Kinyon Digital Library

Civil War Rosters
County/Local Histories
Census Transcriptions
Local Maps and More

Kinyon Digital Library

Fisher's River
(North Carolina)
Scenes and Characters (1859)

North Carolina Index || --- || Previous Page || Table of Contents || Next Page

XIV.---NOT A TRAVELER.

John Snow, son of Hail Snow, I believe, was "not a traveler."  He indignantly repelled the idea; "he paid his way through thick and thin, and no thanks to nobody."

It came to pass that John Snow and others went a trip some distance with wagons.  There were no lucifer matches then, and at night, when they "tuck up," some one would have to go for fire to the nearest house.

But here I must run off into digression to show what the people carried to market in those days.  It was not whisky and brandy, for they hardly made enough for home consumption.  "Things got nation dry" in summer before apple brandy came in to their relief.  It was not "tar, pitch, and tarpintine," for there was but little pine there, and it was short-leafed and poor.  Nor was it corn, wheat, and rye, for they were "allers mighty scace" before a new "crap" came in.  What then?  Why, butter, flaxseed, chestnuts, chinkapins, Irish potatoes, and tobacco.  These were the main staples.  Sam Lundy always added a few items of his own to the above when he "sloped" to market;  "wannit goody," "hick'ry-nut goody," and "haze-nut goody."

As stated, with such a load as the foregoing, except Sam Lundy's, who had a clear field in his own line, John Snow and company camped near a very fine house, and John was sent to the house to get fire.  He went to the door, made application for the fire, and the lady --- a very polite one, doubtless --- asked him to come in and be seated.

"I'm too dirty," replied John, "to come inter as fine a room as yours is; I'd ruther stand."

"Oh!  never mind, good sir;  travelers can not keep their clothing clean like parlor folks."

"I ain't no traveler, marm," said John; "I pays my own way,"  (John thought she meant traveling beggars.)

"Very well, sir," replied the lady, "you are right.  Be seated till the servant brings the fire."

John was pacified, and took his seat in a fine parlor, on a splendid Windsor chair, till the fire came.  He returned and reported the whole adventure to his company.

"I tell you, boys, with my dirty britches I sot right smack in one o' the finest Weasler chairs you uver seen in all yer borned days, and my big, mud-bustin, pis-ant-killin' shoes on thar fine carpet looked like two great big Injun coonoes.  I'll be poxed ef I knowed how to hold my hands nur feet."

North Carolina Index || --- || Previous Page || Table of Contents || Next Page

Home  ||  What's New?  ||  Notes  ||  Census Data  ||  Data By State  ||  Military Records  ||  Links  ||  Tombstones  ||  Poetry  ||  Privacy

Site Statistics By

since 17 December 1999.