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 
corn 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 ] 
