The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1901-07-10

FOLKS ACROSS BLUE RIDGE.
Their Politics Based OH Liberty
and Religion on Actual Perdi-
ton.
Mr.. William T.. Curtis, the well
known Washington correspondent of
the Chicago RrcOrd-lIurald, has been
on visit tu Western North Ca"o.iua,
and writes rs follows III regard to the
people who live there. The picture is
somewhat uvcrdrawn, but Mr.. Curtis
is very vivid writer and some al
lowancc must be made for his pIctur-
esQuc style, which would naturally be
drawn out by the magnificent sCcncry
where these mounlamccrS are TO be
found. The sketch Is as follows:
The mountainecrs Of the Blue Ridge
are race vf themselves, in many re-
/ spccts unlike all the other communities
| that make up this great common wealth.
! They partakc of the rugged aud SOM
, brc character Of the mountains in
which thcv live, and have inherited
! the habits and customs, as well as the
; cabins, of their yrandtalhers and great
glandfathcrs, who got that far III lhc
westward march Of empire, but
! could 90 no farther because their
teams were tired and the noun
tain roads were impossible. There
! these pioneers scttlCd down cleared
little spots Of land in the forest aud
began an uucnding strugg,c with
nature, which has been only partially
/ successful, and, continued from gen
ia hps a
J hardy people who live comfoltlcss lives
of labor and p,ivatlon, and yet are not
unhappy. Their politics, religion,
morals and supcrsiitions arc unchungc-
| able and of the scvcrcst kind Their
| politics is based on liberty, as their re-
| ligion is based on birthstone. Hence
! they are MoOnshiucrs, hard-shcll
| Bapusts and shouting Mcthodisto.
They resist the revenue officers because
! they believe the government is de-
! priving them Of their liberties. Tbcil
preachers picture the torments of the
damned in lurid coOrs, because il re-
quires something strong to arouse their
emotions, and their mortal lives are go
full Of misery that mild form of per-
ditiOn would not seem an adequate
punishment for sin.
They are dull in book learning, but
tenacious of memory. This Is due to
their empty minds, and their lack of
knowledge and experience. They
have lived in stagnaliOn. They have
few events to remember and the inn
pressions left by the trfling incidents
of their lives and the little Information
tmcy gather are never ciIaccd.
The mountainccrs arc illitcratc in
secular learning, but you seldom find a
household that is not well posted IN
Scripture history. Willie they may
not be able to read the text, they can
quote passages firm the Old and New
Testaments without number, are eager
for theological conu oversy, arc power
ful cXhorterS and fcrvcnt IN PRAYER.
Some of the most effective preachers
can scarcely read or write. Their
language is rude, but inspired by deep
emotion. Northern people have told
me that the most eloquent prayers they
ever listened to were offered by un.
couth, uncducatcd mouutainecrs. This
is matter OF pride with them. Men
who can pray cioqucntly and carry on
theological controversies with credit are
quite as highly esteemed as those who
excel in the use of the rifle or in atb-
letic sports.
There are few words in their vocab. !
ulary because they do not have MANY
IDEAS or much information TO com |
municatc. 1t is said that no civilized |
people have so barren language, but |
their dialect is unique and philologists
find in it C Osc relation to the Scotch.
which was the tongue Of their anccs-
tors. Perhaps their limited vocabu-
larry Is part OF their poverty. They
may practice economy in language as
In the other necessities of life, but
their virtues are equally conspicu )us
and they are famous for their hospita-
Iity. No mountaineer ever turned n
stranger from his door unless he sus-
pected him of being revenue agent.
and then he followed him down the
'oad with shotgun.
They never lock up anything. They
,ave nothing to steal, and honesty and ',
recognition Of the rights of Others I,
ire the fundamental principles Of their ,
morality. Charles Egbert Craddock j,
las given us graphic pictures of their
ustoms and habits, and those who J.
now them best say that her sketches :,
re accurately drawn. .
they care very little what is going -
n in the outside world, and while thew a
not resist civilization that is pressing -
oser and closer around them, they
% Indifferent to it. They refuse to
lopt labor saving machinery, although B
10 industrial schools established bv q,
o benevolent people of the North for