Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1894-11-08
ON A KENTUCKY PIKE.
f'"ocs OF country Travel on Horscba
mud by Stann

episodes of Country Travel on Horseback
and by stage.
Ihefe IS nothing pleasanter IN fall or
spring than riding through kentucky on
nv me stone pixies, at the sides of which
negroes are seen lazily grinding M rocks
TO repair the ravages made by the swift
looted steeds. This occupation. hv the
way, is not held in much esteem by the
more aristocratic negroes, and there is
!. neheve, but one means Of livelihood
when IL considered more degrading. AS
the traveller rides on he sees much to in
tereSt nm. The scenery is not at all of
the grand and awful style, but is, on
the other hand, cheerful, sunny and
peaceful, and has a certain capabiity of
inspiring like qualities in the mind of the
RIDER. Along the road one meets other
riders, who always bow courteously. Oft
ehtlmcs one sees Il whole family riding
out. n young father with one of his nu-
merous progeny on his steed in front OF
hun and one behind, and, on another
horse beside him, his young wife. with Il
sweet lace peeping out from under Il big
Sunbonnct. Then, there is the small boy
going to mill with a bag of corn to sit
on, or returning with his saddle softened
by conversion into meal
At frequent intervals along the pike are
the toll gates, with little houses close to
the road, where oftentmes II pretty girl
comes out to receive the toll. suggesting
material tor Il romance as she takes the
money from gallant Kentucky rider.
VINO also pays her with complimentary
glance, or scizes an opportunity for larry
ing II minute by quibbling about the
price.
occasionally one may meet families
passing through Kentucky while moving
from state to state One evening, at
tractcd by the CLEAN of II fire among the
trees, | stopped to see what was there.
Seated ut campfire was an old woman,
toasting bread with one hand and hold
ing child with the other. Grouped
about her were several men, Il young
woman, and little children. while near at
hand was II capacious kind OF gypsy
wagon, in which they travelled. They eX-
planned to me that they were moving from
Tennessee to Indiana, that they had been
on the road Il number of days, and
thought it would be some time before
they reached Indiana. What more de-
lightful way of traveling-stoppin by the
way to rest at will. and when II storm
arises tarrying at hospitabe Kentucky
farmhouse?
Another feature of Kentucky travel is
the stage which carries the mail from one
town TO another. rs the railway connec-
tions are often defective for the Ken
tuckian has too much pride in his fine
pixies and blue-grass-nourished stceds to
feel dependent on steam or electricity. l
recall Il journey taken one December day
from Shelbyville, the county seat of Shcl-
by and the scene of Uncle Toms Cab
in to Frankfort, twenty-five miles dis
tant.
Our comfort and pleasure were greatly
enhanced by the stage driver, who was
the typical representative of his class
Il joviaI, frank. hurly. kind hearted Ken
tuckian of real English stock. lie had II
word and Il joke fer all he met along the
road. and passed the compliments of the
day rs he stopped to receive COMMISSIONS
for SDoolS of thread or molaSSeS, or took
in eggs and butter, and alas! most ire
quently Of all. empty whisky bottles to
he filled ii Frankfort. occasionally ms
baggage was more exciting. us when he
received live turkey, which. iii spite Of
being fastened on behind, kept our inter-
est in him constantly active by his occa~
Sionul savage pockS. Tins somewhat
distracted our attention from the dusky
young couple on the front seat. VINO mad
just been off to be married. ana were
smiiugly conscious of their position
This consciousness was expressed hF the
Young black girl whenever the groom III
Il somewhat shecpish way performed any
little attentive office. by her frequently
itcrated coy remark that she wished she
Was to home.
Occasionally. too. drummer, stranded
in u little hamlet. seized this mode OF
conveyance to the next town Then there
was the frank. entertaining young man
from Denver, on the way to pass his
Christmas vacation in Frankfort: with
whom we discussed Darwin aud
"Cr,y's EIegy," Pixies Peak" and orig
inal sin. ,.;..
Whenever we came to Il hamlet CONSIST
in" of two or three houses. one OF Whlch
generally served rs postotlice. the driver
would tax, out the well-worn mail bag,
and after the rural government ofhclais
had selected the few letters that De
lnnrcL there and put in q possible paper
and postal card, he would bring PACK
the bag. not much increased or dlmn,
ished in weight. to remain with Us TN
We arrived AT the next United states
station. Our stage driver entered fully
into the spirit of his position, ana had
s,v,otb;nr of interest to tell us about near
~ n,.nrv house we passed. Boston Even