The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1872-03-28

CHARLES KINGSLEY on THE COOLIES
IN THE WEST lNDIEs.-Charles Kingsley
writes IN his new BOOK Oh the West Indies,
" At Last OF the Coolies in the West
Indies. He say:
thing worthy in the crowd which
cooked, ciatted, lounged, sauntered idly
to and fro under the Matt pal0s-the oil
Jared air roots Of which must have put
them in mind of their own Banyans at
hOmU-was their good manners. One
saw In u moment that one was among
gentlemen aud ladies. The dress of MANY
of the men was noughC out scarf wrap.
ped round the IONS that of most OF the
women nOught but the long scarf which
the HindlO womaG cOntrives to arrange
In most graceful as we'll as perfectly
modest covering, even for her feet and
head. These garments, and perhaps
brass pot, We're probably ali the worldly
goods OF most OF them just then. But
every attitude, gesture, tone, Was full. of
grace. OF ease, courtesy, s3lf.restraint, dig.
nity-Of that "sWeet ness and light" at
least III externals, which Mr.. Matthew
Arnold deslderates am well aware
that these people are not perfect that,
like most heather folk and some Chris
tian, their morals arc by no means spot
less, their passions by no means trampled
out. But they have acquired-let Hindoo
scholars tell how and where-a civihza-
ton which shows In them all day long
which draws the European to them and
them to the European, whenever the lat
tnr og al e.
man, inatnctively, and by ths mere in
terchange of glances a civilization which
mus. maze it easy for the Englshman, if
he Will not do his duty, not only to make
use OF these people, but to purity and
enoble them.
Another thing was noteworthy about
the coolies, at the very first glance, and
All we saw atterward proved that that
hrst glance was correct I mean their
Loneliness for children. If you took notice
OF Guild, not only the mother smiled
thanks and delight, but the men around
likewise, as if compliment had been
paid to their whole company. We saw
aiterward almost daily proofs of the
coolle mems fondness for their children
OF their t0ndness also-an excellent sign
that the morale is not destroyed at the
root for dumb animals. A coolie cow
or donkey is petted, led about tenderly,
tempted with tit-bits Pet animals, where
they can be got, are the coolies delight,
AS they are the delight of the wild IAdian.
| wish / could say the same of the negro.
His treatment of his children and of his
beasts of burden is, but too often, as ex-
actly opposed to that of the coolie IS are
his manners. No wonder that the Two
races do not, and it is to be feared never
will, amalgamate, that the coolie, shocked
by the unfortunate awkwardness of ges-
lures and vulgarity of manners of the
average negro, and still more OF the ne
81 ess, looks on them rs savages while
tue negro, in his turn, hates the cool1e az
. Woodworking interloper, and desp1ses
him as heather; or that heavy fights
between the two races arise now. and
then, in which the coolie in spite of his
slender limbs has generally the advan-
tage over the burly negro, by dint of his
greater courage and the terrible quick
ness with which he yields his beloved
weapon, the long hardwood quarterstaf