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Subject: [IASCOTT] 1910 Hospitality
Date: Wed, 5 Jun 2002 06:53:10 EDT

Chapter 12 cont.

HOSPITALITY

The traveler always found a welcome at the pioneer's cabin.  It was never
full.   Although there might already be a guest for every puncheon, there was
still "room for one more," and a wider circle would be made for the newcomer
at the big fire.  If the stranger was in search of land he was doubly welcome
and his host would volunteer to show him all the "first-rate claims in this
neck of the woods," going with him for days, showing the corners and
advantages of every "congress tract" within a dozen miles of his own cabin.

To his neighbors the pioneer was equally liberal.  If a deer was killed, the
choicest bits were sent to his nearest neighbor, a half dozen miles away
perhaps.  When a "shoat" was butchered, the same custom prevailed.  If a
newcomer came in too late for "cropping," the neighbors would supply his
table with just the same luxuries they themselves enjoyed, and in as liberal
quantity, until a crop could be raised.  When a newcomer had located his
claim, the neighbors for miles around would assemble at the site of the
newcomer's proposed cabin and aid him in "gettin" it up.  One party with axes
would cut down the trees and hew the logs, another with teams would haul the
logs to the ground, another party would "raise" the cabin, while several of
the old men would "rive the clapboards" for the roof.  By night the little
forest domicile would be up and ready for a "house warming," which was the
dedicatory occupation of the house, when music and dancing and festivity
would be enjoyed at full height.  The next day the newcomer would be as well
situated as his neighbors.

An instance of primitive hospitable manners will be in place here.  A
traveling Methodist preacher arrived in a distant neighborhood to fill an
appointment.  The house where services were to be held did not belong to a
church member, but no matter for that.  Boards were collected from all
quarters with which to make temporary seats, one of the neighbors
volunteering to lead off in the work, while the man of the house, with the
faithful rifle on his shoulder, sallied forth in quest of meat, for this
truly was a "ground-hog" case, the preacher coming and no meat in the house.
 The host ceased not the chase until he found the meat in the shape of a
deer.  Returning, he sent a boy out after it, with directions on what "pint"
to find it.  After services, which had been listened to with rapt attention
by all the audience, mine host said to his wife, "Old womean, I reckon this
'ere preacher is pretty hungry and you must git him a bite to eat."  "What
shall I get him?"  asked the wife who had not seen the deer; "thar's nuthin'
in the house to eat."  "why look thar," returned he, "thar's a deer, and
thar's plenty of corn in the field; you git some corn and grate it while I
skin the deer, and we'll have a good supper for him."  It is needless to add
that venison and corn bread made a supper fit for any pioneer preacher and
was thankfully eaten.


Debbie Clough G-erischer


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