The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-12-08
LIFE MID MOUNTAIN PEAKS.
Hardy and Primitive Moonshiners Found
Among the Pennsylvania Highlands.

Among the Pennsylvania Highlands.
! From the Pittsburg Dispatch.
Moonshining is secretly carried on all
/ over the mountains. 1t is the earnest con-
Nlction OF those people that they have a
| divine, IL not a lawful right to convert
the product of their farms into liquor.
which they can dispose OF at a better
price than they can the raw products.
Iney sun hold to the priciple for which
all western Pennsylvania rose in arms
over century ago. but they are no more
ancient In this contention than they are
| In all their modes of life.
Within the mountain cabin everything
Is as primitive as without and round
about. Most of these are one-story, with
a loft above. and contain but two small
apartments. Built against the log build
ing Is the massive stone chimney and the
chink holes between the notched logs of
which the cabin Is built are filled with
mud All the furnishings are rude and
mostly homemade. and the few utensils
are of the most Anticipated pattern. The
door is low and the windows are small
and few. Some cabins have stairs to the
loft. some a ladder and some only a few
pegs. In the loft the wife has her weav
ing loom, spinning wheel and reel. and
here she keeps her fax and wool II is
here that the material for clothing is
spun and woven. Pine knots and tallow
candles furnish the light. but when night
comes the family generally goes to bed.
bedsteads are generally made by the
head OF the family. but sometimes we
md fiashfly-painted specimen. which
has descended from sire to son. Cradles
are hewn from logs and the rounded sur
face serves as rockers.
III school houses are to be heralds of
civilization then the mountain region is
like the country Of the Gauls before the
coming of Caesar. Way down toward the
foot of the range we may see a little bat
tered and faded building. but few. indeed.
are the children of the mountain region
who enjoy its benefits. We scarcely ever
meet man or woman who is able to
read and write intelligently, and a daily
paper is an entire stranger to the mount
ain cabin.
Only the weekly papers reach Il. and
these not for a month after they are is
sued. The mountaineer has no occasion
to go TO the village at the foot of the
range oftener than once a month. Many
OF the gray-headed seers have never seen
a railroad and plenty of strapping youths
have never been a dozen miles from
home. This is one place, at least, where |
the sports of our grandfathers are still
IN vogue, and the highest ambition of a
youth or maiden of he region is to at
tend log-rolling, housekeeping, corn |
husking. house or barn raising. apple |
cutting or stone-picking. with their ac-
nights of merriment. When |
The work for which the frolic is held is |
finished and supper over the room is |
cleared and the old fiddler appears upon /
The scene. and soon the strains of such |
Did tunes as the Virginia Reel" ''Old /
Dan Tucker" and the Irish Washer |
fill the evening air. One by one !
ne couples of dancers take their places,
Ind then ensues a period of hilarity and /
iproar that would rival an Indian pow
vow.