The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-10-13

some have supposed. the red variety so
common throughout middle Georgia, but a
peculiar white kind. with a soft. greasy
feel. and found only In certain localities.
IL Is said TO contain arsenic, thus account
Ing for the fierce OF the habit and its ef-
feet upon the system.
social instincts. They are said 10 hold fes-
rivals. rather dinings, the menu of which
Is made up mainly of clay Dr. Pender-
grass told OF one OF these clay feasts which
he attended. Ii was held at the home of
one OF the most prosperous Of the clay
eaters, living two miles from Scotsborough.
rooms-one a bedroom. one a combination
bedroom. storeroom and pantry, and the
other the kitchen. dining room and parlor:
ered aei in W sbe k if = s EiE5ss on in Chairs. a
bench and some boxes. Six squatted on the
floor, all other seats being occupied. On
the stove was a pan. three feet long and
two feet wide. In this pan was a lump
about the size Of a young shoat, and IL
bore a striking resemblance TO a Scraped
pig. Tn wife OF the host, a lean.l hollow
chested woman, stood over the pan. On
the floor beside her was a gallon jug OF
corn liquor and a h~alf-gallon open-top clay
crock In the crock was a mixture OF
turkey and 'possum fat, melted into a
greasy, brown LIQUID. From time 10 time
the woman prodded holes in the clay with
a sharp-pointed ~pronged stick Over these
holes she poured, first, the turkey-possum
grease, then the corn lioIor. AS the mix
ture struck the heated clay IL sputtered ond
splashed. A sickening odor like unto burn
ing rubber and rum filled the cabin. Clouds
of smoke rose from the stove and foated
about the room, mingling with the curling,
ill-smelling sheets of tobacco smoke. DC
c~asionally the woman drew the pan to the
side OF the stove TO prevent the clay from
getting too hot and drying out. She would
roll the lump over in the pan with won
derful dexterity.
twist, drew the pan and its contents from
the stove to The floor.
'Doner' she cried in a shri1l voice. Done
to a turnr'
The guests ceased their 'clamor, and with
one accord suuatted In a circle on the
floor Four jugs of corn LIQUOR were placed
in the center OF the circle, VIII a s,, ols
the size of small pieces OF bread. Then.
after pouring more liquor in the pan she
placed Ii in the center of the circle beside
the four jugs OF liquor. The men used
their jack knives 10 pick out slices of the
clay. The women and children used forks
ting the pieces of clay on the floor. while
they chewed the chunks they bit out of
them. The feast lasted until early In the
morning, when the guests who had not
sifccumbed I'm a drunken stupor made their
way home, chewing the drugged clay as
they went.
Some OF them own donkeys. and these, at
taehed to little two-wheeled vehicles, are
familiar sights along the public highways
Last winter. returning from a hunt in
the lower part OF the country, DR.. Fender
grass was forced to seek shelter from a
storm in the log cabin of a full-fedged
clay eater. The building was set back
some distance from the road, and a we'll
beaten path led through the weeds TO the
doorway. from which the blanched faces
OF some half-dozen children peered forth
c~uriously. 1t was a squalid den. There
were two. windows. utterly destitute of
glass. stuffed with rags and old paper to
keep out the chill. while the rain beat
drearily and the wind whistled dismally
between the old rotten logs. 1t is custom
airy to daub up the cracks in a log house
with clay, but the absence Of 1t there
A chew OF tobacco started the head of
the family talking at length of his family.
ID you all eat clay?' asked DR.. Fender
grass. abruptly.
There was no answer.
"Clay's not fit to eat, anyhow continued
the Doctor.
mot At TO eatg' repeated the man.
why, stranger. it's food-weuns hyah lives
on it, me an my chilluns an my neigh
bors.'
but you don't prefer it to meat and
bread7"
I'VE luv it, stranger. weuns are raised
on it; our chi,luns eat it when they leaves
reg'lar food"
but If you had other food regularly ?"
asked the Doctor.
"Tew late, stranger" was the reply.
"Once yew eat ii, yew eat 1t foah good.
It's like yon fire. Eff yew go neah it an
d your dogs eat it?"
They eats 1t, tew. They is nigh on to
human-"
do your mules eat it?"
"Muels? No. stranger. they is only
muels."