New-York tribune., 1921-06-12
WILD MEN WITHIN COMMITTING DISTANCE

The peculiarly of the chiId's features became
prominent through the bundles of laurel
Her hair was silver white which shone In
the sun with a. live silver lustre. Her eyes
were pink with lids half closed and her Iashes
and brows Of the same silver texture az her
hair The skin of the girls face, neck, arms
and bare legs was as white as newly Iaun-
dered collar.
Didn't yer ev'r see q AIbino7" Guerted
Ranse when he noticed my curious stare.
"Ov'an tn woods this lots of 'en- Pink eyes
we calls 'em. They kin see bett'rn night zen
we kin, but in tn day-theys binder ZEN bats."
Here was real Albino. It Is difficult 20
find full blooded one like the girl passing be-
fore us because of the intermarriages. In the
village of Suffern it is said that many years
ago a number of Albinos brought to New York
City by famous circus away TO The
Ramapos where they mingled with the Jackies,
The mountaineer children are scsry crea-
tures who are suspicious of every move made
by a stranger. The truant officer is their
greatest "bogy-man" and from the answers
made by the more adventuresome that off,
cial is not extremely energetic In his NOUN
taineer roundups. These children have never
seen Sunday schools, but one girl Of about
twelve smiled sheepishly when I asked sf she
had ever heard OF God It was evident she
had heard the name in another sense besides
the oaths of the Jaekies
Ranse explained that doctors never came
into the mountains. Medicine was used In
the form of snake oil secured from boiling
black snakes. This mixture is used for cuts,
bruises and sores. Possum grease and herbs
are also used for healing purposes When a
Jackie dies the overseer Of the poor is called
in and this official, probably the only one the
Jackies deal with. sees that proper burial
IS made at the expense of the state. Many
mountalneers live to be seventy or seventy
five years Of age, but their oman folks grow
old at an early date.
Fishing and hunting are big features in
mountaineer life. Land turtle, muskrats.
skunk and just now woodchuck are choice
catches Tor the Jackies. Game laws appear
to be SO much tommyrot and I believe none
OF them would let good shot get away be-
cause it was the off season. When Jackie
goes fishing he returns with catch which
would make civilized sportsman chuclle for
year. Golden trout, pickerel and bass often
appear the Jackie's menu
Ranse now appeared thoroughly acquainted.
He inserted two-inch piece of chewing to-
bacco into his mouth and became extremely
confidential He explained how sometimes the
Y3n1 ofoiY L.
"Th' men folks sit aside road out of th' town.
En- the 'omans with brains go 'en git clothin'.
shoes, 'en lots O. stuff what's pretty good for
or shacks"
Thus the Jackie SCOTS at civilized mans
high prices and strikes. "But how about the
barber?" ] asked.
"Oh, each c'munity as its clipper TIL
oman folks cut tn hair en we let e'r boards
grow til we kin cut em with scissors. Yer see
we folks don't like outsid'rs. We git no big
trouble til outsidrs butts in We seldom
marry outside tn mountains 'en most Jackies
consid'rs these hills his home 'en no place
FIR other folks.
Oncter while Jackie goes ter the mills
'en mines ter work-but,'' Ranse smiled. 9Th
gen'rel Jackie doesn't like hard work. Jackies
don't vote much. haven't voted since Big
A'AAA Di'SiI 114L 4cA SUHlpAH Ell ne s. now DEAD.
Big Bill yer know, ran Ratlesnake Inn 'en
wus great friend ter all mountain folks"
Ranse did not know women had been
granted the privilege to vote and admitted he
had heard something about a war, but,
lowed mustn't bin much 'cus didn't see
no fightin' round these parts"
To a blue law agitator the Ramapo Noun
tain Jackies would appear as scoundrels. But
from what | saw they are nothing more thar
an uneducated people who know enough aborr
woodcraft to satisfy even Thomas A. Edison.
1t Is queer that the Jackies should have as
their neighbors the wealthy residents of Tux
edo Park with their immaculate homes and
carefully combed lawns.
The Jackies are dirty, but there was not
enough evidence to justify the story Of q
Suffern citizen when he said he 'knew man.
who had visited the Jackies and reported on
MS return that he had seen woman throw a
flea covered dog out of bread box so as to
get a piece of bread for a hungry youngster.
was allowed inside one shack and failed to
see bread box and doubt if there is such
thing In any mountaineer shack In the
shack entered there was bundle of straw
IN one corner which was used for bedding. A
small stove, broken table, a few SOAP boxes
one broken chair, condensed milk tins which