Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1894-12-26
BACKWOODS LIFE.
Among the Rough Monntaineers
of tennessee.
THE MOUNTAIN VILLAGE STORE
The Tobacco Habit and the whiting
Habit-Humorous Side of Life
Among the Lowry.

Should the spirit of some Tennessee
mountaineer of the eighteenth century
return to earth, it would now find com
paratively few sports over its earthly
hunting ground unchanged. The adj
vance of variety loving, speculative
Northerners has materially changed
the complexion of the population OF the
Tennessee mountains and valleys, and
changed it for the better, too, if one
calls replacement of contented ignor-
ance and thriftlessness by thrift and
discontented intelligence betterment
of locality's condition. But the
spirit would surely find settlements in
which it could feel perfectly at home;
in which neither the humble dwellings
nor the slovenly dwellers-relics OF the
past century-have changed materially
since it dwelt on earth. In nearly
every valley of the mountainous portion
of Tennessee the civilizing influence of
the railroad and of the growing village
have been felt, and this influence has
been communicated to great extent
along the main roads of the surround
ing ridges. Still. the people are char
enthusiastically Southern; their land is
the land of the "we'u ns" and "you'-
uns," the land of 81 reckon" and
IT low" Away back on the ridges
the spirit of the eighteenth century
mountaineer could rest perfectly con-
tented but measure of contentment
~ oor+o;,lxv oo,,ld find in opv locality
even in the towns-if it could put up
with shrill snort of the locomotive and
the two-story, painted houses of the
Northern settlers-for the language,
customs, and dwelling places Of the
natives have changed little indeed even
there.
In travelling southwark with the in
tention of studying the people of the
Tennessee mountains, one could hardly
go amiss of excellent material for re-
search after once passing over the bor-
der of Kentucky into the corn crack-
err State. When one begins to hear
such expressions as fright smart,
tote" etc., and heard all pers ons'
given names preceded by Miss or
Mister, he can rest assured that he is
among Southerners. For town
which, with the surrounding territory,
combines large variety of typical Ten
nessee life of the present day, perhaps
there is none that can excel Graysville.
1t was this town that correspondent
of "The Inter Ocean" made the seat of
his researches into mountain life.
Graysville is ON the Queen and Crescent
route. thirty-three miles north of Chat
tanooga. From the car window it is
perfectly harmless-l looking place, nest
ling quietly in its valley cradle. Huge
ridges, dignified by tho names of mouli-
tains by the natives, rise on the east
and west, while Lone Mountain stands
as a sentry ON the north. The series
of hills to the east is known as Black
Oak Ridge. 1t is covered with rich,
easily accessible farms, which, under
the management of the thriftless back
woodsman, yield but scant living for
the owners and their families, but
would yield sumptuous living and
a fair profit under the guidance of en-
ergetic, methodical farmers. Walden S
Ridge. densely timbered with pine,
poplar, and oak, is on the west. 1t is
a branch of the Cumberland noun
tains. Its rocky sides are fairly burst
ing with the quantities of coal they
inclose-coal of the highest grade.
Mines are continually being opened and
coke ovens erected. A lover of tran
guilty shudders to think that the
peaceful little town may be ON the
brink of boom.
Graysville is at present hotoiless
hamlet. But what is the need of
hotel in Tennessee village? The Oft
repeated tale of Southern hospitality is
genuine-every house is a hotel. 1t
was surprise to find in this little
town flourishing colony of Seventh
Day Adventists, perhaps more flourish
ing than any other similar settlement
outside of the famous one in Battle
Creek, Mich. These Seventh Day PEG.
pie are mostly from the Northern
States. and in their buildings have put
quite Northern aspect on the part of
the town where they are located. They
have erected creditable church build
ing and support three-story academy
which is attended by pupils from half
dozen or more States. Prejudice
against the Adventists' Saturday Sab
bath and health reform ideas is strong
among the innovation hating, pork
eating natives, but, Notwithstanding,
quite a number of the natives-among
the best citizens, too-have accepted
the faith of this conscientious sect.
So rapidly has the congregation grown
that a branch of it has erected a separ-
ate church building in a ''cove'' three
miles north of town.
Naturally the first thing a person
comes in contact with ON arriving in
locality is the air. 1t is a pleasing
contact in Tennessee. The air in these
mountains is rare. In Chicago it is
entirely too well done. Eastern Ten
nessee air exhilarates in manner
which makes the Tourist wonder that