USA > Indiana > Monroe County > The new purchase : or, seven and a half years in the Far West > Part 17
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"So that's one of my scrapes; and it illusterates the fillosofee that makes a man keep going round and round when he's lost; for albeit I must a walked more nor fifty mile in the two days, I wasn't never over seven mile from the cabin; and that's the pond where the duck was; and when I come back again, I didn't know at fust my own cabin-nor the chopp'd log, though I'd cut down the tree myself. And-"
Here dinner was fortunately announced; for nothing else then could have stopped Uncle Tommy-and we weddeners had a lucky escape from a long sermon on Providence; Uncle Tommy greatly delighting in improvements, and "speretilizing" his ad- ventures, and indeed, all other matters, and usually winding up his land-yarns with notes and practical observations, in the man-
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ner of Henry and Scott. The truth is we were half starved, and , had very natural hankerings after "beggarly elements-carnal meats and drinks, and such like observances."
The dinner table was set in the diagonal of the room, and could accommodate about thirty persons; but as our company was twice that number, we were "to eat twice." As usual the new married persons were seated at one end, and the groomsman and bridesmaid at the other: and then were seated all the married men, and after that as many as possible of the married women; preference on such occasions being shown to the worthier gender.4 This inversion of the matrimonial chord arises mainly from the fact, that out there women reserve themselves to attend to the table ; and, therefore, when the "set up" is ordered, the gentlemen instantly seat themselves alongside, and partly under the table. Sheepish young chaps usually hang back, however hungry, and say, "Oh! there's no 'casion:" after which they give an ac- quiescing cough or two, or more commonly go to the door, and give a twang with the nose and finger instrument, (in place of fashionable phrases,) and then drop, as if shot down, into a seat, jerking the seat under the table, till the mouth comes to its level, and is thus fixed for convenient feeding.
All Glenville had a seat at the first table, except John Glen- ville, who partly out of policy, but more out of true and gentle- manly feeling, preferred coming with the young people to the second table. And when the company were fixed-and fixed it was till one could barely stir a hand or foot-Uncle Tommy "asked a blessing;" when he made amends for a long story by a very short prayer. But even in that prayer, which certainly lasted no longer than two minutes, he contrived, among other things, to ask a blessing on the young folks, praying especially, "for them as had jist been married, according to the divine appointment in the garden of Edin, that they might both of them live to a good old age, and be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth, and see their children's children to the third and fourth giner- ation, and that other young folks present might soon settle and have families, and become an honour and a blessin in their day and gineration."
4 This is according to a rule of Latin grammar.
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Many young gentlemen of "the second table" waited on us of "the first table," and among them John Glenville :- and this was taken so kindly, that before we went home declarations were heard about "taking him up for the legislature, fall come a year" -a hint not lost on us, and of which more hereafter. I am sorry the reader can only taste our goodies in imagination; and yet are we cruel enough to let him see what he lost.
And first, notice, all eatables, from "the egg to the apple," were on our table at once. Thus a single glance disclosed what amount of labour was expected :- our whole work was there, and no other jobs of eating by way of appendix. Nor were we plagued with changing knives, whipping on and away of plates, and brushing or removing cloths; no, no, we kept right dead ahead with the work from the start to the finish; the sole labour of the attendants being to keep the plates "chuckfull" of some- thing, and ours, to eat! eat! eat!
The dishes next. First, then, and middlemost, an enormous pot-pie, and piping hot, graced our centre, overpowering, with its fragrance and steam, the odours and vapours of all other meats : and the pot-pie was the wedding dish of our Purchase, par excellence! The pie to-day was the doughy sepulchre of at least six hens, two chanticleers, and four pullets, if it be logical to reason upward from legs and wings to bodies! What pot could have contained the pie is inconceivable, unless the one used for "tarrifying the barr." Why, among other unknown contributors, it must have received one half peck of onions! And yet it is to be feared that they who came after us were potpieless,; for potpie is the favourite, and woodmen sharp set are awful eaters.
Around the pie were wild turkeys, (tame enough now,) with wonderful necks stretched out in search of their heads, and stupendous limbs and wings ready for flight, the instant the head should be discovered, or heard from! The poor birds, however, were so done, over and under too, that all native juices were evaporated, and the flesh was dry as cork : but by way of amends quarts of gravy were judiciously emptied on our plates from the wash-basin-bowls. That also moistened the "stuff'nin," com- posed of Indian meal and sausages.
