. Highways and byways of the South. oot-pathled thither to a small log spring-house built directlyover the brook; and if you looked through the crev-ices between the logs, you saw earthen crocks andjars set in the running stream. I could not helpfancying that the farm milk, cream, and butter con-tained in these receptacles must be superlatively sweetand appetizing; for was not nature herself taking careof them ? Here, too, was kept the upright, woodenchurn, and on a few boards laid down on the stonesbefore the door the churning and butter-making weredone. Spring-houses are common in the South


. Highways and byways of the South. oot-pathled thither to a small log spring-house built directlyover the brook; and if you looked through the crev-ices between the logs, you saw earthen crocks andjars set in the running stream. I could not helpfancying that the farm milk, cream, and butter con-tained in these receptacles must be superlatively sweetand appetizing; for was not nature herself taking careof them ? Here, too, was kept the upright, woodenchurn, and on a few boards laid down on the stonesbefore the door the churning and butter-making weredone. Spring-houses are common in the South andgive the country one of its most idyllic touches. I drank from a dipping-place hollowed out in thestream close beside the tiny log structure, and thusfrightened half a dozen timid minnows that made theirhome in the pool. Just as I was rising from therefreshing draught a barefooted little girl came tripping A Virginia Wonder 215 down the path. She gave a startled glance at me fromthe depths of her sunbonnet and ran back. Then her. A Spring-house father appeared and urged me to accompany him tothe home porch, but I preferred to sit and visit withhim in the shadow of the spring-house. 2i6 Highways and Byways of the South It was on my farm, said he, that the first settlerof the valley built his cabin. His name was was way back in Indian times and he made hislivin by hunting. One time when he was gone a fewdays to sell his hides another feller come up the had stoled him a girl, and wanted to get her awayfrom where hed be followed ; and he found Arnoldscabin and went in and made himself to home. By andby Arnold come back bringin a runlet of whiskey onhis shoulder, and he and the fellow that was at hiscabin made friends, and the end of it was that Arnoldgive him the kag of whiskey for the girl. Arnold andthis wife he bought with his whiskey lived in the valleythe rest of their days, and theres many of their de-scendants in the country yet. Im glad I met up wit


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Keywords: ., bookauthorjohnsonc, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookyear1904