The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-04-13

MRS. MARTHA HIN.
She is le years old, and lives near Green
wood, Tex.
married in 1917. walking seven miles to the
nome or a minister. and then returning to
her mothers home, and later to the groom's
cabin, four miles distant, making In all a
wedding, journey Of eighteen miles.
She relates now with some diffidence that
she was blowing when her lover came for
her. and that her trousseau consisted OF a
homemade cotton dress and bonnet of the
same material. cinnamon had been mar
ried before and was the father Il nine chit
dren by his first wife. Ten Children were
born OF the second union. only four Of whom
are living. Two sons and one laughter live
near the old home in Kentucky and one
daughter resides in the community near her
aged mother. Her direct descendants are es-
timated at fifty grandchildren, siXty-ive
great,grandchildren and ten great-great-
grandchildren.
Mrs. Hix's first husband died in 1857, and
Xix, who came from Nashville, Tenn. to
visit a brother in Russell County Kentucky.
Soon after their marriage Hix Joined the
Union Army and fell at the siege OF Atlanta
In 1864. Thu widow continued to reside in
the county of her birth until nine years
ago. when she came to this State and eoun-
~ with her grandson. Joe ZfnEaino4-
First Ride on a Train.
She had never ridden on a train until
they made the trip to Texas. and two years
prior to that time she saw railway cars for
VIC iASl AAhC llldhiiiS d III IIlp IL
Somerset, KY, for that purpose. 1t was
years after her first marriage before she
saw a steamboat. which she remembers to
have been the BurkesvIlle, on its initial trip
no the Cumberland River.
In those days Kentucky was a border
State: and in most places little better than
pioneers from the States eastward. Farm
ing was followed only by patchwork. and
Grandma" Xix tells Of how they used to
Monticello and traded for such articles as
they, did not raise or could not make by
hand.
She was q young woman before she ever
saw a calico dress, and a large girl before
she ever saw a common dinner plate. Dish
es were made Of pewter and wood. knives
were made in local blacksmith shops and
forks frequently of bamboo Wooden
bowls, gourds and climbings were used for
drinking purposes. She never saw a cooking
matches were unknown. She was the moth
er of seven children before she ever saw a
match, then of the crudest kind and cost
ing 70 cents a box. Coffee sold for 81 per
pound and was a luxury that only the rich
could enjoy.
Schools and newspapers were unknown in
that part OF the country and Grandma HiX
like many others reared during those
pioneer days never learned to read or write,
a misfortune that was also visited upon her
children. Her lack Of education. however.
would hardly be detected in the course of
an ordinary conversation. but she feels
keenly the great loss OF historical informa-
ton, She las no knowledge of recollection
of the politics or public men of her girl
mood. but remembers hearing of Daniel
Boone and David Crockett. Mrs. Xix was
II grown women before she ever saw such
familiar drugs as quinine and calomel. The
sick were usually attended by some old
gentlemen or lady of the community, who
used roots and herbs for medicine and soon
taken very little medicine in her lifetime
and has never had any serious sickness.
Three years ago she was exposed to small
nnx and hnh 4 s - 1f-IA f--a W.
girl, she says. it was her duty to pillow all
day and spin at night. and that on going to
work IN the morning she would put her
ready for her at the dinner meal. She has
worked hard all her life and can still milk
the cows or cook dinner when her grand
daughter Is otherwise engaged.
Her First Pair of Shoex.
Grandma Hix was II years old before she
ever owned a pair of shoes. and relates with
interest how she washed for three months
for her frst pair of Sunday shoes, which
for that day. These she kept for three
years, The costom of those early times,
was that on going to church or any public
footed to within a short distance Of the
place, then put on their shoes and wore
them until they started to return home.
says 1t made no difference whom the girls
had for a beau, this practice of putting on
and on shues was universal among the
pOuie .stasses iHefe were no DuRgleS tnen
and a four-wheel wagon was q rarity. The
only harness they he'd was made of raw
hide and hickory with shuck collars. The
hickory was softened by being soaked in
water.
The young people usually met on Satur-
day, nights and played threading the
the seed which was necessary to prepare
1t for the spinning wheel.
She has never taken " the fashions or
fancies Of the latter day and disdains
every shape and pattern of modern mil
linery. She has never had on a hat but
once. and Is always found with a common
shawl thrown over her head.