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These two were the grand dishes : but sprinkled and scattered about were plates of fried venison, fried turkey, fried chicken, fried duck, fried pork, and, for any thing I could know, even fried leather ; for so complete and impartial the frying, that dis -- tinctive tastes were obliterated, and it could only be guessed, by the shape, size, legs, &c., which was what, and the contrary.
But who can tell of the "sasses?" for we had 'biled petaturs !" -and "smashed petaturs !"-and "petatursis !" i. e. potatoes rolled into balls as big as marbles, and baked brown. And there were "bil'd ingins !"-"fried ingins !"-and "ingins out of this here pie!" Yes, and beets of all known colours and unknown tastes ! -all pickled in salt and vinegar and something else! And there were pickled cucumbers, as far as salt and water could go; and "punkun-butter !"-and "punkun-jelle!"-and corn bread in all its glory !
Scientifically inserted and insinuated among the first course, was the second; every crevice and space being wedged up: and had the plates and saucers been like puzzlemaps, no table cloth would have been visible through the interstices. And fortunate ! the table itself was strong and masculine; otherwise it must have been crushed under the combined weight of elbows and dishes ! This second course was chiefly custard; and that stood in bowls and teacups of cadaverous white, encircled by unknown flowers. A pitcher of milk was gracefully adorned by the artist with the pattern of an entrail, taken doubtless out of some school book on physiology. But we had also custard-pies! and made with both upper and under crusts ! And also maple molasses, (usually called "them 'ere molassisis,") and preserved apples, preserved water melon-rinds, and preserved red peppers and tomatoes- all termed, for brevity's sake, (like words in ,Webster's diction- ary,) "'sarves."
A few under crusts, or shells, were filled with stewed peaches and apples; an idea borrowed by Susan from Glenville: but so much was this like conformity to the pomps and vanities of life, that the careful mother had that very morning rebuked her daughter, and earnestly advised her not "to take to quality ways, but naturally bake pies with uppermost crusts's." And yet Mrs. Ashford soon got over her miff, and, won by the marked and
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uncondescending attention paid to her daughter and her daughter's husband by us, she was heard not long after the rebuke to say- "Well, arter all, they're a right down clever sort of folks, and that 'are Mr. Carltin is naterally addicted to fun."
Among the curiosities were the pound cakes, as numerous as apple dumplings, and about as large. These were compounded of some things found in pound cakes every where, and of some not found, maple sugar being, evidently from the taste, the master ingredient; but their shape-that was the beauty! All were baked in coffee-cups! and after being disencupped, each was iced all over, till it looked for all the world, exactly like an ill-made snow ball! The icing, or snowing, was a composition of egg, starch, and a species of double-rectified maple sugar, as fine and white as table salt.
In addition to all these matters tea and coffee were severally handed, while the girls in attendance asked each guest-"Do you take sweet'nin? If the reply was affirmative the same sized spoonful was put into every sized cup; and then, to save you the trouble, the young lady stirred the beverage with her own fair hand, and with as much energy and good will as if she was mixing molasses and water.
Now, we do hope no reader will think we of Glenville turned up our noses at all this. No, no verily ; but we ate as much and as long, laughing, talking, joking all the time too, as if native born. As for Mr. Carlton, he stuck mainly to pot-pie, the marbled- potatoes, the custard and the maple molasses; which last, by the way, is indeed as superior to all far east and down east molasses and syrups as cheese is to chalk.
The eventful day was, however, now closing, and some had already taken French leave, while many were rigging their horses for departure: hence we also began assembling our party to go homeward. But at the request of some young fellows, who of- fered to catch Dick and see the "gals" home, we left our helps, to have some fun after the graver people should be gone away. About a dozen volunteer groomsmen and bridesmaids remained to "see it out;" viz, to torment Susan and Joseph : but Mrs. Ash- ford, a very watchful and discreet woman, told us afterward, she "took care to stop all goins on, and made ev'ry livin soul and body of 'em go to bed an hour before herself and her man went."
