The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1957-11-28
Log Cabin Literature
By DENNIS T. RASCHE


Long before our present day
sources of entertainment came into
existence, the TV, the radio,
movies, motor cara century and
a quarter before even the phono.
graph was invented, the early
pioneers came into the area that
is now Garrett county to tame a
wilderness and make it habitable
for themselves and their families.
Their means of beguiling their
moments of leisure when after
much grueling toll such moments
came, were limited. Groups OF men
would gather for house and barn
raisings and other activities need
ing concerted effort. They would
bring their families for the day; it
would be a social event. News
and ideas would be exchanged.
Other such gatherings would be
for corn husking and making maple
sugar and syrup. In due time a log
meeting house would be built in
which to worship, and after the
service the settlers would again
meet as friends and neighbors.
In the log cabin homes there
would be some things brought in
by pack horse for family entertain
ment, such as games of drafts and
chess, cards, a fiddle. and some
books-at least a few.
What books would have been
brought?
Anyone seeking to inquire into
the daily affairs of the settlers
and those who followed in their
wake soon meets with difficulties.
They left scant written records.
Among the early families there
was no Samuel Pepys to pains
takingly record IN his diary the
day by day events. So none
cironicied that ne went TO the
Strand to my bookseller and there
bought an idle roguish French
book, or that one Sabbath Day
he God forgive me, did spend the
day in bed reading of some little
French romances."
At the end of the quarter cen
fury being considered an excel
lent chronicler appears on the
scene, Meshach Browning, who
gives us glimpses of conditions pre-
vailing during his time and of the
people who We're his neighbors.
However his chief concern was the
wild life of the area By the time
he had reached early manhood
there were nearly 1000 people
scattered over the 664 square mile
area; up to 1916 only a dozen fami-
lies had made their homes in it.
Books have been printed in the
colonies since a time a century
and a quater before our settlers
came. The famous Bay Psalm Book
was the first. 1t is now the most
expensive; about $150,000 would be
asked for one of the ten or eleven
existing copies.
Other books had been printed
and circulated, mostly of serious
nature and many concerned with
theological subjects.
In our own land there were not
yet any Hawthornes, CoOpers, or
Poes. Nor any Longfellows, Bry-
ants, or Prescotts. Large shipments
of books came from the Mother
country. In the pOpulous centers
along the seabOard many well-to-
do citizens had large and we'll
stocked Libraries. Book shops of
Philadelphia, Boston, and other
large towns had ample stocks of
literature. But all of this was at
an inconvenient distance consider
ing the transportation of those days
During their earlier lives in Vir-
ginia or elsewhere all but the
younger members of the families
would have been familiar with
Poor Richards Almanack, printed
by B. Franklin, Philadelphia. Many
of the wise and witty maXims
would be banded about in the
cabins. Daily the pioneers would
of necessity be applying those re-
lating to thrift and industry: At
the Industrious mans house Hun
ger looks in but dares not enter:
He that Riseth late must trot all
day and shall scarce overtake his
business at night: Industry need
not wish; He that lives upon Hope
will die fasting.
What ever else they may have
read it would seem the settlers
were diligent and attentive readers
of the Book of Books. Many of the
names given to land patents are
illusions to passages in Holy Writ:
Promised Land, The Wilderness
Shall Smile, Blooming Rose, The
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