The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1921-08-12
THEY "JEST SIT'
IN the SOUTH
"Too Lazy To Build Bridge, They
Wait For Low Water, DR.. Schlecht
Finds.-Roads Poor"

The following was taken from the
Ashland Daily Press Of date of July
28, which is published at Ashland,
Wisconsin. The headlines too, are
just as this paper used them. The
Sentinel !reproduces the article not
only because it is somewhat amusing,
but because it is well enough for any
body at times to see himself as others
see him. OF course DR.. Schlecht
failed to interpret what he saw of
the South properly, and when he got
into Arkansas, he evidently saw the
worst public roads in the South. If
the gentleman will come to Grenada
County and Mississippi, this paper
will not only guarantee him a pleasant
time, but will also guarantee that he
will learn that Southerners "build
bridges over their rivers" and that
Mississippians do not 'jest sit," but
that they hustle, and while they may
not be in such rush that it looks like
"every fellow for himself and the
devil take the hindmost" Mississippi
will show him too, some of the best
BEST highways in the whole country,
Wisconsin not excepted. Come along
Doctor and bring your wife and
daughters:
For beautiful scenery, good cook
ing, and unlimited hospitality, the
South is unexcelled, but for good
roads to travel on, and real living, the
North, especially Wisconsin, is the
only place, is the opinion of DR.. F. x.
Schlecht, who has returned with Mrs.
SchIecht and their daughters, kath-
crime Virginia and Fanny from an
extended trip through the southern
states.
The Schlechts left six weeks ago,
and made 1000 mile circuit, visiting
many places of interest. They went by
way of Minnesota, taking the JEFF
ferson Highway, which was the last
stretch of good roads that they went
over until their return North on the
Lincoln Highway. From Iowa the
Schlechts went to Kansas, Oklahoma,
and Arkansas, where the worst roads
imaginable were found. For days they
travelled only eighteen miles a day,
and many times a mule team was
hired by the day to pull them up
hills and out of mud holes. In Ar
kansas the traditional laziness of the
poor whites" or the mountain people
was shown in the tumbledown, dilapi-
dated shacks on the farms. which are
not farms as we know them, but
only several acres of land.
The SOutherners are never In hur-
ry, so they never build bridges over
their river. If it rains and the river
rises, they sit down and wait for the
river to become low so that they can
drive across. The Northerners' way
of bridging the river to guard against
a high tide nevers to them. Dr
Schlecht states that they waited
thirty-six hours in deserted district
in the mountains to cross river.
A four hour trip was made through
Mammoth Cave in Kentucky, and a
boat ride was taken on Echo river
which flows along in the darkness al
the bottom of the cave, the sides OF
which reverberate when a word is
Ispoken, so that an echo is heard Sly
times. The temperature is never
higher than SO degrees in the cave
and a strong draft is always felt.
The cities and towns in the SoutF
are we'll cared for, and the building:
are beautiful. The hotels in even th'
smallest villages have modern con
veniences, and the food is alway!
Igood. Prices are somewhat lower thar
here, especially for the seasona
fruits. Cantaloupes sell for 25 cent:
"a dozen, watermelons for ten cents {
piece, and peaches for fifty cents :
lbushel.
| The South is really woman's par
ladise, because there is no houseworl
Ito do. Negroes can be employed fol
lsuch low wages that it is a very pool
family indeed that has not at Least
one negro servant. The negroes art
treated kindly, but are strongly dis
lciplined.
| In the country districts, nothing
lis done for the comfort or conven
|ience of the people. Schools are few
land far apart, and roads are inpas
lsahle. The people raise only what they