The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-04-30
HOSPITALITY IN
 THE MOUNTAINS Trip Through Winston and
 Lawrence FARMS ARE WELL KEPT All Types of Rural Development Are Found Where It Is Forty
 Miles to the Nearest
 Railroad
FARMS ARE WELL KEPT
By WALTER HARPER

By WALTER HARPER
 Open-handed hospitality abounds among the hill people of north Alabama as in no other country in the world.
 Whether 1t is curiosity born of monot- ony or whether it is through a feeling of human fellowship these people will not let the agreeble stranger pass without the fullest measure of personal attention.
 They want to know where you came from. where you arc going and a full ic- count of your business but they hand out such a free-handed hospitality while they wcrm this information that you cannot be offended-that is if you are square and you had better be square.
 A farmer in Winston county, in the fullness of his heart, entertained a United States official over night. He had to move out of the community for his good ness. These same neighbcrs who severed their neighborshp would lavish the best in their houses and barns on the stranger who comes square.
 would not have the reader believe that lawless class predominates in the hills This is not so, but my intention is to show that the man who establishes his own code of behavior is sometimes as hospitable as his neighbor.
 When a distillery in one of the counties of north Alabama was raided by officers the pastor of a local church was found in charge The owner of the still also minister was filling his appointment at the time.
 These rugged mountaineers cannot be persuaded that they are doing wrong when they increase the value of their corn crop 400 to 500 per cent. And if bet ter informed men are to be justified or even tolerated in their transactions these mountaineers should certainly be given credit for honesty of heart and purpose.
 By making three relays of teams and taking part of as many days my little family and myself journeyed by as easy stages as is possible from Double Springs. in Winston county to Moulton. in Law renee county, distance of about 40 miles.
 OI lit way we lOullu di by pCS Ol IdA ai development, from the primitive squat ters cabin and narrow clearing among the hills to the well titled farm and paint. ed residence of the progressive farmer. On many farms of the latter type we found the latest improved farm imple ments, as we'll as fine bred stock. On the route we saw some of as fine-blooded
 
 But all along the route there was un- changing hospitality. The passage or strangers Is a signal for neighborhood curiosity. You are not out of sight and hearing until the people know your bus mess, where you came from and where you are gonig, if there Is the least ex- cuse to elicit the information.
 A stop for water on the roadside or solicit information as to direction and distances usually results in your giving more information than you get If you are wise you establish a full clearance Any evasion causes suspicion.
 Be you connections of Mrs. Smith?" inquired a woman on the roadside before she revealed distance to the Smith resi- dence.
 l knew the plain negative reply would not suffice.
 If we were not connections of thu Smiths why did we want to find them? l knew this problem must be answered or the mystery would spread from Eagle Crest to Grinestone creek before sun down.
 An nll Ia In ha of one-room log cabin said: Why, you will have no trouble at all in finding place to spend the night in this neigh borhood. Jest stop anywhere and take out your horses. We ain't got much room or any fine doins to eat, but if you all can put up with 1t ye are welcome"
 An old man blowing on the roadside hesitated for some minutes before max ing reply to a general inquiry about some convenient place to lodge for the ap- preaching night.
 Before answering he partly kneeled anl partly sat on the edge of the furrow he had just turned. His head was boweI His voice was broken when he spoke.
 "Stranger,-I I am about to break rule of my life I have just lost the best woman in the world. She was always ready and glad to entertain my friends and the stranger who passed this way. We never turned one away. Your re- quest emphasized my sorrow. I would take special delight in entertaining you and your little family. But I am alone in my home there-alone in the world, and unable further to treat strangers as I would have them treat me-"
 The good old man here unconsciously repeated the creed of the religion of these mountain people. To do unto others as they would be done by.' is the golden rule of their rugged, but honest lives When they do anything for you thesa people refuse to set a price on their .ac- ccmmodation and you must press some sort of compensation on them.
 Mrs H. saw women, young and old, blowing in the fields and she has become a suffragette for the woman on the farm.