The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-11-21

Interesting Letter From West Virginia.
I WIGGINs. w. Va Nov. ia few nigh
ago l eat thinking OF the pust and count
ing from General JacksoIi's inauguration
ne president In 1929. havs seen fifteen
presidential elections; OF the presidents
have seen eight. My mind then dwelt
upon the condition OF the slaves Ia far off
Georgia, in their "Old Kentucky Home
and on the "ol1 Virginia Shore their SUE
perstltioDs and religious proclivities.
IL wns common thing In those days In
some places Tor the oversBar to lock the
slaves In their cabins until daylight came
to prevent them from holding meetings.
put have been told by some OF the slaves
tlat ihnt they often ciawled up and out
their chimtnies and went three OF four
miles to meeting and return before day.
without their masters being any the wiser
AS a general thing they we're warmly
clad IN winter, hnd plenty OF hog, hOminy
anu potatoes, and sometimes good fat
possum.t
They formerly believed in ghosts and
thought 1t dangerous to pass grave yard
after dark. Southern white children wore
early imbued with the superstttions OF the
old mammfes who had the cure OF them.
ana the stories they heard Of witches.
ghosts, hobRobllns and evil spirits. clung
TO them long after childhood. Converslng
with an old slave on one occasion. said:
Aunt Liza. you don't believe in ghosts.
do your She replied: 'Iawd, master!
/ believe In kants and skilituns to dis
day" These people have happy and
painfully pious nature, and no class enjoy
their meeting and big quarterllrs"
more than these negroes.
They are somewhat smart In their say
ings, for instance they say, 'De dust dOan
seltle Oh de bread box. de mule hab so
much goodness In his face he has none for
his hind Logs" "A gap In de AK shows itsef
In de chip" DE rabbit makes de best
time when lie is trabolln for his health"
Rale good religion heaps de bushel." "A
little hole In yer pocket is worse dan
big hole In yer knes." They believe that
to keep a monkey will Sring evil on the
house. They believe If they nail n horse
shos over the door 1t will keep away
witches and evil spirits. anu also bring
good luck. Hut they have left the days
OF their bondage behind forever. and the
tongues Uf those, both white and black.
that can tell OF the sayings and doings OF
this race will soon be sllenced forever.
W. W. Boxley has completed the road
bed around Little Bend Tunnel ready for
laying the rails and then the work will
shortly commence OF widening the tun.
mel Tor double track which will he In the
early part OF 1895. The Greenbrier river
is still very low and fording very good
anywhere.
Wheat Is 55c. corn SOC and hard to sell
at that. Oats SOC Butter 20u. eggs l5c.
fat "PossuDls" 25c CooDs SOC, Ground
Hogs 20c. PheasanGs l5c, Squirrels SOC II
dozen. Poultry is cheap. good sized hens
$50 But the wherewithal to purchase
these com IN odities Is Ds scarce as hen
teeth Stli our people arc trusting with
confidence Tor better times.
Delawars'a victory has caused West Vir,
Rlnlnus TO ask. What EextT 1hs Repub-
licans once getting the reins In the l,ands
will drive on to prosperity. So much In
terest was taken 10 your conflict that a
miner OF Stone tlin wrote to me to know
II Delaware had been won by the Republi-
cans, aud when lepIied yes. he Is reported
to have said. THANK God" W. Is. w.