The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-10-24
Negro P~eculiarities.

~ 'AhSa W. Souolocl Ulhu 1OI OF Alally
years the negro race has been, compar-
atively speaking, very closely associated
with the whites, it is a matter of sur
prise and conjecture that they should
cling so tenaciously to their peculiar
characteristics, especially those connect
ed with their religious ideas, ceremonies
and superstitions.
1t may cen an overdrawn statement,
yet it is strictly o true one, that the genu-
inc darkey is never happier or more
truly in his element than when under
the excitement of a "first-class" funeral.
relative, friend or companion may be
Ill for weeks and perhaps suffer for
needed attentions from their W color,
but the moment it is known that the
sick creature is dying, men, women and
children flock in and around the cabin
and set up a perfect Babel" of walls,
prayers and lamentations, adding to the
horrors of the deathbed and intensity
ing the grief and excitement of the at
tlicted household.
Fora while when the grave-decked fig
IRE lies motionless withits folded hands,
muftled jaws and immense plate of salt
on the body to keep down the swell
ing there is q hush and calm on the
dusky crowd and footballs and whis-
pered words betoken the solemnity OF
the hour; but this is only q smothered
lull, a SURE harbinger of the excitement
to come.
Could there possibly be a moro fit
ting time for a moral lesson on the
great mystery?" And it, is seldom in
deed that our colored friends allow such
opportunities to escape them. As some
aged seer CT the plantation stands with
folded arms and bowed head and gazes
reverently at the still figure there is o
look of hushed expectancy on the sable
faces of the gathered crowd. Nor are
they to be disappointed, for tenderly
covering out of sight the rigid features
OF the dead the old man wipes aside o
few stray tears and solemnly begins:
CHS so, my sisters and brudders, we
mortals is boun' to pass away. We is
here to-day; who knows whar we will
be tomorrow? Jis as you see dis body
a-lying here, js SO Won is got to be; it
may be Don or 1T mout be late, but, all
de same. you's boun' for to 90.
"Dar amt no Citing roun' dis fling
dey call def. De rich and de poor, de
high and de low mus all go de same
way, and blissid be de man dat is ready
to 'ceibe de summons"
Oats de truff, brudder; dat's de
go pei" echo the crowd, and waxing
eleiuent the old brother continues:
"tNa oo ~, fron, ,1,,, +o l,- -; 49,.
sins, and we gifts so sot in der blief OBJ
our strength dat it pears like as if
we is gwine to lib on furt bber, and
cherry day ole Satan he whispers as how
you amt no whar nigh def and whar's
de use oh praying and den when you
leastways spects it dar is a pain heah
and Il pain dar and you is STRICKEN
down on yer def bed. So, M dear
frens, | says he on de watch and nebber
weary of watching, kase def is shure
fur to fine you out. You is boun fur
to pass outen dis life into dat great
%eternnrty. Mau is like de grass in de
tiel-he is here to-day; tomorrow he
is cut down, and we can't in no wise
tell de hour or de day we is gwine fur
to be cut off"
"Dar you is rite. my brudder, dem
am Gospel words you is said," and the
hushed W is broken, tongues are
loosed and the eager crowd gives itself
up, mind, heart and body, to the en-
joyment of the occasion.
When you see the "dusky wards OF
u nation" at u Sitting up" with q
dead person of distinction among their
W race you see them in all their pomp
and glory. The entire night is passed
In prayers, singing and shouting, inter-
spersed with violent walls and lamenta-
tions from kith and kindred friends.
The more bitter the grief the greater
the delight of the assembly, and if at
the burial the breaved mourners should
be so overcome with grief and excite
ment as to lose consciousness the salts
faction is complete, and big. little,
young and old will affirm that s'datw was
q sure fine funeral" and hat "Mr. or
Mrs. somebody would sures res good
in his or her grade, kase de funeral
passed off SO hansum." r.
u can conceive of no greater trial
than for a house servant to be denied
the great privilege of attending q funer-
al, and the expressed sympathy of those
more fortunate ones who witnessed the
ceremonies is genuine indeed.
II shure is sorry you couldn't go,
kase dat WIS a pinted good funeral.
DE folks wus a site to behold, and dey
acted as fine as ladies and genemen
could ack. Dat youngest gal lis tainted
plum away and it tuck two of de bred
ders to hole her sister. 1 clar to good
ness, couldn't tie me down in de white
folks house when dar WIS such a big
funeral a-gwine on" and the grieved
looks of your 'shelp" will for days re-
proach yon for your cruelty.
So for the sake of "sweet peace"
when there is to be a funeral of conse-
quence, 1 make very strenuous efforts to
80 arrange mydemestic affairs that my
Dora" can take in the enjoyment from
beginning to end, and am usually re-
warded by a very beaming c%ountenance
and the assurance that she 'shure did
have a find time"
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