The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-09-07

Life in the Mountains Ono of pleas
urc and Abundancc-PouItry Game
and Vegetables Plentiful.

FN' - NP III lhe blue
Ridge.
other adventures l might relate.
but none that gave me SO much nm
easiness as the first already told. For
instance, / smoked a fellows home
made tobacco though cautioned
against it and got sick as a result. At
another time | was in great fear that
mad run upon an Illicit distinery.
FOR the information Of the reader I
will remark that no such danger is
mere While thousands of bushels of
fruit are rotting on every hand /
never heard Of gallon Of cider.
smelt a breath of whiskey nor saw
any under its influence, possibly be-
cause nearly all the folks hereabouts
are Baptists.
Some pleasant surprises.
Not exactly that the young ladies,
Tor ladies they are, went barefoot be-
fore me. Now don't go into Mysteries.
please, but just recall how the fash
lonable folk at the seashore resorts
habit themselves, and-but l spare.
Not that they did not uress with taste.
though mountain lasses are as sweet
to those who like them as other lass
es. The old couplet says:
Ginger cake is nation sweet,
But 'lasses is much sweeter."
You see how, more than once the
woman has figured in these letters, as
she does in all things.
Common opinion is that there are
Few people here, whereas the noun
tains are full of people. Another mis-
take, that they are very poor. culti-
waiting small patches in the glens and
coves of the mountains, whereas thew
even the tenants, are in easy circum-
stances. Most people think the noun
tains, particularly their crests, are un-
productive, barren, but in fact they
are fertile, producing fine crops with
little or no fertilizer, even on the,
very tops.
Another opinion is that the soil is
hard, full Of rocks and washes or
gulleys, but in reality it is as mellow
as sandy loan, almost devoid Of rock
with no washes. 1 fail to understand
why, though, 1 never saw a terrace
anywhere, the land does not wash.
even on the sides of steep mountains.
have seen many fine places to-
live, but l honestly believe this to be.
the easiest spot l ever came across.
Just now there are thousands of
bushels of apples, and peaches too.
though had been told peaches would
not grow there, are going to waste.
and Irish potatoes, onions and cah-
page IN greatest abundance with tur--
nlpS all over their corn fields. They
make wheat, corn, buckwheat, oats.
rye, as the expression goes, to no end.
All the fine grasses, with clover are
here, and hay may be harvested the
year around. Then they can grow a
fine grade of tobacco, also cane.
There is plenty of timber, including
the white and spruce pine, plenty of
rock to be had with little trouble and
any amount Of undeveloped water
power.
Only a deer or bear now and then.
a few turkeys, oppossum, no coons, 2.
legged or otherwise, the former very
unpopular, few foxes, or otters, a lot.
of mink, ground hogs, squirrels.
weasels, pole cats an occasional eagle
are seen.
They raise plenty of pork for the,
finest mast in the world, chestnuts,
hazel nuts, chinquepins and acornss
are here, and the fattest of beef cat
tie, have quantities of milk and but
ter the year around. AS to poultry:
When l went to Mr.. Washburn's L
saw dozen or so fowls on the yards
but afterwards found the woods were
full of them and it is so everywhere.
AS for the people, you will find
none cleverer when they know you.
The folks where 1 stayed refused to
receive anything till 1 pressed the
matter as l came away, and were pro-
fuse in apologies for my cool recep-
ton, saying in explanation that they
had been often, and badly imposed
upon. One instance was given where
an educated man, posing as a Free
Will preacher, had duped the people
In great numbers, claiming to sell
Bibles dirt cheap. They bought whole
sale, paying the money down before,
receiving The article, some mortgag-
ing stock TO get the money. 1t prov
ed dear experience for money and