Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-05-04
INCIDENTS IN DIXIE.
rroa ths Diary ef %. u. t., Special
Correspondents OF the Cinstnnsai Ia
autrer
The Maafe Word Et.edom.

In our travels with the armies Of the
West, through Tennessee, Mississippi,
aud Northern Alabama, IL was our lot to
become associated and acquainted with
all classes of whites and blacks. In
speaking OF the latter, il is expedisnt to
draw line. or, in other words, TO parti.
ton the race, IL is very simple, Indeed,
as the race consists Of but two classes
the intelligent and the ignorant And
the sound sense, profound judgment, apt
reasoning, and keen wit OF the one class,
and the stupidity, blasted intellect, and
brute-like capacity Of the other, alike at.
tract you attention
We do not propose TO give history Of
the causes Of this difference, really, be-
cause all are acquainted with the fact
Ii would require column Of adject.
ives to faithfully describe the true situa.
tion of what may be justly termed the
plantation slave. just imagine an old
negro, advancing hard upon ninety, not
only isolated from the world and all that
contributes 10 its existenee-who does
not know how to spell his own name
even, which Is but monosylahle--who
has no knowledge Of the Creator or His
Holy Book, and who never saw his father
or mother.
Suea creature existcd upon the plan
tation owned by lady named B,
widow Of deceased brother of the late
| Postmaster General of that maine, and
situated near Elk river, in the Southern
part Of Tennessee. Through the kind
ness Of the charming Mrs b, We
and the gallant Colonel Of the First NJ,
NJ, and T., accepted Of her hospilalities
for the night.
The next morning we strolled through
the plantation, and, when about a mile
from the house, met an old negro engag-
ed in instrueting q little colored girl
(aged about ten, probably how to hold
plow and drive the horse At the same
time When the old man perceived US
he doffed his hat, and bowing very low,
said:
allow do. gemblemY'
Colonel l. Was the first 10 reply, and
asked him what he was about. He an
swered, Use iis learning de chile how K
plough de cotton
Very abruptly the Colonel asked
"Ssm how old are your
"rse almost hundred years old; MI
Young mars tole me yesterday da, sS
putty near de good old age But de olC
man is putty lively jis now. Use nea
gone las winter, wild de rumitis, and 70
two, tree weeks, by golly, de legs OF d.
old man putty near glib up de gose.
"Well, your all right, now, cid man
ain't youY' we asked
. "Well, Use all right, except de one ting
aud | reckon, me young marsars, dat u
bofe iis know wot de old man means"
What is it--what is itl'' We said; ''ou
. with it-what do you wantf'
my young marsarS, if dis old nigg
bad bis freedom hed be de craziest chill
: under de hebens."
Freedom calculated the Colonel
= ''for Gods sake what do you know sbou
freedom7'
"Hole on hole onl Mars mustn't 2
angry wild de old man. You's de frien
ob US ALIVE done prayed for dis to com
sheAp o times
y "why look ahere, said Colonel
: "rn bet you never WAS away from ho1
!: in your life. =,
DOuCs ~ N~N@ -
: negro. use born on the plantatio
. iinin', and been fast on de one, and d.
u on bofe all nay life.
4 "Can You readY he asked.
y "'Fore God, mars, you're FOOLS
K Nigga read golly, deres no nigg
si round here reads; dAt's de ebils oh o
I'd not having our freedom"
ali Well yon We got so much TO say abo
+. your freedom-ten Us all about it, 81
n the Colonel with smile. TELL Us
ns yOa know tell US everything
~ "Well my kline mars, il won't IA
90 dis chile long 70 tell al be knawS
sss e, knows how to plow and hoe de cotton q
de corn; knows how-how-how