundance
of openings through which the health
full, rare air, as well as the domestic
animals may freely enter. The face
burning, back freezing fireplace has not
yet been replaced by the modern stove
to any noticeable degree. The smoke
from these is conveyed through huge,
rude chimneys running up one end of
the cabin. They are made either of
sticks and mud or small oval stones,
and are SO massive that they might be
mistaken for supports for the ram
shackle huts to which they are supple
ments. Hand made slab shingles about
four feet in length cover, or partly
cover. the building. A glance into
the interior of an average cabin is
enough to surprise one accustomed to
the common luxuries of living.
The room-and there is seldom ever
more than one, though the household
may number dozen-is almost devoid
of ornament unless one might regard
the strings of dried fruit and seed corn
hanging from the rafters as such. o.
casionally few sheets of newspapers
or chromos, obtained through some adj
vertising scheme, may be found pasted
ON the walls, or festoons or brackets
made of sycamore balls may relieve the
mopotony. Beds foot and a-half
high, chairs that would almost break
ones back to sit in, and washstand
constitute the furniture. The buzz of
the spinning wheel is still occasionally
heard in these slab shingled shanties.
The tobacco habit, especially as re-
CARDS chewing, is well-nigh universal
among the native Tennessee mountain
people. Women are by no means ex-
cluded in this statement, for a rough
census through the region travelled
showed that more women than men
used tobacco. The women ara slaves
to the dip" habit, End in conse-
quence handsome set of teeth among
them is rarity. The dip" is a small
stick, usually twig about three inches
long. One end of this il chewed until
brush is formed. This brush is
dipped into snuff and is then slowly
rubbed over the teeth and sucked.
Stroll where you may in mountainous
Tennessee, whether along village
streets or along ridge roads, and you
will meet plenty of women with
dips" protru ding from their mouths.
To see man expectorate tobacco juice
doing the same. and with equal disre-
gard for the presence of others during
the operation, is infinitely more so.
One of the most disgusting sights
wistnessed was the crowding by dip"
users for seats by open windows in
country church-seats selected that
the women might use about of doors
as a cuspidor.
Winter days, when it is too cold for
open windows, young girls capable of
being attractive, as we'll as their moth
ers, have no scruples against using the
church floor freely for cuspidor,
privilege INDUCED in by their fathers
and brothers all times of the year.
Talk about foreign missionsl There
is plenty to do at home.
In the interior of the native cabin
you might see near the fireplace era
die made of a half barrel. in which
lies pale. hungry looking baby.
Down the broad chimney sweeps gust
of wind, scattering ashes and cinders
over the rude cradle and into the
urchin's eyes. 1t rubs its little sight
orbs in frantic endeavor to remove
the smarting stuff. The unconcerned
mother moves not an inch from her
seat. You suggest that it might be
well to place the cradle away from
the fireplace or cover the child. The
mother answers:
9TH cinders won't hurt the child.
Hill soon git'en out NV hits eyes, l
reckon" You leave the cabin in dis
gust.
In the yard you stumble over a Sleep
ing dog. 1t is a long haired. half
famished hound. which seems absolute
ly to have no aim in life. The hound was
about the house when you went in, but
did not bark to let you know of its pres
ence. Tennessee dogs never bark. One
old colored lady when Intercepted as to
the lack of bark in the dogs said: 1--WE
learns dem bettah mammals, sab"
You pass out of the lop-sided gate.
As it swings open it strikes slumber-
ing hog, which awakes, arises and
wobbles down the stony, salmon colored
road. running as it goes. The Tennes-
see hog is thing peculiar to itself 1t
is of the razor-back variety. and the