. Highways and byways of the South. angings were tied about with a stringto keep them in a bunch that could be used effec-tively. The rest of the stick was reduced to a con-venient-sized handle. Another broom was a shuckbroom made of corn husks fastened to the end of astick; and there were several grass brooms consistingsimply of bunches of long, straight grass stems. Thebrooms were needed, for the floors were kept con-stantly gritty with sand tracked in from the turflessyard. Presently the man returned from milking and wehad supper. For dessert I was introduced to a scup-pernong pie. It was t
. Highways and byways of the South. angings were tied about with a stringto keep them in a bunch that could be used effec-tively. The rest of the stick was reduced to a con-venient-sized handle. Another broom was a shuckbroom made of corn husks fastened to the end of astick; and there were several grass brooms consistingsimply of bunches of long, straight grass stems. Thebrooms were needed, for the floors were kept con-stantly gritty with sand tracked in from the turflessyard. Presently the man returned from milking and wehad supper. For dessert I was introduced to a scup-pernong pie. It was the first grape pie I had evereaten. I made hit with hulls and all, said the house-wife, and theres considerable sourness in the hulls,so yo may like hit mo sweeter. I did not become enamoured with the pie either asit was or mo sweeter. I liked the uncooked grapesbetter. They are a light green in color and have a A Quest for Tar 309 pleasant, mild flavor. My landlady was enthusiasticover the muscadines, a wild black grape that grows. The Home Woodpile on the edges of swamps and old fields ; but it was asyet too early for them. They are not sweet gooduntil after the frost bites em, she explained. When we had finished supper and the dishes werecleared away, we went into the main part of the house. 3IO Highways and Byways of the South Here a brisk open fire was burning, filling the roomwith cheery light. I drew a chair up to the hearth andpicked off the cockle burrs and Spanish needles andbeggar lice I had collected during my days tramping,while my landlady brought out a bed-quilt and beganworking on it. Im makin this for my baby boy,said she. He was married last June. You see hitspleated all over. We call hit the pineapple right pretty, I think. The fire died down low from time to time, and Icould feel the night gloom and outer chill creepinginto the room. Then some pine sticks were added,and the crackling flames leaped again and sent outtheir grateful heat and light.
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Keywords: ., bookauthorjohnsonc, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookyear1904
