The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-07-17
VISITS MOUNTAIN
MOONSHINER HOME
Associated Press Core
spOndent Finds Hospital
ity In Kentucky
GETS TASTE OF
MOUNTAIN DEW
Assured It's "Today's Stun - Shack
Clean Inside and Made Comfortable
for Winter Occupancy - Family at
Church During Visit

Church During Visit
CATLETTSBURG. Ky. July II
Typical mountain moonshiners of Ken
lucky are not always of the gun-toting
and trouble-making kind. it is proven to
news correspondents by visits into the
mountain region in this area of the
state. The mountaineer type of moon
sinner, however is continually on the
alert for deputy sheriffs. prohibition off
eeFa and revenue agents.
After trip of 30 or 40 miles into
the mountains the correspondent was es-
corted to a moonshiner's log shack,
made from the rough timber of the hin
side and carefully arranged on a founda-
ton of stone.
bill" greeted his visitors with a keen
eye, a bit of suspicion, but with a
friendly note in his shout of welcome
stranger Proper inquiries whether
any squirrels inhabited an adjacent
mountain side where a newly beaten
path had been noticed brought the an
swer that sqirrels We're scarce. and none
We're found in the woods. Further in
quiries regarding the path finally forced
Bill to admit that he visited the hill
side every day but never learned if any
stills were there. Within a short time
and when n friendly spirit developed
tthe visitors having impressed the moon
sinners they could be trusted some
mountain dew" or in the language of
the cities. white mule was produced
from a small handmade cupboard within
the single room of the cabin over which
hung n religious picture and other arti-
cles of Il religious nature. On the opp0-
site side of the room over the bed of the
mountaineer was a rifle of heavy calihre.
an automatic pistol and small calibre
revolver. The contrast was unique.
Use Fingers for Forks.
A pot of homegro stringbeans
cooked in mountain style in a large iron
kettle hung over fire near the hut.
Fingers were used as forks for the noun
taineerS' luncheon, and moonshine fur
nished the refreshment.
4 small drink of the mountain dew
by the correspondent almost brought
Sunderland III Dempsey. Inquiries
as to the age Of the liquor brought the
answer. "Thet's tOday's stuff !"
Hospitality of typical southern quail
ity Will be found among the mountain
Ger residents if you are a friend = if
en- enemy-beware. or. as Bill" ex-
planned it, Snakes in the mountains are
killed. Bill makes his farm n pay
able proposition for his wife and chill
dren. who were attending church at the
time of the correspondents visit. by Oc
casionally cutting some timber. His in
terest i'm world affairs is not limited, and
weekly trips to the nearest postof1ice
furnish him with newspapers from the
outside" These are read by one mem
Der of the family. by lamp and candle
light to the others, and often last
throughout the week.
Life Within the Home.
The moonshiner's home from the out
side has an uninviting appearance but
once within the home while some incon-
veniences are found. the impression of
cleanliness is produced. The low ceiling
forces a man of ordinary height to stoop.
The board floor may creak. butt it is
solid and high and dry. In winter cold
winds are shut out by the mud plastered
between the cracks of logs, aud by the
board and paper lining of the inner
walls. Heat is furnished by an oil
burner and cooking is done on a coal
range OK teams haul coal to the home
during the fall months. \ yoke of oxen
pulling a load of timber along the mar
row mountain road explains the manner
which enabled the mountaineer to Obtain
MI the sizeable logs used in constructing
bis home.
Resources and resoureefulness gained
only from the Sclose to nature life OF
the mountaineers enable them to sue
ceed where the ordinary citizen would
barely get along. but the resourcefulness
is coupled with the fear Of the law and
the belief in n hereafter.