The houses were built mostly of logs, and the architecture was of the
most primitive style. The living room was furnished with one or more
beds, a table, and strong home-made hickory chairs with painfully
straight backs; and it was customary in occupying one of them to lean
it back against the wall or bed, at a convenient angle, putting the
feet on the rounds; and this fashion made it the proper thing to
salute a visitor thus: "How-d'y? Walk right in; take a cheer, and lean
back." One of our neighbors, in giving her ideas of a newcomer, said:
"She's smart enough 's fur as I know, but I don't reckon she knows
much about manners, for when I _sot_ down on a cheer she never asked
me to lean back."

Soon after we were settled at Daveiss Prairie, a neighbor, hearing we
had taught school elsewhere, called to see me, and opened up the
subject of education with, "I'd kind o' like to have our Reu_ben_ larn
figgers; he takes to larnin the prettiest you ever see. But, law
sakes, he ain't nothin to our Pop. Why, Pop can read ritin"! I learned
subsequently that "our Pop", a pretty girl of eighteen or twenty, was
the wonder of the country on account of this rare accomplishment, and
seeing her frequently on horseback, with her "_ridin-skeert_" tucked
about her, as if for a journey, I inquired one day if she had any
special calling, and learned that she rode from farm to farm, as her
services were needed, to read the letters received by the different
families; "and", my informant added, "she makes a heap of money, too;
I tell you Pop's smart."

Another ambitious mother called to learn if I would teach her "Sam
_the tables_, so'st he can measure up potatoes and garden truck
handy," adding, "it ain't no use for girls to bother much with
figgers, but I see Miss Daveiss draw in a piece" (into the loom)
"without countin' every thread, so you may just let Kitty larn enough
to do that-a way." Spending an afternoon with this mother, a good,
sensible woman and very kind neighbor, I found her preparing the
wedding trousseau of one of her girls, who was to be married the next
week. She was a good girl, a general favorite, and all were much
interested in the coming event. In the course of my visit one of the
daughters called out, "Lucy, where's the fine needle? you had it
last;" and the reply came, promptly, "I reckon it's in that crack over
yon, whar I stuck it when I done clar'd off the bed last night;" and
there it was, sure enough, and by the