The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1871-07-26
E0TED no MORALITY and GENERAL INTELLIGENCE.

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xalksstfaigat. Theirbiea seyes:and
! supkeu oountenances indisate stupor
which no amount of surprise can over
come. Drunkenness aud other res oi
kindred iIk must needs exist there YET
awhile. Civilization must precede
thorough social aad religious culture by
long distance.
The women are now in the habit Of
picking berries and carrying them to
the neighboring viliages-to sell. On
these hawking expeditions they use all
the arts which Jew or q gipsy ever
conceived for getting rid of their wares.
"Please, woman" they will say, buy
my berries ; give me old clothes, bread,
shelter, anything and they will fall
down On their knees and beg for what
they cannot steal. Their children are
dying or their husband is sick-any-
thing for effect. Lately swonen vent
to Newburyport to sell her berries, and
was surprised to find that q more ener-
getic neighborhood had been around
ahead of her and supplied the, market.
"Did that woman tell you that her
husband was sick, or that her children
were dying 2" she. said to lady who
had bought of the early conner.
The lady replied that she did.
"WelI," replied the Amazon, "she is
q liar; she's the awfullest liar in our
town, and she hasn't got no husband nor
children neither. And now, woman,
won't you buy some berries for ny
husband is sick and my children are
dying-give me old clothes-bread-
shelter-auything"-aud she sold her
berries.
SOMETHING BETTER.
With all their ignorance and preju-
dices there is yet a certain noblcness in
their natures that is all the more ad-
mirable when put in contrast with their
other traits. They are as emotional and
as easily moved as the Roman mob
which Marc Anthony persuaded, and
their gratitude is really remarkable, and
you need but paper dine to make
them your sworn defender.
But short distance from this place
there are numerous well.built houses,
the land is in high state Of cultivation,
and the transition is 50 sudden that one
wonders at the possibility Of two so
different classes Of people living SO near
together, and having DO more influence
upon each other. They look upon their
isuoraut neighbors as unfortunate peo'
PIE, but they never dream that a little
aid aud sympathy could change their
misfortune to happiness and their sorrow
to gladness.
IL the heather district proper the
fields are entirely run to waste, and
everything like agricultural enterprise
among the people is out Of the ques-
ton. There are no barns nor out-houses
of any description-everythiug that can
afford the slightest shelter being the
abode Of their house hold gcds. From
these they seldom move, and the stencil
that goes out of them is sickeuiug.-
Grand old elms stretch their stalvart
forms over the place, as if to relieve it
of some Of its uncouth and, barren ap
pearance. Under the shade Of these
the children that.canuot be accommada
ted under the narrow roof are playing
in the mud aud covered with 6lth.
WHAT'S TO BE DONE?
is the question that suggests itself after
seeing the degradation into which they
have fallen. After all, isn't the banner
Of Christian civilization being carried a
little foo high to do the good it might
do? While men are rushing of into
the upper atmosphere Of doctriOal dis.
putes and theological puzzles, the blind
beggars die by the wayside for waot Of
food. To let man expire, and then
bury him, is not what the parable Of the
Good Samaritan intended to teach
Here, almost iu our very midst, is a
people who might reasonably envy the
happiness of a Feji Islander or French
peasant. To be sure they are now re-
ceiviug some help from Mr. Rand, but
to bring them up to the condition which
they ought to be brought up to, time,
labor and money in abundance must be
had. Though they are wicked and
ignorant people," says Mr. Rand, VI
believe that Coo put them ia the world
for some good purpose, and l, believing
that they are worth making an efors
for, au going 10 try aud save them" ls
it too much to hope that their wants
will be attended to, their condition i'm
proved, and this disgrace to modern
civilization blctsed out3 Meanwhile,
who will propose fair in aid Of the
Heather of New England, or the
Algerines Of South Seabrook.
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TOMATO oATsUP.