The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-02-24
THE cOLoRED MAN AND THE
 HOG.

Tor some tune, ana we nave an dptoiuS faith in the belief that the leading think CTS of the south will agree with us when we affirm that the hog, the unregener ated, United States hog, IS the cause. Placed on prairie, withou, any surroundings whatever, the average eolored gentleman might prove to be an honest citizen, but when he lives in a community where hogs abound, there is no chance fer him but 10 conduct his business on the silent and under-current plan. From the re- motcst inception of slavery in Ameriea, down to the last overflow, the negro and the hog have been linked in reiaiion- ship unknown to the Hottentot. Inc grunt of the hog To h,m has ever been sound as familiar as the lament oi the missionary is to the Fiji Islander. Ihis Is not the fault of the eolored gentleman. In no respect can you load the blame on him. He was doing business Tn Africa, at an obscure stand. when the white man transported him to Ameriea and introduced him 10 the hog and as- sisted him in eultiva,ing an appetite for the flesh of tire animal dsspised by the lneal descendants of Moses. He did not claim relationship with the hog until the white man, the pioneer of earthly mis- chief, induced a lasting acquaintance. The intimacy carelessly begun soon ripened into d passion. The colored gen. tleman insisted upon assoclating with the hog. Now i, is impossible to effect separation. The hog is willing but his lees are weak. The law is willing but the negro Is not. He adheres to the cus- tom of his fathers. His fathers said let us have hog. and immediately there was hog. No revision that the law may make can effect this ancient declaration. The law may say thou shalt not steal hog nor bear false witness against the SOW. but the action oi tradition says, " gimme de shoat.
 No, sir, the colored gentleman cannot be an undoubted Christian so long as the hog inhabits the land. He may struggle and pray a great deal, but when the light in the church is extinguished, and the sisters with fearful eyes go home, the colored gentleman looks around for a place where he can have undisturbed as- sociation with the swine. We don't mean to assert that all or even one-third of the colored gentlemen do this, but we mean that the old-time representative is the man who will not torego the pleasure.
 Simon Haymon. we'll known Arkan- saw character, tells a pathetic s,oy in regard 10 the influence of the hog. An old negro man dreams that he dies and goes 10 heaven. "Soon as l got dar,' the old negro goes on. looked around an seed mighty heep ob niggers settin' abou, de groun's waitn' fur some sor, ob command"
 "'Who is dis asked Gabriel, lookin' at me
 ". .Sarvant ob de Lawd.' said l, come ter be 'zamined at de great bar Den de Lawd said, git down dat book an see how de bruder stan's on swarin'.' Gabriel tuck down de book, run through wid ii an said:
 "' He's all right in dis book, Lawd.'
 "' Git down dat book bout lyin',' an Gabriel got down de book. All dis time knowed dat was all right, case was squar' Mars Gabriel looked all ober de book. an said: He's all right heah, Lawd.'
 "Den de Lawd said, git down dat book, an less see how he stan's wid de bruders an sisters in de church.
 Gabriel got down de book. but knowed dat da didn' hab nuthin' agin me dar.
 "'Al right heah, Lawd,' said Gabriel.
 Den de Lawd said fotch out dat gold crown an pu, it on de true and faithful sarvant, case he's stood de test
 Da fo,ch out de crown. an was list in de ack ob putin 1t ou, when ole nigger. settin' away back. called out: Lawd yer ain't half through wid dat nigger yit Pull down dat hog book an see how he stan's.'
 Den knowed was gone"
 We do not affirm that this story is true, and we only give it as the recital of man who claims to be thoroughly ac- quainted with the case in question bu, we do know that the hsg is the cause of the great misunderstanding between the law and the oolored gentleman. If there were no hogs, the colored man might have an easier time. The same may be said if there were no law.
 A SOBER DIARY.