Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-08-19

from the point where we met the two men.
We entered labyrinth Of fallen timber
which told me without question that this
was the "Harrican.'
AZ I; was impossible to pass throush this
timber, the trail skirtod 4, FOR about half a
mile, and then Il ended In y litllc valley
Ike a eul dc sac. Before reaching this
place the tact that Il was Inhabited was In
dieated by blue smoke column that rose
straight In the clearcst Of Rnethystlno
skies But this was not tho only sian. 4
poor Southern white without n number az
yellow ours would be an anomaly As We
neared tia cluster Of llttln log cabins.
these ours came into evidence They We're
as lean and famlshed looking as their mas.
lers and appeared 70 have as inuch inteii-
Eence and far more spirit
Standing In the door OF tho nearest cabin
we saw q lark woman. covered With bhu
ragged, dirty cotton garment, hcr ashy face
and expressonless eyes showing uumistak.
ably her relationship to tho mon About
her, In verying stages Of nudity, were
number Of children. all lauk of limit
AND Vide OF elrth. all having the Same
deathly complexion. hut with nothing sue-
gesuye OF childhood about them except.
Ing their sire
The second man. who had NJ to this tlruo
been as mute as the proyerhial clam.
pointed his arm at the woman In tho door.
and called out;
ihAA sal sal, sue e my WIFE,
Regarding this as nm Introduction. /
raised nay hat and dismonated. / made
seme remark about tho beauty Of the
weather. hut the woman'a unly rcsponsb
was stony stare. Reasoning that the way
to mothers heart Is through the notice
or praise Of her children at the expense OF
yeracity | venturcd TO say: YOU have n
nne lot OF children, Madame. Her thin
lips parted revealing two rows OF long
yellow teeth, and gbo said, IN tho same
cracked voice that distinguished The mon:
Yes; thar's a right smart lot OF theu.
and thard be more II they wasn't dead.
Refusing the mans offer to enter tho hut.
which We found to be devoid OF furniture.
myself and tho guide ataked our horses
IN a patch OF rich grass by the margin Of
the stream and then began an inyostlga-
too, We found the little settlement 10
consist OF fifteen huts, few Of Which were
abandoned, and that the population, an
told, numbered thlrty.suven on The SLOPES
back Of the huts patches OF slrl,ly corn
were growing. but there was no domesue
animal IN sight, except our HORSES. There
We're trout in tho mountain streams. ami
wild hogs In the woods; but these lanE
lazy men did not seem 20 have energy
enough to catch the one or hunt the other
aud subsequently found that even tho corn
would not have been planted had It not
been for the women.
Tho guido W fire TO make some coffee,
and while ouragod In this operation num-
Der Of children, with a curiosity Of which
their seniors seemed devoid gathered about
US and watched the operation Int this
curiosity was tho only indication OF child
hood; there WAS no wcndOrng comment
passed between them. no burst Of lAughtor
came from their thin aahy Nps, Thcy alm-
ply stood and stared at US. like 80 many pot,
belliod maniklns, or naked aud diaslpatod
brownies
suddenly ! heard cry m tho distance.
and saw lean girl Of W or 10, with long
matted hair, rushing toward u.s. while she
held extended IN her right hand a BLUSH.
gray substance Without paying any heed
20 U.s. the girl passed from ono t1 the other
OF the children, each OF whom twigtpd on
o piece Of the clay che hold VA her hand,
Each child rolled the morsel bctwoan dirty
palma I'll Il WIS as round as O marble
and about the Same size, and then It was
ciarped between the thin lpH and the
chewing began In much the Same way that
l have seen children IN the North chewing
gum. This clay must have excited saliyary
glands to excess, for soon the chins and lips
Of the children were covered With blush
frothy muck
| took A piece Of the clay and found Il
without smell or tast0. but evidently rAl-
urgted with some natural oil. In response