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A different but no less effectual preventive was used by another new-married couple in the Purchase, where we had the honour of an invitation. The loft had been assigned as the bridal chamber, the sole access to which was a light ladder; and up this some of the "weddeners" intended to steal and upset the bed of the sleepers-but alas! for the fun !- the groom, in anticipation of the favour, it was found, had drawn up the ladder!
CHAPTER XX.
"Parva leves capitant animos." "Various, that the mind of desultory man."
THE ladies of Glenville, in addition to various other matters, paid special attention in the winter to needle-work: and that was bestowed on gowns, coats, overalls, inexpressibles, and in short, on the whole tribe of unmentionables ; and also on various tasteful and fancy articles. In the kitchen was a loom, not for laces, but for measuring out, yard after yard of tow-linen and Kentucky jeans; and on this piano forte our ladies played many a merry tune, the burden of which was "our days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle;" which yet proved that a short span is rendered by a swift shuttle. Indeed, in our circumstances, the use of the treadles was more important than the use of the pedals.
Our ladies this winter spent much time in reading: and, not a little in longing after the flesh-pots of Egypt! And yet there was much in the wild and rough wilderness ;- much in the men and women of the woods, so in contrast with the culture of the city, that when the novelty passed, and we had time to reflect that in our day the neighbours could never be like us, nor we like them-that we were tolerated, rather than cherished-and were far away from sympathy-it was then that we seemed to awake to a sad and bitter remembrance of the past-yes, and that past in no way, to some of us, ever to be restored, to be revisited! In the far east were the graves of their fathers !- (the graves of mine, I cannot find) for the Seymours were ancient, and in their day men of substance and renown. And Indians are not the
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only ones that love to linger among the graves of their fathers : not the only wanderers that see in vision the swelling mounds over their dead, and see, with melting hearts and dimming eyes ! Mournful world! before we left the woods, graves of ours had consecrated two lonely spots in the wilds, and our dust was com- mingling with the dust of the red men: so that lonely now amid the graves in the east, we here sigh and weep for the graves in those western solitudes !
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As for myself, this winter, I made the closet for Carlton's study, and the one in Bishop Hilsbury's cabin; also two skuttles for the loom, one too light however, the other, too heavy: and I aided in putting in and taking out "a piece," becoming thus adept in the mysteries of woof and warp, of hanks, reels and cuts. I mended likewise, water sleds, hunted turkeys, missed killing two deer for want of a rifle, played the flute, practised the fiddle, and ever so many other things and what-nots. But my grand em- ployment was a review of all my college studies; and hence, I was the very first man since the creation of the world that read Greek in the New Purchase! And it was I that first made the apos- tles talk out there in their own language! that first made the primal woods resonant with
"Tyture tu patulæ recubans sub tegmine fagi!"
or thunder with Demosthenes! that first addressed the revereful trees in the majestic words of Plato-words that Jupiter himself would have used for the same purpose aye, that first taught those listening trees the names of the Hebrew and Chaldaic alphabets, or made them roar like the sea with the popupholosboio thalasses ! And, hence from the renown of all this, I was finally made a trustee of the State College at Woodville; which appointment af- terwards brought me in contact with some adventures, to be narrated in their proper place. The appointment, however, was not given till Mr. J. Glenville took his seat in our legislature in 182 -. 1
1 Hall was never a Trustee of the State College. John M. Young (Genville) served in the Indiana legislature in 1828-29. The legislative session under the constitution of 1816 began on the first Monday in De- cember. The election was held on the first Monday in August. The reader should remember that Hall represents several characters in the volume, probably for the sake of disguise. This renders certain passages confusing and apparently inconsistent with the facts. Hall's trusteeship
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Our evenings were devoted to cracking nuts and jokes, visiting Uncle Tommy, and Bishop H., to planning, to hearing adventures or reading aloud; but, as it was not possible to have a centre- table, the grand family lamp was suspended in the centre of the parlour ; and then around this we either sat as an Iceland family, or raising the carpet-barriers, we lolled on the nearest beds in couch and sofa, and ottoman style.
