The log cabin Democrat. [volume] (Conway, Ark.) 1901-1982, 1908-09-17


rich and black and the cane grew
tall and luXuriant. There was no
bridge or ferry and the pioneer farm
er fashioned canoe and went daily
to work in this. He had no material
for fence building and no farming i'm
plements the first year, but the ten
children had to eat, and while the
woods and streams were full of fish
and game, corn bread was necessary.
Accordingly the cane was cleared off
the rich land, which was dug up and
planted with corn dropped in groves
made with bamboo rods. With this
crude beginning the virgin corn field
flourished 1t was not without its
enemies, however, chief among which
was the bear, whose love for green
corn on the cob was equalled only by
his love for honey.
The bears left enough, however,
for the ten children and a good supply
was harvested The nearest grist-
mill was ten miles away through the
forest. To this mill the corn was
taken by one of the elder boys, who
rode horseback, followed by his dogs.
The trip was made in day, and at
night he returned with the yellow
corn converted into golden meal,
which made many a delicious corn
cake baked in the iron skillet in the
hot ashes of the big fireplace.
Huskinq Bees and Camp Meetings.
After the corn crop had been har-
vested, husking bees were in order,
and in response to general invita-
ton the pioneers gathered at the
home of the host, prepared to break
the record in corn husking. The corn
was found in immense piles, some
times as high as the house, and with
a hearty good will the party attacked
it.
Sometimes the women took part.
More often they entertained at the
same time with a quilting-bee, and
while the men folks ripped the dry
husks from the golden ears, they,
with nimble fingers, made stars ana
fruit baskets On red and blue patch
work quilts. After the corn had been
cribbed and the quilting frames put
aside, a fiddler was called in and the
entire party enjoyed dance and
feast.
The camp meeting came in the late
summer and was the greatest OF all
gatherings In some quiet forest
in = o
the ground was chosen. An aroor
was erected, built of untrimmed OAKS
or pines. rooted with branches. A
high pulpit was built for the preacher
and a corral was built for the horses.
Then on horseback and by wagon
load the people came with goou
stores of provision and great Tune
was enjoyed The circuit rider was
an important parsonage and under
his mighty exhortations people shout
ed until the woods rang, and they
sometimes fell in swoons from when
thew were hours recovering
Honor Among Pioneer Arkansans.
In the DAYS when James Holman
lived in southeastern Arkansas such
a thing as taking a note or mort
gage was unknown among the country
neople If a man needed money ana
his neighbor had it, it was his prlvl-
lege to borrow. When he borrowed
he promised to pay on a certain day.
and when that day came 1t was palo
if the man was living. If he died his
family paid the debt. If, as rarely
happened a pioneer betrayed this
unwritten code of honor he would be
ostracised, or worse, and made an
object lesson of for history TO record
The Story of the Haunted House.
In the early days the traveller in
Arkansas was welcome everywhere
There were then no stage coaches, no
trains, no telephones, telegraphs,
daily mails or newspapers. 1t was
left for the Arkansas Traveller to
spread the news, and unbounded hos
pitality greeted him wherever he
chose to stop. Oftentimes news OF
his arrival was sent out in a settle
ment and the pioneer farmers Saln-
cred around to hear the news of the
outside world, and his stories were
topics of discussions until another
came.
Sometimes the Traveller heard a
story. Such a one was that of the
haunted house and the way pioneer
yroyoop andad the whiSDered story.
AS the tale went the "hant" that
haunted the house was the ghost OF
man. Years before the log house
had been occupied by hermit said
to possess great wealth, which was
hidden somewhere in the old log
house. After his death, search was