The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-08-20
OZARK ODDITIES.
Pen Portraits Of Honest Simple Souls Who Are Happy in
Their Primitive Lives in the Missouri
Mountains.
Mountains.

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- IT here in Missouri We sure
MN have dialect We're way yam
IN ner" ahead OF the surrounding
N II region In that respect. The
~ Oxarks have produced class
Of farmers which II as peculiar
to the region ~ are its rocky. wooded
hills and shaded valleys. Seemingly they
have Withdrawn from the onward march
OF humanity. and in this quiet nook these
children Of nature have. for generations.
lived out their simple lives. unconscious
OF the great surgfng waves OF progress
all about them. Their experiences being
limited to the region In which they were
born and have always lived. their only
ambition to sustain life. their ideas are
necessarily narrow and amusing. which.
together with their originality OF
expression lends to them q peculiar In
terest for the student OF human nature.
John Johnson il . representative OF this
class. He and his wife. Sary Ann, to-
gefher with their ten children, live in q
little hut OF one room on q small farm
which was handed down to him from his
father. Only ten acres OF 1t are In cult
vat.on. No windows adorn the dwelling
only door on each side. In winter and
summer these are the only entrance for
Eight and air. When the wind or rain Is
from the north, the south door In opened.
and vice versa.
not expend much energy In working the
farm. and realizes but little from its out
put. He sort O. trades around" and in
this way manages to exc out q slender
livelihood. But he II shrewd in q small
way. He win start out with some little
article and will begin to trade until he
soon fines himself the possessor of horse
or COW. It's he sells. and the money
thus gained represents his living for the
coming year, for 1t will probably be that
long before he can again make q similar
turn With part OF the money thus real
lied he purchases gun. or something
tradeable. and begins again until he can
once more make a sale which will again
place the family on easy footing. Once in
q while he brings to town load Of Ozark
poles. after disposing OF which he makes
few purchases for the coming week,
bravely issuing his order for quarters
worth o. coffee. a quarters worth of SUI
gar and half a dollars worth o. terback-
err" And yet. with all his shiftlessness
and shrewdness, there IL an innate honesty
In the man. He can readily borrow SO or
SIS from any Of the Inhabitants. for, while
he can give no security. yet they know
they win certainly get their money back
sometime. Many such lift has he re-
time before he could repay. get he has
never been known to fail to fulfill his OBJ
legation.
Ny acquaintance with John began about
a year ago. had been travelling all day
In the rough surrounding region, and in
the evening. hungry as q wolf. I went up
to the cabin and asked if might get sup
per there. John 10 the soul Of hospitality.
and received hearty welcome. Sary Ann
hustled about. and In a remarkably short
time had hot supper. and to me- after
the keen appetizer OF q days travel In that
rocky country. a very tempting one. We
sat down, and John extended the general
invitation:
Jest reach and help yerself We amt
got much. but you're mighty welcome to
what we have
Yes" piped in the thin voice of Sary
Ann. II hope you'll be- able to make out.
Take some O. these biscuita know light
bread tastes q heap better. but jest pears
though I ain't got no time to make 1t, so
make up biscuits for each meal"
] wished to myself that city cooks might
sometimes feel thus. But they seem to
labor under the false impression that light
bread Is much more saving Of time and
labor than hot biscuits. I informed Sary
that they were a rare luxury to me. at
which she expressed great surprise.
Jest begin a reachin' and helpin' yer
SELF said John. Have some o. these mo-
lasses. they is fine this year. Them last
year was good. but these IL heap clear
er"
/ accepted some OF chem" and then.
looking out where In the distance a long
row Of elms were outlined against the sky.
I said.
What fine eims those are, Mr.. Johnson
Yes" he replied. II alters took a heap
o. stock In them. Elms 10 good. They
make sich tall scenery"
Yes" ! said. they do. You have a
pretty farm How were the crops last
year,
Find. ! raised a heap last year. sold
a pile and had right smart left Coin to
do good this year. too. I'd laid out TO do
good days work Yesterday, bu. II wasn't
a ntten day to cut wheat. and so 1 didn't
work. I started to haul q load o. poles to
town. but got stuck In the mud and had to
leave II last night, and. God bless your
soul. when I went back today some thief
had stole the whole load. But Jest wait,
III ind out who twas and I'll git even yet
Jest wait TIL he gifts stuck. believe, as
the good hook says, When you are in
Rome. do as the Romans do 'Twoulan.t
a happened. though. II tina. good for moth
ing Bill hadn't ben along to help. But
law. he amt got enough get I'D TO chew
victuais"
Who IL Bill?"
on. he's my son. He Amt got back
from town yet. He's Is years old. goin'
on Il. and he don't amount to a hill o.
beans. Amt got no sense. nor no amhi
ton. jest the LATEST. shiftiessest brat
that ever drew breath"
oh now. pa" interposed his wife in
a reproachful tone.
We'll. Sary Ann, YOU know it's so. Hes
powerful weak IN the upper story de-
clare. sir, IL that boys head was dyns-
mite and was fetched OF I'll be gol darn
ed II believe the explosion would lar
his hat"
We'll. now. pa, pleaded Sary 'you
know Bill does save heap He eats UP
| all the SCRAPS"
Yes" admitted John. he does do that,
| You see" turning to me- 10 explain. ''RiIrs
a powerful eater. but he Amt particular