The lamp in its primitive times was a patty-pan; but having spent its youth in different sorts of hot ovens, its tin had entirely shone out, and nothing remained save the oxydated iron; yet, to this it owed its present elevated station in Glenville-humility be- fore exaltation! In the edges were three holes punched with a tenpenny nail, and into these were put and fastened three several wires, which united eighteen inches above the patty-pan, were joined by a strong twine, tied to a hook in a pole: and then the whole affair, when released from the hand, could, and did swing with a very regular irregularity over the middle parlour. The illuminator filled with lard or bear's oil,2 and supplied with a piece of cloth for wick, was touched with flame from a burning brand; and then away it blazed in glory, filling all things, even eyes and noses, with light and soot! But we soon got used to suffocation ; and many were our pleasant nights around the pendulum lamp, spite of inconveniences within, and the cries of prowling beasts without, or the demon-like shrieks and howls of wintry tempests! Calm consciences in rude and lone huts bid defiance to most evils and dangers! Besides, who has not known the delight of lying in bed and under an unceiled roof, and of being lulled to slumber by the music of a pattering rain! So our delight arose often from a sense of entire security : and yet the dangers and evils of the dark and howling wilderness so near !- separated by a slight barrier !
During the day, this winter, I took lessons in axecraft; for, in addition to the "niggering-off," 3 it became necessary as the cold increased, to chop off logs, especially as our fire-place de- voured wood at the rate of half-a-cord per diem. Niggering
consisted in his being appointed by the Trustees as the first teacher in "the State College at Woodville."
2 We of Glenville burned lard many years prior to the late discoveries in swine light.
3 To be described hereafter.
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belongs mainly to very large timber, and pertains rather to the science of log-rolling than of preparing fuel; but chopping is essential to nearly every branch of a woodsman's life, and must be learned by all who aspire to respectability and independence.
Awkward indeed, were my first essays, and my strength in- artificially bestowed on every blow, was soon exhausted ; but when we had "larned the sling o' the axe," then could we as easily execute a cord a day, as at first the fourth of the measure. Nay, we could at last mount a prostrate beech and take the butt end two feet in diameter : and then, with feet apart, the exact width of the intended chip, could we cut away, within one inch of the cowhide boots, and that neatly and regularly all the way to the centre : and then, turning round, accomplish the same on the other side, till cuttings matched and almost met, when we would make the final and flourishing cut, and then in a moment lay two logs out of one !
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But oh! the way Tom Robinson could flourish the axe! And proud am I to call Tom my master; indeed, all Glenville were indebted to his lessons. Tom was a fellow of gigantic propor- tions, longer than six feet three inches, and with enormous width of breast,-about "the girth" like a columnar beech. He had also legs and arms to match. His face was as mild as a full moon's, and nearly as big, and in temper he was as good-natured and harmless as a chubby baby! Tom rarely bragged; although he could shoot well, drive wagon well, ride horses wild and tame, and walk as fast and nearly as far as an elephant : still he would boast a little about his chopping, being indeed as an axeman, the envy and admiration of all that part of the Purchase. Oh! I do wish we could paint Tom's smile of benevolent scorn as he took the axe from my awkward hands, to "larn me the sling!" when he saw me puffing at every ineffectual blow, striking every time in a new place, till a little weak amorphous chip was at long last haggled out with hashed edges-it was really sublime.
"Jeest 4 do it so like Mr. Carlton-a sort of hold your left hand here, allowin you're goin to strike right hand licks; and your tother hand so fashion, a toward the helf-but a sort a loose:
4 Jist becomes jeest, and little, leetle out there, when tenderness and affection or diminution, &c., is to be designated.
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then swing the axe out so, lettin the loose hand run up agin tother this away"-and here Tom's axe finished the sentence or speech by gleaming down and burying itself nearly to its back in the log: but next instant it was again quivering in the air, and changing its direction was gleaming and burying itself as at first, till out leaped elastic chips light as a feather, although these chips were twelve inches long, and two thick! And then the log would show two inclined planes as if wrought with a chisel !- and all the time Tom talking and laughing away, like a fellow whittling poplar with a dirk-knife. Oh! it was really delicious to see such cutting ; and it was surprising anybody should call wood-chopping hard work-it was nothing but cutting butter with a hot knife.
