New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-02-08
LIFE IN THE OLD DOMINION.


TWEEN THE BoME-LFE or NORTHERN AND
| souTHERN NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. TO WORK
| INDUCED BY SURROUNDING CIRCUMSTANCES
| EEGPo LIFE AND HABITS PORTRAYED.
| IFRoM A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRiBuNE'I
| IyNoHsUpG. Va. Jan. 3f.-Tide-water Virginia IS
| astir with improvements Important railways are
projected surveys are being made, Northern eapitti
| is coming ill., and all voices are hopeful ihere eau
| be no doubt that this part OF the country Is ieaS
! prosperous and that the people are happy Ann you
/ one does not here much resemblance "
prosperous Northern community; anu h,o'
some New-England tourists who thought the
| whole region looked utterly desolate. suppose
most Northern Observers would form sin''ar
opipion But this unfavorable Judgment is 4 super
| fetal one Many things which are Indispensable IN
| New. England and EewYOrk are not necessary mere
| The flerences in climate and i'll 0ccupaton III
| methods of living, and, in short. III the enC''e
environment render it easy Tor Northern travellers
to mistake the true condition # things. 1t is also
| necessary 70 observe thar Northern and Southern
standards of comfortable and prosperous living are
| widely different. Many things which the poorest
Northern laborer requires in his homo would be use
! less and only he III the way, III Virginia negro
| cabin.
| | have been in many of these during the past
week. They are almost entirely destitute OF iurni-
ture There are commonly. but not always rude
| bc.l4tp9d and two or three Stools often only one
stool There is usually table. but it Is not used at
meals. l. Is receptacle and place OF exhibition lot
! the ornaments and tinery OF the household very
much as the bureau chest of drawers - employer
4 in the homes OF the poorer class III the N"rth lhe
family does not assemble around the table at meals
IN tie negro laborers cabin here, because there are
no meas at any rate, there ~ 10 regular haDt vi
all the members of the household eating at the same
time. those who are gong away from the mousse 10
WORK eat first III the morning, usually standing mp
by tho dresser" Of rude cupboard OF two or
three shelves at one side Of the fireplace. There are
generally a few knives and forks, and SPOON OF
two in the house, but the food Is. for the most part
served by setting the pot pan. or skillet IN which
if was cooked upon the dresser; and from this yes
sci the food Is taken with the fingers. can assure
! the readers of The Tribune that these vlahds are
not to be despised Fish, eelS, oysters. clans, and
| indeed all kinds of shelI-hsh, are abundant aud
cheopin all this Underwater region. They are eaten
while perle cty resh and. cooked as they are over
| an open fire, they have q delicious flavor which Is
not Obtained by the more refined methOds OF
cookery in u.s. at the Norih. The sweet po-
| tatocs aretettrr than we ever sae in New-fnTian"
| Az TO neatnrss and cleanliness in connection with
tto cooking and the food one must not be too par
! tjcuar: and, indeed. III such circumstances. one
! does not think 50 much abOuf these rehnements as
lie wonld at home just as ls lot always critical
! in such matters when ont fishing or hunting
But when do the other members Of the family
eat after the Ibarcrs have gone away TO their Work
, for the day7' Well, they are all hungry III the
| morning. and they crowd around " the dresser" OF
come up 10 il by turns aud carry on pieces OF l0ou
| in their hands, or in large oyster or clam SHELL
| If the weather is pleasant, the children ike
70 90 out If doors to eat. Then. through the day,
A, r., Oh aaph
the side OF the fireplace on the dresser, and helps
| L,ms,f If an urchin appears DESTROYS Of carrying
off more than hp can eat he gets cuff On the side OF
tbr head with the reproof. YuuS too greedy" or
| DIAM tie hoggi,h, now" but there is usually an
ample supply Tor all.
| 1nr b.dstead is for the oldest and the youngest
| m,mhers of the family. Four or five persons can
sleep ON it IN cold weather. In one corner Of the
room is pile of Old castoif clothing. or, some lines,
some straw with piece OF drilling ora fragment OF
od sal spread over il. TINS is the bed Tor those who
rapno, lind room the bedstrad. Thenegroes OF the
| cabins do not commonly wear "nigat-clothes.'
| They only partially disrobc at night, leaving of
some of their outer clOtIIng. especially IN cold
wrnturr and sleeping in the same undergLrments
! worn during rae day. In SIMMER they commonly
/ wear the slme clothes night and day through the
week.. When sunday comes they put Oh clean
| c,othr. and 40 TO church. OF course northern
! worlirguan. living in sucI house and in such
conditions general Y, would forl mseraby. hope
lr,.Iy ,rsra icd and would he lie would
lo,e his sc.f-Ic,p9ct utterly, and would be-
come useless, vicious and criminal. Bat no
such ciluct is produced upon these ne
.roc4 No doubt there unfavorable
results from ovorcrowdug, though / believe these
are les, common and less hurtful than most North
cru penpe think. Until negroes have different stand
ards ideas and ambitions. they will nut be II jnred
and ,rgruied. ~ we might expect them 10 be, by
conditions nf life that would be ruin0us TO North
cru white mans character.
The general c>ndihon of the negroes here is im-
proving Their course rs \ or class is upward
and their feeling IL hopeful and happy. Hut every
such general statement IN regard to them requires
some qualification. Their Improvement is not
universal, nor ID 1t. usually. rapid many
ueoplo hoped it would be. The Degroes-and
| mcluto the entire race mulattOes and all classes
with mixed hlOnd--learn some things, acquire some
kinds of knowledge. very easily and rapdly but
all observers here agree, the most devoted friends
Oh the negroes not less than others, that while there
are lndiy idua exceptions ncre AMI there most no.
groes find That studios aud occupations which require
close thinking and steady, continuous mental appll-
Gu ion impose too great strain upon them. But l
shall OF course, return TO this subject il requires
much attention and needs wide anu patient observa
ton.
Many negroes in all this part of the South are ac-
during land and homes for themselves. This is one
of the best features of the order of things.
OF course this class Is atill small minority, but
beg ming has been made aud the tendency in the
right direction. In tho region about Fortress
Monroe there is trouble about the cont Gated lands.
The negroes cannot understand that the coDiscation
is only temporary, that it expires with the life of
MI 2 ntt
title to this land can b. acquired by them. They
ul..ti.. - L.