The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1884-12-25
NEGRO Lire IN rLOhIDA.
wild ana Wierab ReSfsrman nces 1t
q Camp msestBE.
tflorids Letter in ssnrrsnsiscO Chrenicl.

tfiorids Letter in SsnrfsnsiscO ChreniclsJ
After dinner it was arranged by n
few a,noue the crowd to 60 TO canp.
meeting. which was held about a mile
from the house. Accordingly vehicles
were made ready and away we started.
Long before we arrived upon the
grounds we were made aware Of the
vicinity by stentoriau shouts, and pres.
emily " . .aIiie III sight OF the sheds,
log nuts and cOttages built for the &C.
com mediation OF the campers. The
Florida darkey knows his value and
does not look uI or bow down TO the
white population as n rule, like his
black brothers of Southern States.
Not he rather pairOni2es them, except
in the cases Of old family slaves who
have not outlived their good mannt r..
1t must have been one of these, All
: aged man with STOPPING shoulders and
p ,triarchiai face, who invited US to
witness de exercises" We had al
Ready Witnessed some of the eXeI cises
Of few outsiders who were very full
of whisky. but they were probably not
of the brothers. There were no seats.
| The people were standing, reclining
Ou the gluund, and iu some Instances
kneeling. An African preacher with
| a peculiar cOunrenan,:e aud Immense
ears, wi as holding l,'r.h un =" DE Day
oh JedRment" Yo'u Ge dar, Brod, r
John N you, Sister sally Nudge, IA
yo'il b<f to par befO' dc great Jedge OF
! all do dc yerIh, Ia what III yo' say TO-
yo'self when he axes yu' fo' yo' reeOru?
| WhaL'II yO' say IIi tole yo' what
Yoll call ON de San Oh Fioridy TO ] 9
scoop aH swallow yo' sli up. Oar ain I
no hills, nor rocks, nor mountains
her hut the san Is mighty shifty IN
de sun am miKhty hor but dsr's q
place hotter'n Floridy." Terrible
! groans burst forth at this, and as the
daring preacher pictured the torments
OF that opposite condition to pafadiss
the yells and shouts aud even shrieks
became deafening. Ons big black
louder than the rest, managed to keep
during the entire sermon. ...
The preachers description of heaven
was amusing, the principal delights ol
that region seeming. to consist in hav.
ing NO work TO do. no corn to shuck
no taters to hoe, i.O cotton to pick ,ant
the h2ileluinhs- were cerrespondtngly
intensified. Then the singing! Tht
most graphic Pen could net DO jnstic,
to that. One song. in which even the
children. participated, swinging and
rolling their small black bodies, wa.
something like THE:
Ho,wol Come into dis meetin'.
| Come. pore soulsI
| Come. git yc' sins all pardoned.
| Come. pore souls;
| Come n carry dc big cross onward,
Oh. pore souls
| Git on board de gospel train, oh!
| Come, pore souls.
And 20 on, to . wailing, dirge hk,
tune. did not hear any very cheer
full music, but all smote ths ear will
sadness, no matter what the word
were. Presently the sexes separated
the msn standing of iA q circle, th.
women massing together, led by q tai
crone Of = most unearthly countenanc,
her hair carried up from her temples
to q point, Two long tu.ks falling owe
her lower lip aud growing longer ever,
time she opened her mouth. Thil
strange woman bpgas the exercises
lifting one hand after the other. wsg
ging her head. stamping right aut
left, with q curious monOtouy. an'
soon every woman and child 10 tn
meeting engaged in the holy dance
the men looking on aud appearing t.
be affected hy the rhspsodies Of thei
wives, sisters, sweethesrts and ehil
dren.