Reader, Tom had actually done in axery, what Horace pro- nounces in writing, the perfection of the art, viz. ravishing and yet beguiling the reader into an opinion that he can write as well. Tom therefore was a master. Aye, the axe in his hand, was like the bow in Paganini's-and in the Purchase vastly more service- able. In short, Tom could cut wood like lightning; and whilst some things can be done before a fluent tongue ( female of course) can say Jack Robison, we defy any body to do the same things before Tom Robison could chop a stick off !
We shall now describe our firemaking, not indeed to be imitated in here to the utter ruin of all moderate fortunes, but to show the grand scale on which we do even small matters out there. To build a New Purchase fire, a cabin must first be builded or built for the fire, with a fireplace, constituting nearly one whole end of the cabin; then we must have wood, not by the cord, but by the acre; and thirdly, we must have active, robust, honest-hearted fel- lows to cut and carry in, unless one niggers-off, as some do, and drags logs into the cabin by horse-power.
The foundation of our fire was laid every day very early and required all hands. We men-hem! we men rose before sun-up; and then uncle John hauled out the relics of yesterday's fire-coals plenty and lively-the unconsumed centre of the back-log and chunks of foresticks; while Glenville and Carlton issued forth to select a new back-log. This was usually of beech, the greener the better, and about seven feet long and two in diameter. It was rolled to the door with handspikes, where, with the aid of uncle
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John, it was next rolled, lifted, pushed and coaxed into the centre of the parlour : and here we rested and blowed, uttering between the puffs-"plaguey heavy !" "a'most too long " and the like. But directly, with a few united efforts the back-log was rolling and crushing over the coals and soon lodged with a thundering noise in its bed of hot ashes, and against the stone back of the inner chimney ; we, during this process, alternately lifting our scorched shins, and then at the noise of the thunder, nimbly leaping back and rubbing them ; till we could nearly have ventured at last to try the ordeal of the burning plowshares. The log was now cov- ered with ashes to prevent too rapid a consumption; and then two delicate andirons in the shape of pig iron, were pushed by a stick into proper position, being always, any time in the winter, too hot to be touched with the hand or even kicked with the foot. In case a cabin has opposite doors, much labour and many sprains may be saved and avoided, by tackling a horse to an end of the back-log and hauling it into the cabin; it is, however, rather a slovenly practice, and used mostly by women in the absence of the men.
Next in order were the second-story back-log, and the fore stick-equal in length, but different in diameter and material : the former being of beech and one foot thick, the latter of sugar tree and about eight inches thick. Each is often carried by two per- sons; but still oftener each is hipped. And hipping is done by one man who has some strength and more dexterity ; who adroitly whips up the log on his hip, and trots off with it like the youngest quill-driver of a shop will do with Miss Troublesome's small bundle of silk under his arm. These timbers are also frequently shouldered-but I regret to say that a certain friend of ours when his turn came, used to roll his stick as far as the door, and then hitch it. Hitching is performed by getting the article on an end (no odds which) and then working it along by alternate cor- ners : an operation that impressed on our puncheons numerous indented mementos of our friend's lazy ingenuity. The plane beauty of poplar or pine floors it would have marred forever! The puncheons, however, thought little of the matter, although they wriggled and "screeched" like-like-let's see. Oh! like all the world !
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Meanwhile uncle John carried in brush enough to make a Jersey load of oven faggots ; and the girl, baskets full of all sized chips, from the Tommyrobison kind down to the Carlton sort; and so when the upper back-log and fore-stick had been arranged, there were present all the kindling and burning materials. An infant sapling, some three inches thick, lay between the back log proper and the fore-stick, forming thus a chasm for a bushel of burning coals ; while other coals remained under and above the pile; and then across the upper coals were placed bits of small trees inter- mingled with hot chunks and cold chips, the whole being capped . and climactirized with a brush heap.
Now issued, first, volumes of smoke, then a spiteful snap or two, becoming soon, however, a loud and decided crackling; and then appeared several fierce curly blazes, white, red, and blue, verifying the vulgar saying about smoke and fire; till the tempera- ture of things getting to the scientific point-out burst simultane- ously from all parts of the structure a wide, pure, living roaring flame chasing soot-clouds up the stick-chimney, dispersing fire- builders as far as the carpet barrier, and lighting the interior cabin with the blaze of a volcano!
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