The Cumberland Mountains 



ment, he turned on his heel and said, "Tell him 

 to go into the house. A man that comes right 

 out like that beforehand is welcome to eat my 

 bread." 



__^When he came in after his hard day's work 

 and sat down to dinner, he solemnly asked a 

 blessing on the frugal meal, consisting solely of 

 com bread and bacon. Then, looking across the 

 table at me, he said, "Young man, what are 

 you doing down here?" I replied that I was 

 looking at plants. "Plants.? What kind of 

 plants?" I said, "Oh, all kinds; grass, weeds, 

 flowers, trees, mosses, ferns, — almost every- 

 thing that grows is interesting to me." 



"Well, young man," he queried, "you mean 

 to say that you are not employed by the Gov- 

 ernment on some private business?" "No," I 

 said, "I am not employed by any one except 

 just myself. I love all kinds of plants, and I 

 came down here to these Southern States to get 

 acquainted with as many of them as possible." 

 ^ "You look like a strong-minded man," he re- 

 plied, "and surely you are able to do something 

 [23 1 



