Omaha daily bee., 1883-01-19
The SOU HERN DARKEY.
The Life that BE Leads on the
Plantation.
His Enthusiasm Ov r Religion.
Flights of Fancy and Songs of
Triumph-A Camp-M Meeting
Scene.

Correspondence Ct the Philadelphia Times.
ATLANTA, Ca, December 5.-The
negro Ia fitted best for severe manual
labor and his powers of endurance are
wonderful, yet l saw In a Chicago pa.
per the strange statement that the
''aouthern negro cannot co..e with the
willie man in fatigueipg bodily labor"
i have never yet seen q southern col.
ored operative in a cotton factory, and
manufacturers say they annot be
made effective In that department of
industry. A large portion of the ris.
ing generation crowded in and around
towns and cities differ in some respects
from their immediate ancestry, constant
intercourse with the white people hay
log given them an all of business and
q dialect approaching somewhat nearer
correct English pronunciation. Then
there is a clsss of oolored men In the
south-small in numbers-who are
susceptible of a degree of culture and
intelligence, and many CT them, by
application, have developed themselves
into well-to.do men. OF this class are
William Pledger, surveyor of customs
at Atlanta, and Madison Davis, post
master at Athens, Georgia, u town of
some 5000 inhabitants, the seat of the
state university and noted for the
superior attainments Of It's people,
both of whom are, Ct course, leading
republicans. But these men and the
class to which they belong have little
association with the great masses Of
their race, from whom they differ in
every criterion OF superiority.
H oLD PLANTATION DARKEY.
But to turn to the typical Georgia
plantation darkey Of ante. bellum
memories, who will talk to you for
hours ''bout ole msrster" and scenes
'''foa de war" Methinks we can still
hear the quaint lullaby that Aunt
Patty used to carol In the farm house
when "de white folks" were gone and
left her in charge of the household
and feel my childish frame culver at
the frighlfal tales of "Bloody Bones
and Ketch Meddler" as they fellupon
my attentive ear from the fertile i'm.
agination of "Old Ned" when l was
disposed to disregard his mandates.
Not long ago l was talking to q gem
tlemsn who before the war was an ex-
tensive STAKEHOLDER, and he said: odd
you ever think of the fidelity of the
southern slave to his masters family
during the war; IL was remarkable.
The white men were gone to the field
of battle, leaving their wives aud chill
dren and property in the hands of
their slaves. How easy for them to
have rebelled against all authority
and begun a season of massacre and
pillage too horrible to contemplate. "
But they never wavered. True to
their nature, the farm was titled "a
before and the harvests stored away
sole missus" was the object of their
care and providence, and when
tldings came from cole master
who had gone off to wal
way up in old Virgiuny' and were
read aloud to the ci,cle around the
hearthstoue, the door was blockaded
with eager, anxious faces of the 'yard
~niggers," standing with uncovered
heads listening to the welcome mess.
ege; and when it was announced that
the absent ones were well and safe nc
word of ratiff action was spoken with
moro sincerity than the old darkies
BLESS God! ID = amt kilt ole mars.
tar yit." If any proof we're wanting
Of the negroes genuine attachment fol-
their owners the fidelity exhibited by
most Of them during the war will fur.
niah it in abundance.
HE STILL LIVES.
The emancipation has wrought nc
material change on the old plantation
darkey. Tne kinks Of hair, which il
his vain attempts to s~traighten he hal
rolled up into little ropes tightly
wrapped with a cotton string, have
grown white since he fret heard the
wondrous tale of forty acres and &
mule" which ke has at last learned &c
bo a delusion OF the carpet'bagger; anc
even the civil rights bill no Longer
holds for him It's painted charms
His wants are simple and easily sup.
piled from the land he c~ultivates, anc
when the birds are singing in tn
spring time with cheerful and con
tented spirits he marshals the force o
his household into the fields, tn