The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-07-08
RaokoNsnckcrs.

Valleys OF Arkansas, are numerous wretch
cd little novels that afford show of shelter
to the Indigenous population. Take
specimen. ltstands perhaps six feet square
Il rude hut of rough boards supposed to bt
placed IN verticle position, aud about tho
same height on the highest side, but mar
rowing down some two feet to the opposite
side. A few boare!s laid carelessly acros.
the upper e"go from the roof. There is NJ
door, no window. no chimney. An apcr.
ture in the side of the hut, which is partl,
concealed by ragged, dirty quilt, is tho
means OF ingress and egrcss.
Proppcd up against the outside wall will
sticks of wood is an old table soddcn Will
dirt and warped by the weather. A gaun,
gray cat sits leisurely tapping water from 9
pail that stands upon it. At a little dis
tancc two mcagre yellow dogs are swapping
and snarling over the contents of q rusty
iron kettle that, recently having done scr
vice in cooking tho family dinner, is thus
undergoing the cleansing process prepara.
tory TO the next meal. In the sunshine,
her baro, frecklcd arms skimbo, stands a
woman.
Her faded petticoat hangs III shrcads
about her thick bare ankles. Her loose un
buttoned sacquc only partly hides the slit.
ted waist beneath. AS the long shadows
full on the grass beside her, she looks up,
and pushing back her limp sun n-bonnet, dis,
closes the sunken, yellow face, the matted
hair and the dull, washcd-out eyes of the
female indlgcnc. She Is not troubled with
diffidencc any more than the more cult.
vated Of her sex, and intlnlates her desire
for conversation by the question:
Say, stranger, kin 20 give HE the time
o day2"
The stranger gives her the time, and,
emboldened by her triendlincss, essays
glance into the interior. When his eyes
grow accustomed to the dim light emitted
from the chinks in the walls they discover
the figure of half dressed man with tom
selcd hair, crouching upon a heap of dirty
rags which form the nuptial couch. lie is
chewing lazily, an occupation which he
varies by skillful frescoing of the oppo-
site wall with various designs in topacco
juice. One or two Police GaZettes pasted
up on the wall come in for a share of the
liquid decoration. A tin waoh basin half
full Of dirty water sits on q broken-backed ed
chair, and two or three nondescrpt gar
mcnts hang upon the walls This is liter
ally all the cabin contains.
:'Do you live hcre2" inquiries the stran-
ger in tone of incredulity.
The man does not vouchsafc reply.
He is too deeply engaged in inventing new
fantasies III the decorating line. But the
woman answers, nothing 10th.
"rhis is just whar wo uns do live, stran-
ger"
''But you haven't room to turn around. .
"Thar's a heap o room out doors,
though" she says in a tone that admits of
no controversy.
That subject being exhausted the stranger
tried anothef.-
"You haven't any Children ?''
"No; we had two, but pears tillc some
thin was the matter with 'em long from
the first. Never was very pcart. Reckon
twas fits, or mcbbe worms. Got power
OF doctors stuff for 'em, but 'peared like
they couldn't live nohow. Chlldrcn's
mighty contrary mortals. Reckon its just
rs well they died; they wouldn't never
have been much count anyhow"
"But what do you do for a livlng?'
There was no sign of cultivation, not SO
much as speer of grass ABOUT the dwell
ing.
"Wall, ho hunts mostly. Sometimes he
gets somethin' and sometimes he doesn't.
Some days do right smart o washin'
when feel like it,"
''But couldn't you get regular employ
ment, you, and earn enough to live moro
I'VE live comfor'bly enough, and we
amt agoin' to work less we're mind ter.
We aim niggahs, If we Is pore"
The last argument was conclusive, and
the visitor walked away sadder, but wiser
from the interview after the woman's part
ing thrust
81 reckon you uns must be from the
moth p The charge was mcckly admitted.
81 might a knowed it," with an inde-
scribable infection of contempt In her
tone. "No'therners never was very smart