The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1913-10-17
DARK CONTINENT
HERE At HAND
Missionary People should
Watch things at Home.
Divorces Sell for Quarter, Swap
= Wives Within Hours Ride Of
Worlds Biggest City.

NITrenton, N. j., Oct. 15.-"Why do
the good, civilized folk of America
ignore q countryside people with ad-
ults who are mentally children.
strong, self-willed men and women of
na Ne stock who are without reason.
judgement or self-control?"
Miss Elizabeth KITE. State Agent
for the New Jersey School for Feeble
Minded. put the question with a fin
ality that accused. You doubt the
possibility? Then come with Inc to
the Pines. You will find the district
a plague spot OF moral comtagion--a
feeder for our jails, almhOuses and
hospitals"
Next morning found us motoring
thru a lonely tract of 1000 square
miles between the barren coast OF
New Jersey and the fertile Delaware
valley. This area OF scrub cranberry
bogs and salt marsh is peopled with
families of deycnerates.
The present day inhabitants are
entirely native stock. Two Of the
Piney families go back to Quaker
days and boast William Penn's name
on still existing marriage certificates.
The typical imbeciles husband" and
wife" are the direct descendants OF
the first Governor OF New Jersey.
OF churches there are none. nor
any organized moral influence.
Schools are few and far between. The
dispensers Of law are local squires
conlessedly ignorant CT law. but
maintaining more or less successfully.
according to their own rectitude. a
ssnblance Of order.
v'The people Of tho Pines have
ways of their own" says Squire
Joyce, justice of the peace for
thirty years. They are human beings
but not domcsticated.' mot d0m-s-
ticated." "Not domesticated' Is
good.
About these shacks forgather typic-
al Piney women. perfectly healthy but
startlingly repellant, low-browed.
barefooted women with hoarve voices.
rotting teeth, touseled hair and latter
ed clothing. women lasy. childish. un-
ique in manners and morals.
Ignorance and neglect have made
these women moral outlaws. Few
among them ever heard Of the COM
mandments. nine In ten are SO feeble
In mind that they live disorderly lives
with no intention Of wrongdOins.
"No, l amt never had no learn
ing" says Lii. the imbecile mother OF
ten children. 81 can count II you give
me time. But l amt never had no.
body to keer for me, an had to
keer for myself as best l could"
81 amt so stupid as you'd think
pleads Bertha. a normal-looking wo-
man who cannot draw the outline OF
a square from copy on the table.
mo, never went to school," says
Ford, who at thirty has the mind
of a child of nine and knows neither
Ne date, the season nor the names
OF the months.
May, his childish wife," tosses her
head, Dear ME. that's nothing; half
the world can't read and write." she
protests.
Ford, vigorous and boyish- looking,
married" May ''by the squire. hav-
ing secured from that worthy for %
cents a writin Of separation from two
previous wives. Such writin's are con-
sidered handy to show In case of
trouble. The Magistrate knew. none
better. that getting = divorce proves
a perplexing formaltty whom both
parties to the contract have other
Husbands and wives. For instance:
Ford's brother, Jim. graduste of
three State prisons. deserted hAs idiot
wife 70 marry" the imbecile CLAIR
issa Who had three husbands. LATER
Jim traded Clarissa 70 Lem Oldham
for sl.5s and q quart Of crude rum.
Later still Jim secured another
-'wife," Louisa. by q similar trade
with her husband" a tev you I
want mad. wasn't says poor sim
pie Louisa. whose mind 10 but eight
years old. sltho she has four living
husbands. you see. Pete worked
right asfn me. an his folks done dirt
on. me carting every news. 90
haint got NO more patience. Then,
too, Jim 10 nlarm's SISTERS son.
Let II be remembered that this