The Press., 1897-05-06
AMONG THE PINES.
ODD THINGS ABOUT THE NATIVES IN
 NORTH CAROLINA WOODS.

Socks on the Bargain Counter and the RTer-
 chant-He Kept the Store Strange Method Employed For Computing Dis tances Between Points.
 The sojourner roaming in the piny woods of North Carolina will be ire quently confronted by sign or an nouncement printed in stcnciled capital letters on board 3 or feet square and nailed to pine tree, whereby the way faring man is told of the manifold things he may buy at bargain store'' at Southern Pines, one item in the list being 'ttwo pair of sox for 10 cents. y The other day visitor, curious to know what manner of ''sox" it might be that could be purchased for cents pair, went over to patronize this bargain counter. He found the store. It was a frame building fully as large as freight train caboose. It stood on the edge of a big lot, the remaining area being occu- pied by vineyard and strawberry beds and blackberry patches. A strong fence surrounded it. Facing the front of the store was gate heavily barred against all corners The door of the store was evidently locked, and there was no sign of life about the establishment. The would be customer made up his mind that here was a case where advertising had not paid, when he saw placard on the door which gave notice to the public thus: 'In the Back Yard If You Want Me, Holler. ;
 Acting on this advice, the searcher after cent socks 'hollered ; Presently 8 man appeared from somewhere back of the store.
 Do you want to git in?'' he asked.
 Being told that such was the visitors wish, the man came forward, unbarred the gate, unlocked the dool and let his customer in.
 Pm workin up my garden, !" said he, land don't want folks foolin round un- less they want to git ill for bargains. ;
 The socks were worth the money.
 You may be travelling for the first time somewhere through North Caro- lima backwoods district, and, not having a clear idea as to distances, you natural ly stop and ask the first native you come to how far it may be to So-andso's place Expecting to hear him reply that it is mile, two miles, or whatever the dis tance is in miles, you will undoubtedly be surprised and puzzled when he says, after due deliberation
 "Well, suh, it's about two looks from hyuh, suh, I reckon. May be two looks an a peep, though, suh. It's right smart ways, anyhow, sUh. You are obliged, of course, to ask for solution of this puzzle and will then learn that Hook, as a measure of distance, is the limit of vision ahead of you from the spot where you are, and it may be turn i'll the road 100 yards away or point mile or more distant. You travel to the end of that look, !" and from there take another look to the farthest object ill sight as your course lies and travel on to that. If you have been told that your destination is two 'looks' ahead, when you get to theend of the second look there you are. If it is two looks' and peep, you peep off to one side of the road or the other from the second 'look" and see the place you are after.
 One time New Yorker went down to North Carolina to join some friends
 
 piny woods. They had gone out for 8 days sport when he arrived, and he started to hunt them up. Not having found any sign of them after tramping about for half day, he met a native in an old road and asked him if he had seen anything of the party.
 "Yes, sur, he replied. They're up this road yonduh, three looks and a hoot, suh.''
 The New Yorker thought the native was guying him and started on in 3 huff He went on until he came to 8 bridge, where he met another piny woods denizen at work, and he asked that one the same question. The man looked up the road. The farthest thing in sight was big pine tree. nearly 8 mile away.
 Yes, sub, see lem 'smawnin, suh, !" he said. "They was jes' 'bout one look an hoot from hyuh then, suh. ''
 The stranger glared at the man and went grumbling on his way. Just before he came to the big pine tree another native came out of the woods, and the New Yorker, with much misgiving, asked him the question he had put to the others.
 "Oh, yes, suh!" was the reply. "They only jes' in hyuh hoot, suh.
 The native turned toward the woods, put hand on each side of his mouth and shouted lusty:
 'HOo-o-O-o-oo-hOotl
 In a few seconds a similar cry came back from the woods
 'Thar they is, suhI'' exclaimed the native "That's them, suh''
 And it was. They were two ''looks'' and 'hoot'' from the place where the New Yorker had first inquired for them New York Sun.