The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-03-03
SOUTH EhN kIGIITh.
Darkey Camp Meeting In the state OF
Alabama.


Darkcy Camp Meeting In the State o
Alabama.
Montgomery Cor. Philadelphia Pres.
There probably Is nothing more crooke
on the face OF the earth than the Alabam
river, which Is formed by two streams, tn
CooSa and the Tallapoosa, the points G
confluence being few miles from this cit
the Capital Of the State. Upon the map
in the school Biographies oito-day the rive
looks like the trail Of an eel through tn
mud. II twists and turns first North, the
directly South, then 1t branches out in
straight line Westward for forty miles
then again it comes South, then East, an,
80 on until it meets the dark floods OF tn
great Tombigbee and forms the Mobil
river, which empties into bay Of the sam
name where the metropolis OF the State
Mobile. city-is located. There are NOR
"darkies" to the square mile along tn
low.lying banks OF the Alabama than il
any other part Of the South. They ar
blacker than the ace Of spades-and coop
per.colored niggers" are few and far be
tween. Between Montgomery and Selma
q distance Of some fifty odd miles, the rive
makes some very remarkable twists. Fins
it spells the "iun;' then by stretching tn
Imagination little, and by the aid OF
telescope, 1t can be seen that it also spell
the word "Vinnie," besides making twt
big "w's". From Clifton to Clairbone
makes the gigantic profile OF an old woma,
With an enormous nose and peaked chin
There are no towns OF any consequence,
along the river between Clifton and Clair
borne, and here are located the CAM
meeting grounds and "prayer centres" q
they are called, OF the negroes OF that sec
ton.
A darkey camp-meeting down here /
very different from anything We ever SCI
in the North. Two or three days at tim,
the meeting lasts and the colored peopl
OF all sizes and Of all shades OF black from
clear jet down to delicate Crushed rasp
berry"-for there are negroes OF that fash
ionable color about here-fock 10 tn
prayer CENTRE" and how they live is be
yond comprehension. They bring witt
them bacon, cabbage and potatoes, for, a
one Of the sisters" told me the other day
I'VE need something sustainin' arte
wrestlin' in pray'r all de day lonel" TIL
night before last there was praise meetinI
held all night. Aunt Thisbe, one Of th
devout worshippers, told me all about Thu
proceedings: "We done hold pray'r meet
ing from 8 till u, and den US he'd silen
pray'r."
.suMprER ABEDNEoo PARIS WHITE.
"'Twasn't very silent" interrupted Aun
Thisbe's nephew, who worries alon
through life under the name OF Sumpte
Abednego Paris White.
"You close up, you little niggah," Aun
Thisbe continued; at was still fer 'bou
FIVE seck'ns, an den Aunt Hapsey sh
'glory'd, an dat set 'em all wild shoutin'
and de fust thing we done smell de COTE
bilin' ovah."
"CofIee?" queried.
"Ye'h. You knows after midnight W
hab preachin' till 2, den experiences til
TO-, den we hab do big eatin', an de coffe
was a.bilin' fer dat in de fireplace We ha'
builded."
"What did we hab.to.-eat?" she con
tinued. "Eberything under de can'py
pig, chicken, hogs.head, cheese fried Ii
batter, homiHy pie, and 'tato-pone ant
eberything. Itell ye twas a reg'lar picnic
I cot de ministers oyah by my bringin'
Ye see we allus eats 10, morning cause it
powerful wearin' to pray an wrassel al
night on to an empty stummic', an yc
got Z keep yo' eye peeled onto de no coun
niggah boys wat comes round an steal
all dc vittles while de Christians am
fossil" bout in de myst'ries O. prayer ar
experiences. Sometimes the people get
religion so hard dat dey Jest want
smash tings. Iwus converted good man
yeah's go an you nebber saw de like o
de power. l wrassePd 80 l scare some Q
de people inter conyulses."
A TUNE TO DE DRoNE.
There was religious meeting last nigh
and took advantage OF the opportunity
attend. There were old "Uncle ST." Aun
Charity, fat old "Aunt Mary Magdalene,
who was musical director; Felix, junior
Patience, Angy, Aunt Thisbe, Virgil, an
two Homers, Julius, Judge and Cleopatra
besides many whose names l could not OF
tain. The first tune was:
DC lOuR, kAll CIlhuk6 you
Atchlangel change you name.
Ny name are change on de Joshu road,
ArchiAngel change you name.
"You sings 1t too ias'." impatiently In
terrupts old Aunt Mary Magdalene," jes
droneit out"
when do doctors gimme up gimme up,
OATS all kin do, gimme JeIuS.
When my mudder gimme up, gimme up,
OATS all want, gimme Jesus.
There were several verses to this tune
all the singers, relatives-father, sister
brother, aunts, cousins, uncles-and finally
the preacher and the elder, being mention
ed as having given up" after which one c
the virgin felt inspired to address the meet
ing:
ton what's sittin' heah befo' me" b
began, "dat de collectin' plate will now b
passed by Brudder 'Bednego, an l wish I
say to him dat as dar2,pears to be goo
many white pussons heah, dat he'd bette
wait on each one good while, fur it some
times takes degemmen good while fu
to get down inter DER pockets"
After this effort AUNT Mary Magdalene
started, in very high key, the hymn:
Wh bul1 NOEEu Whh ueANtu W
b now I've got on the Methodist side,
Glory hAlleluiAhl
An eyerybody's taking bout mo.
This am a mighty strainin' hymn" ez
claimed the old women at the conclusio
OF the first verse. "'Angy, you raise d
chune while loosen my dress" "Angy
started out briskly with:
II you ever wants = see Johnny wesselly any mo
| Git on board chIllunl
II you ever spects Z $40 JohnnyS mudder anyno
Git on board chIllunl
| Asin the first hymn all "Johny's" rela
tives were enumerated, after which oil
"Uncle 81" spoke. He referred to man
things OF local interest but finally he hi
on Colonel Ingersoll, who ranks on pa
with his Satanic Majesty among the Ais
bama negroes.
WRrother Juliusn was called upon, Fl