The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-04-11

foated before their distorted visions, all
based more or less upon the fabulous legend
OF "forty acres Of land and a mule" With
them 1t seemed the dawn of q new era-an
era marked by freedom from restraint, free
dom from labor and abundance OF hog and
hominy Without money and without price,
With reckless, disbanded soldiery and
long train OF depraved camp-followers as as
sociates, they soon learned to be adopts In
slang, drunkenness, and all the Vices that
flesh is heir to- and were quite open to con-
viction as to the incarnate fiendlshness OF
their former master. Thus the colored mans
idea Of freedom was one who could drink the
greatest amount of bad whisky, utter the
loudest and most profane oaths, carry the
biggest pistol or shotgun and sing the most
obscene songs In the meantime their former
masters were silent, out by no means
unInterested spectators. They saw the breach
between the two races gradually widening,
but felt pewerless to avert the threatened
calamity. In the midst OF all their gloomy
prospects, however, there were some hopeful
signs. Some Of the older and more prudent
Of the race set earnestly to work to accom-
modate themselves to the new order of things.
and as the great staple Of the South, just
after the war, commanded very high price,
the more industrious at the end Of the pick
ing season found themselves In possession of
considerable sums OF money. And In this
connection, as the late President Lincoln
might have said, we are reminded Of little
anecdote" Near the town Of Tuseumbia,
Ala, at the close Of the war, there was an an
Gent colored Individual whom we shall call
George Washington, for the reason that, like
illustrious Father OF his Country he never
was known to deviate from the truth. Well.
this George having rented q piece Of land
from his former master and received assist
ance from the same source In the way Of farm
Ing utensils, set earnestly to work with his
family to make crop. All things went along
swimmingiy with him that year. The rain
fell Just at the time when it was needed, and
1t 'faired off invariably at the right mo-
ment. During the year, however, some sick
ness occurred In the o d darkey's family. and
he was under the necessity OF invoking the
aid Of physician. This was, Of course, an
epoch In Georges career. In the days of
slavery when one Of the darkeys got sick cole
that was the last OF 1t so far as the patient
was concerned. But 1t now occurred to the
newly -fisdged planter that he had seen his
master pay out some "monstrous'' big bills
for such medical services, and he
was therefore not little con-
cerned as to how his doctor would
let him off when pay day came around. But
the latter knowing well the old mans hon.
esty told him to make himself perfectly easy
on that score, as he would only expect pay
ment when the crop was sold. Thus matters
went along serenely and the cotton was
picked, ginned, baled and sold, and as George
Washington started homeward with great
roll of crisp greenbacks In his pocket he was
perhaps the proudest man In all the Southern
land. The first thing, however, was to settle
up as sole massa" had been In the habit OF
doing, and as he had to pass near the doctors
house he determined to begin operations with
him. Now George, like most old time dar-
keys, knew very little Of paper money,
although he was an expert in counting
Specie" SO when he met the doctor,
thinking he would not betray his ignorance,
he handed over the first bill that happened to
catch his eye on opening the roll. CHANGING
at it and observing that 1t was fifty dollar
note, the doctor asked George IL he did not
have something smaller Thinking that the
doctor referred to the dimensions of the paper
on which the note was printed the other an
swered: "No, massa; dat am one OBJ de littlest
ones In de lot, sbo." After congratulating
him upon his good fortune the doctor counted
out number of small bills in change, which
greatly puzzled the old man, when he was told
that they belonged to him. "Is you sho dat
youse got enuf NASSAU" he asked increduious-
ly. The doctor assured him that he was fully
compensated. "Den, all Use got to say, massa,
Is dat wish owed you some more, kinder
likes dis payin' business, whar you gifts more
dan you gives" 1t Is altogether probable,
however, that the ancient colored individual
referred to has ere this, IL alive, reversed his
opinion as to the pleasure of giving and re-
caivinp.