West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1901-03-14
a DAY AMONG
THE CASTERS.
How Some Of the Poor People Live Ia
the MildS OF Tucker County.
Specially Reported for Tho Areus

On February the 10. we were ptrmittcc
the blissful pleasure of oscorting anothc,
Preston county teacher over the snow. clat
hills among the Fcastcrs OF Tucker county
IL was rather cold day but the air wa,
exceedingly braoing, aud the motive ol
our journey caused us to forget that tho
thermometer stood below zero and that
the snow was eighteen inches deep.
Our sleigh was driven over from Thomas
through the almost pristine forest whose
tall dark pines, standing like French
erenadiers caused rs TO think of Theo.
doro hunting bruin in the wilds OF Colorado
the half concealed strcamlct. as Il moved
lazily down the mountain side caused us
10 think OF the Foastcrs who were whoop-
ing for Bill last fall, as he handed them
twenty Eve cents each for their freedom as
American citizens.
! Everything being in "A striking contrast
TO our natures, We were very much cxhil.
aratcd 10y the time We reached Lead Mine.
Being dcsrous OF reaching the land of
the Fcastcrs as soon as possible and by
the most practicable route. we secured the
services OF "a cicoroue at Load Mine for
seyenty.dvc cents aud all the tobacco he
.I ]
jug OF cider nom Parson Swade but we
dissuaded him from il and he agreed to
the tobacco instead. lie said he had
raised some hillside navy but some of tho
Feastcrs stole II all but two twists which
hc had hid in the gravy boat under the
cupboard.
Having seated ourselves again in the
sleigh, our guide told us we would have to
so to point one mile below Lead Mine
aud turn directly north up a stream which
he called Hilc Run As we entered that
road our guide asked us whether OF not we
were the Gellcrs" who were going to bring
| them clothes around and did not do H.
OF course, tins aroused our curiosity and
we determined to hear the whole story ere
we left him
did YOU buy a suit of clothes from some
one who failed to deliver them p we
queried mo, s'pose not" returned our
| guide "but that lyin Jenkins and some
more o. them Republican bosses come
over here ist fore TIA lection. and said II
we would only vote for them an Bill Nc.
Kinlcy they would send us barrel of
whiskcy and some of their clothes they
hadn't wore much. but they told us a lie.
an now we haint got but one pair o pants.
and one coat apiece. an Bill Fcaster told
me las time was at mill that Parson
Swade hadn't only one shirt to his back"
Did they pay the Foasters anything for
their votes r"
Yes. answered our guide. they give
! Bill Feastcr big high silk hat an big
lonB-taiicd coat they said a preacher at
Parsons had wore. tell yc strangers IL
was a bustcrin' good coat--had only a
leetie hole in the elbow. And they got
Bill TO line us up like our soldier boys ia
the Philippines and march up TO the church
and cast her straight through for Bill and
all the rest Of the Republicans
Voted in the church ?" we both echoed.
Yes them people mp thar which we call
the iumpin band put the lection caboose
up In the church where the preacher stands
when hc breaches, an strangers. yc1 ought
to seen the floor mex day. hcarn Parson
! Swado's gal say 1t took her ma an her
| two days to git the tcrbackcr and mud
out. Yes strangers, that caboosc was
layir on the benches yit las Sunday when
I was at meetin'."
! BY this time we had reached the hut in
which Bill Fcastcr lived. II was typical
Southern negro cabin. about ten by four
teen feet, with one door and six-light
window. pile Of roughly laid rock con.
| sututed the foundation OF the
mud-a stick chimney which had
been burned nearly down the hut was
covered with oldfashioncd clapboards
nearly six feet long and held in place by
long poles.
M In, FIs II T..
when our arms were seized by the guide.
who said II tell ye. strangers. Bill has
seven powerful bustcrin spotted bull
dogs. who would tear yo to pieces
quicker'n yc could say Bill Mckinley If ye
tried TO go inside o that fence without
yeilin to Bill"
The guide gave three tremendous ycls
whcrcupon q tall lank figure appeared In
the door. His attire consisted Of Prince
Albert coat. corduroy pants and blue
denim shirt The room. which was very
dark, presented one Of th most dlthy con
ditions we ever beheld-faf worse. we
imagine. than the hut OF the worst savage.
The floor was OF poplar punche0ns and was
literally covered with mud. grease. tobacco
spit and the Lord only knows what all
ln one corner. chained to q bed post. was
a big ground hog IN another corner were
some eight or ten chickens. while in the
corners adjacent the fire sat sqnaiid
looking old woman and two black eyed
girls with dishovclcd hair and faces as
brown as tho hickory smoke which had
discolorod them. Old Bill had not washed
once in SIX months. we were informed
by our guide
well. Bill" addressing him in the
fashion Of The county "how ire YOU getting
along ibis winter 2'
How am { Ye are some more OF them
| iyln' things come from Parsons ag'in.
| Who's goin TO be- lectcd now y After a
ioug and weary argument we won his con
hdcncc aud ho proceeded 20 tell us how be
had been duped by thc bosses Of fucker
county
We mos always sang ana hunt ground
/ hogs loo the summer. Dc said biting his
I lips. bot we knowcd that thar would be
some one 1cctcd las fau SO we did not
hunt nor SANG much. as ihc politcions had
| always give us five dollars apiece. but ulis
time thcy said they would send us barrel
/ OF whIskcy an lots of clothes. az. q check
/ when we asked for b. but uoy are LIARS.
l foatcd BiIi stamping DIS foot upon thc
I hoor They never como back any more
an wc afc nearly starved an my old
/ women thar hliu.t got but one blue calico
7 dress Co hcr name. john Fcastcr only got
/ twenty avc cents an one oit pair OF pants.
/ which q mau up 40 Parsons by Che name of
/ ConIcy bad worn Che scat oHt Of AN that
I cusscd fool. sam easter took "a plug Of
Star terbackcr an pair of old boots