Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-04-11
\ PRIMITIVE PEOPLE.
Stories Of the Simple Folk Of the East
ern Tennessee Valleys.

NEW LOIh AoNii'I
In the narrow valley of east rem
nessee, among the spurs OF the cum
berland mountains, are domlclled
hardy, honest and uncultivated peo-
pie.
Their ideas of mundane affairs are
not only primitive, but peculiar
good coon dog is considered valuable
asset, and it's owner is envied by MS
less fortunate neighbors.
A visitor once asked Tim Adkins how
many dogs he had. He replied:
~ hain't got but four-looks like l
never kin git a start of dogs agin.'
Hen Miller had young hog in a
pen. which he was fattening, and Elm
said to him:
Hen. the time and provisions you
give to that hog would keep gooo
coon dog"
Tim and his brother Bill walked
over to the county seat one day. Inc
distance was about fifteen miles and
being hungry, they lunched on some
cheese and crackers, and bought a
nickel cigar, divided it, and went put
fling away down the street Tim said:
bill, don't you wish some OF the
bows on the lIeeh Souii ~ -
sure using some style"
Tim said his county was no soou
for fruit that it did not produce appies
enough to make cider for the SIGN
There are signs of gold and silver ~
tho mountains There is traai.ion
that a vast deposit of silver eAis.s
across the Great Smoky Mountain II,
North Carolina. One old man has speii.
f,,tv winters searching for 1T, wlthou'
suocess East Tennessee abounds ~
oo,1 and iron. and portions OF IL pro-
duce fine crops of wheat ana corn.
~ 10 not an uncommon sight 10 see
-on,.n n1oughing and hoeing IN the
fields. A gentleman stopped at 'ie
rouse one hot day and found three OF
, four stalwart men under snaoe 'iee
i'm the yard discussing the neii,s "
their dogs, about q dozen OIL w.i.oi'
fat sleek looking fellows, were oasni, :,
in the sun. The gentleman asKeu ne
could get dinner, and the man OF .he
house told him that he could. ina. MS
wife would be in from the helo III d
short time and cook dinner
che came in after while, leadlhs
mule. and wiping the PRECIPITATION
from her face with her bonnet. ohe
snlit some wood and soon haa aililiei
ready. The gentleman said 10 ner
"You have fine country here.
TO which she replied: We'll, ~ 5
naradise for men and dogs, put II
mighty hard on women and inules.
Elkanah Payne, talking on the sup
,ect of cremation uttered this thougnt'
"rhe people have been trying to take
the Almightys work out of his hands
for a long time, and now uheS are
irving to beat the devil out OF his )op.
One native told visitor that he had
left the country he was raised IN pc
cause he wasn't treated right. He sald
he got into one of his tantrums ana
"killed a niger" and it cost him $ooo
To pet out of it, when it ought not TO
have cost over $50.
The bane TO that section for many
Years has been moonshining, Illicit
stills have, however. been mostly broR-
en- up by the officers of the united
States.
Those engaged in this industry, and
their friends consider themselves
victims of a tyrapnical government.
Nothing could convince them that they
have not a perfect right to raise corn
and convert it into anything they
choose.
The advent of churches. schools and
railroads is making noticeable changes
but the broad and somewhat grim
humor will cling to that people for an
other generation at least.