rude plows. Their cattle and hogs found abundant sustenance in the
broad pastures which, in the summer, yielded the richest grass, and in
the woods where, in the fall, the ground was strewn with acorns and
other like provender.

The pioneer lived roughly; the German from the Palatinate kept house
like the true peasant that he was; the planter lived somewhat more
sumptuously and luxuriously; but, in nearly every case, the table was
liberally supplied. Hominy, milk, corn-bread, and smoked or jerked
meats seem to have been most popular with the humbler classes.

Ice was not stored for summer use, fruits were few and not choice, and
the vegetables limited; our ancestors, at that time, having no
acquaintance with the tomato, cauliflower, egg-plant, red-pepper,
okra, and certain other staple vegetables of today. The Indians had
schooled them in the preparation of succotash with the beans grown
among the corn, and they raised melons, squashes, and pumpkins in
abundance.

Corn for bread was broken in a mortar and ground in a grater or
hand-mill. Mills, in the early days, were few and far apart, some of
the back-settlers being compelled to travel many miles for their
grist. This condition gave origin to the adage "first come first
served," and frequently carried the late arrivals over night and, at
times, prolonged the trip to procure a few bushels of meal three or
four days. "Band-mills," run by horses, and small water mills, where
the situation permitted, came into use to supply the demand of larger
ones. The building of a good mill, it must be confessed, was hailed
with greater satisfaction than the erection of a church.