The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1900-06-29
JUNGLE Unfair"

OF contumely handed down from period
when this portion Of the county was isolated
by impossible roads and covered with dense
timbers. The jungle" fell behind in the
march of progress The farm wagon con-
yeyed the family to church on SUNDAYS when
the people on the prairie rode in Spring
wagons" or owned bugges. There was one
prevailing style of architecture, which is still
frequently seen, the square log house with
one room and boxed-up kitchen at the side.
The lights streaming through the one small
window showed such decorations on the
walls as a shotgun and rifle, the horn pow.
der flask and hunting pouch, and trophies
OF the hunt, while on winter evenings the
glowing freight from the eavernous fire.
place threw shadows in and out among the
iestoons of onions, dried pumpkin, and
'middlin's" suspended from the rafters.
The house in which Hester Lane was born
stood in a small cleared space in the heart
Of the Jungle" Here she grew to woman
hood with no wider experience with the out
side world than the weekday walk to the
nearest village, and an annual journey to the
county seat in fair time.
Her first hardship came to her at the age
OF six, when she must trudge each day for
u miles to the district school. But school
days in the Jungle" were soon over the boys
getting the most of the "schooln'" because
the girls married and had no use for it.
There were no bachelor maids in the "jun-
gle" Marriage was certainty about which
there could be no doubt.
Hester Lane being what the natives Of the
jungle" called good smart GIRL" it
was expected she would make good match.
II the Lane home was more picturesque
than some of its neghbors it was because
Hester's hand trained the morning glory
vines over the window in summer and hid
the woodpile behind bank Of sturdy holy
hooks and princess feathers. Tin pans
and pals shone nowhere else with such
brightness and luster MS they did on that
bench outside the kitchen door. Besides
Hester had pieced more patchwork quilts
on the long winter evenings than any other
girl in the Jungle" where a feather bed
and bedding and COW was the dowry every
bride was expected to bring to her hus-
band
Hester had her choice between Squire
Biudsoe's son William and Jim" Gillian,
whose father was the big land owner in
the Jungle" and could set off ten acres
Tor the young people to start out with. Be.
ing a predetermined young woman, Hes
ter took Jim" and the wedding day was
set for Octorber.
Squire Bludsoe, who had tiled the knot"
in every marriage ceremony which had
taken place in the jungle" for a decade,
otficlated, and supplemented the ceremony
with such solemn advice as he deemed It
necessary for the young people to take. A
wedding in the Jungle" was quiet affair,
the real celebration being the Unfair" on the
following day, when the young husband took
his bride to his fathers house.
Fine and proud Hester looked as she
sat beside "Jim," on the front seat of the
new wagon in her Unfair" dress of "sky
blue delaine, trimmed with white lace on
the ruff1es, and her last seasons hat re-
decorated with fresh ribbon bows. This
going away costume represented the savings
on the sale of eggs and butter above the
family groceries for many weeks. 1t was
Handmade" too, sewing machine not
yet being one of the Injuries of the Lane
household.
Early as they were, the Unfair guests
were arriving before them. The chairs
were arranged in semicircle around the
room, and Jim" and Hester sat down
near the open door. The company, the
older members first, came forward one by
one and shook them by the hand and Of
fered their congratulations. There was
only one phrase in which the good wishes
could be conveyed. Il wish you much Joy"
repeated each neighbor, solemnly, and sat
down again. Then there was silence in the
room, the guests staring bankly at the
bride and groom, who relieved their en-
barrassment by occasional whispers to each
other.
When the jests and witty sayings which
enlivened the festivities Of the ''jungle"
were exhausted some of the older folks be-
gan reminiscensing of former wedding &C.
casions.
Its curious how the world does change"
said Uncle Jimmy" Taylor He and his
wife, Aunt Laura" were the pioneers
of the Jungle" "You young folks who
get married and start out in the world
nowadays don't know what hard times are.
You've lumber to floor your house with.
and cook stove. and you can buy beds
and chairs and table already made. 1t
wasn't so 30 years ago, when Laura and ]
| got hitched.
Laura lived at old Kaskaskia. Her
! father had come over on to the Illinois side
from KsHtucky, and |, being rowing chap
and tired of Tennessee hills, turned UP there
one day and went to work for him. Seed
ing was all done by hand in those days, and
Laura helped in the corn planting We fell
in love and were married. One day after
that took Laura up behind me on a horse,
and with all our worldly goods tied in a
bundle we started out to seek our fortunes
in new country. We never stopped till
we reached the Jungle" and took UP a
piece of land and built cabin. made all
the furniture with my own hands, and Laura
cooked on the Goals in the fireplace. had
TO go te st. Louis for almost everything
in those days, and Laura staid alone in the
wilderness, but the Indians were gone, aad
there wasn't anything more dangerous in
the weeds than varmints and wildcats"
And we dida't have Unfair dinners in
those days." said 'Jim's' father. We had
turkey and venison, which we shot in the
woods, and for cske and pie we had good
corn pones baked in the Goals on the hearth
'Jim's' mother didn't have a store -bough.
wedding dress like Hester here. but good
Iinsey woolsey she wove herself and carded
the wool for it, too. There wasn't no fine
hats in them days; the girl was proud who
could gel a bit of calico to make a sunbon
net"
There would have been more stories Of the
good old days when simplicity reigRed al
wedding feasts. but the men must hurry
await for the "house-raising." and before