The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-11-28
PRIMITIVE LEE IN DIXIE.

o. the United States VIII show that This
Jorrny cannot be north or east OF west
but south. and a little time calculation
viii convince him that II is the people Of
the Southern ADDslRchiaHs whose man
neT of living IS sin so simple IS 70 set al
naughJ al conventions.
The man who cuts on his own land tbs
material OF which hls house IS made: whC
grows its furniture and the gourds that
are half IFS kitchen utensils. who cult
Yates the corn that feeds both his stock
and his family and the sorghum that
sweetens his pone; who raises the hogs
ttat furnish inner fuel ard the sheer
whose wool supplies the outer warmth
and the tobacco that gives tia note oi
luxury 10 the wh0le-Ihat man is sure &c
reduce 70 simplest terms his way OF liy-
ira
with his own hands he cuts the trees
and heWs the logs Tor his cabin. and
With his own hands he builds it. II is
hardly 10 be wondered at that he puts up
q house OF but one room.
But while It is not 10 be wondered at Il
Is greatly TO De deplored. for probably
IL other single thing gives birth 70 50
many kinds of ev.I as does this Booker
Washington SAYS that one piece OF ad-
I vice that ne is constantly rsitcrating 70
J the negroes whom he addresses IS that
they shall bbuild cabins of more than one
7 might 60 among these nountaineers
preaching the same gosnel.
The number of men. women and chill
/ dren who can live in one room. and the
/ variety Of domestic operations that can
be carried on therein. are matters Of
amazement To the unnitiatod.
\ traveller riding up 10 a cabin whoops
II summon the inmates and whoops re-
( peatediy. with almost TO iuternsssion I'M
/ 81 some one appears az tbs door. II
/ he is stranger he is scrucinized eau
tiousiy and cr0ss-questioned closely
/ When his prospective host is convinced
! that he is not revenue officer. but say
/ a clergyman. ne allows himself % enjoy
/ the exercise of the rites Of hospitality
/ and sets himself with ali the good viii in
J the world TO the task of making his
! guest comfortable. After the newcom-
/ er's horse has been fed and watered ard
] put under the shack for the night he
/ T. taken TO the house and introduced TO
+ the family. Perhaps this consists of the
/ old man and his wife. married son
and his wife and baby, and two un-
married BOYS.
IL Will readily be seen that the floor
! space left vacant byb the three beds IN
which all these folks sleep is not great
and a table and a few homemade chairs
quite fiji il.
In a big fireplace at one side OF the
/ room supper is being prepared. Some
cUt-up apples are stewing in an old
tomato can on the hearth: mixture OF
bacon and potatoes is cooking gTeasly in
an iron kettle; ana the odor Of coffee
comes from a choking cohee-pot.
When this meal is put on the table each
one dips into the cooking utensils with
his own tin spoon ana fork. though some
thing 70 serve as a plate usually is found
for the guest.
When bedtime comes IL is etiquette for
the men to go ont of doors. Ostensihly 70
| look after the critters" while the wo-
men make their toilet for the night: and
in the morning the men rise first and
go of to leave clear field for the la
dies.
one of the bishops Of the state once ex-
pressed his conviction that certain man
about whose social position inquiry was
Being made came from plain people"
m convinced tley are plain people
from my personal knowledge of them.
h said. Il spent the night once NJ the
house OF Mr.. IS parents. aad his father
and mother and I all slept in the same
room.
Yes; should think that did prove
them plain people. was the musing COM
meut.
But that was nothing 10 my expert
ence in the mountains contributed IA
old Confederate general who loved the
big hills and often travelled ;h-oush
them. Orce ! stayed in a cabin where I
had to share not only the room. bat. the
bed Of the man and his wife"
Boer hospitality,
My experience was sin more pain
ful.' said tho drummer. Once 7 was
caught by night ard fierce storm which
Is a poor combination 20 fight against in
the mountains. and I insisted on their
taking me I'm AT the first cabin Z came TO
They didn't want TO- for there were only
two Old maid sisters and I reckon they
we're afraid 90 me They hadn't any ex-
ira bed either But 7 represented 70
them that they wouldn't turn dec out
on a night Ike that. so they consented
to my sleeping on some rye straw piled
oi some rlanks that were laid loose across
the beams Did YOU ever he on rvo
straw Then. you don't know that vou
don't lie quietly rs soon as IL begins r.
set in It's ine WORK. grew restless iu
my sleep, and kicked abyit ard the
pianks separated ard down I fell bang,
onto the two old women Did they
scream Tia, Iiar
II mountaiueer becomes prosperous.
or II bis tamilv grows out ~ aH bounds
BE- adds another room 10 his cabin he
may even 80 50 fer as 20 pat in windows
u was In one 81 these -'swagrer' cabins
that two Young gncn had q humorous ad-
venture few years ago At O'Clock the
SIX daughters of their host Withdrew 20
the other roora when the youths ev-
pressed desire 90 go O. bod they were
usfered into this same other room. and
tnere thew saw rot o0iv their owr two
ralrts prepared for ther1 on th7 floor
but three douhle beds ia each Of which
rspcsed two camsfis And every ono ~
the six hushing faces was protected
from their visitors scrutiny hy "a sum
toDnetl Six suubornets in q ro7F'
And Z Submit say tho youths lu tell
ing the tale - submit # was killing
fuuuy,