Year: 1879

Let me hasten to say, however, that
IN this he was agreeably disappointed,
ior at the time I was at the quarterly
meeting the young one, the veritable
@chip Of the old block" In appearance,
was industriously thrashing every body
that crooked finger at him in his own
as well as the neighboring counties,
proving that the old gentleman's
diagnosis of bullyism had proven indeed
signal failure. But even in his "con-
verted" state, if he was reminded that
Andy had cleaned out" Bob Jones on
court day. while he indeed grunted
out something about the @sinfullness"
OF so doing, his eyes parked, and
the crisp iron-gray locks on his round
head seemed to bristle in sympathy.


The quarterly meeting over and the
hospitality of these really kind people
earnestly and warmly acknowledged, a
trip further south and still somewhat
parallel with the Big Sandy river gave
me the chance of further experiences in
observing the simple habits, and noting
the limited resources of the people.
Overtaken by the darkness one evening
as was making my way on horseback,
as customary, down deep and narrow
valley studded with patches of corn
here and there, I at last happened tipon
cabin, miserably small and poor, and
inhabited by an old couple, and their
daughter about 16. With nothing for
supper when 1 arrived except milk, of
which article they seemed to have a
good supply, it was matter of real in
terest, apart from the special interest
in the chance of supper, to see how
little nonplussed they were, and with
what hearty good will they set about
making me comfortable. With fresh
wood from the clearing" close by, a
rousing fire was soon blazing in the
ample log chimney, and with my horse
blanketed and consigned to fence
corner in the yard with good supply
of corn and @fodder" leaves Of
the corn)-I had nothing to do but to
look on at the preparations for some
thing to eat.


There was no -four or meal in the
cabin+as already intimated-but, with
wide-awake activity which reminded
one of the feats of agymnast, the young
girl few around, procured some corn
and all turned In to shellingit; and then
she knelt on the floor beside couple of
millstones about foot in diameter, and
with horizontal motion whirled out
two or three quarts of corn meal with a
deftness pleasant to look upon. Speedily
consigning it to a kettle over the fire,
the result was a dish of "mush and
milk" fit for anybody; and retired to
my rough couch made of sticks driven
into the logs of the cabin, and
covered with split oak boards and clean
oat straw and quilts, impressed anew
with the reflection of how simple at
least are the wants of those who have
been accustomed to limiting their de.
sires, and see but little to envy in others.
The only regret expressed was that ]
had not happened to stop with Squire
Bentley, up the valley, whose house ]
had passed, for he is rich; y and when
questioned the old man as to "whai
made riches there why" was the re.
ply, che is worth at least thousand
dollars"


The enlightened and reflective reader
may, perhaps, wonder what constituted
"ife"-enjoyment-for these people, sc
largley isolated from the outside world
shut into these narrow valleys by higt
mountains and bad roadsl Of course
their amusements mere imited-it vii
hardly do to put preaching among
| these-I would intimate once more
although, if an outsider could have seer
them pouring out by twos and threes OF
horseback from the valleys, to gather a
some log chapel of Sunday morning
boys and young women with their face.
shining with excitement, they would b.
compelled to think something unusuall,
pleasing was on hand-something mort
stirring than grave discourses on alb
struse doctrinal points, hard to compre
hend.


At one of these gatherings, where
had CHANGED to spend the Sabbath, tn
meeting being held in the house wa
stopping at-will it be believed-th,
little congregation, hearing from m,
host that I had flute in my saddle
bags, must needs have few airs, havin,
all but one or two = never heard o
seen such an instrument beforel
played as well as could for them, bu
I am afraid it was like the sermon of tn
cooper who had made barrels all tn
week and preached on Sundays. Som
one complained of the quality of his de
iverances, and, in vindication of his ei
forts, he said, "he made barrel fo
25 cents, and it was worth it
and he preached for nothing, and it wa
worth It'll" Let me add that my Ken
lucky friends-the most untutored o
them in music-although they nigh
not know much about flute, they dit
know good deal about fiddle, ant
what it could accomplish, too.


CHICAGO, Ill.