Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-01-24

An II rue f1gnt on 70 glory9
Use sunk my sins in de sayln' pool.
An got on de back of dc Mefodis mule;
An here stick like big black leetz,
TIL the Ole mule stomps on de golden streetsl
An III ride.
Yes will ..
An I'll ride right on TO gloryi f| o.
Obi come from dc chu'ch an de sunny school.
An see me ridin' on de Mefodis mule
Dem Baptises amt got no sort OBJ show.
An Il make dem Pistoble hosses blowl
An Ill ride.
Yes wi ls@'
An ! II ride right on to glory!
Saturday was the negro's natural
holiday, and on that day Tallahassee
was full of them of all classes, condi-
tions, colors, and sizes. Some crowded
the stores, some of them held impromptu
business meetings on the corners. Oc-
casionally there was a "butting" be-
tween two stalwart '.coons" unduly
excited by cheap whisky. Among
others the political situation was dis
cussed with all the earnestness and
solemnty of old-time statesmen.
The negroes would spend their money
in very funny ways, for any article that
took their fancy. One of them fell in
love with u large bottle of cucumber
pickles. price 81. 1t had some fancy
embems on which pleased his artistic
eye 50 he bought it, and out of curiosity
followed him to see what disposition he
would make of the contents. lie went
out under tree in the public square,
! deliberately sat thswn with his precious
bottle, uncOrlled il. and in the gravest
and most dignitied manner Imaginable
ate every pickle It contained and then
drank the vinegar.
Hurt him? Why, certainly not! 1t
had no more effect on him than glass
of whisky would have on professional
drinker and / expect he is in Leon
county now ready at any time to vote
for .'de good ole publican party"
Sometimes two old lady friends would
meet unexpectedly and the following
conversation would ensue:
With an elaborate bow. ''Why, Mis-
! Williams! Good mornin, ma am. how
is yer health dis mornin, ma amp"
fright poorly, Ms Brown, thank
you, ma am. Use done got sort of
MISERY on my back, but don COM
plain much, please God! How is you
and Elder Brown an de chillen,
ma'amp"
''Tollable; only toliable, Mis- Will
lisms. Mr.. Brown has sorter risin'
on his hand, but the doctor he tole him
to put arnachy on hit, an hits right
smart better now."
Il s'pose you heerd my darter Liza
| gwine get married mex month"
why, no Mis- Brown, you s'prise
me! Who she gwine marry Mis-
Brown'p"
"Why, gentleman who works on
Mai. G-'s plantation. He's class
leader, too, an kin beat 'em all hoiler-
in in prayer. l knows dc Lord mus
hear him! Good-by, ma'am. You mus
come an see u.s."
Thank you. / feel proud to do so,
Mis- Brown, ma'am." And so they
separate, each to their little world.
What / judged to be favorite
amusement among them was to catch
rat, saturate it with Kerosene, set fire
to it and then turn it loose.
once saw the walters at one of the
hotels have q large rat. regular
veteran, which they tried by the ordeal
of fire in the rear Of the hotel. After
soaking him thoroughly in kerosene
they set fire to him, and started him on
q run down the path. Barring the
cruelty of it, the rat didn't make bad
looking comet, and probably enjoyed
it himself after he got used to it. no
ticed one old gray-haired negro so
thoroughly amused that he rolled over
ON the ground in perfect paroxysm OF
delight.
| About 9 o'clock one night I was
strolling along one of the back streets,
when l heard the sound of music, both
70 al and instrumental.
| On turning the corner / saw an an.
cient negro in company with small
boy sitting on the edge of the walk.
The man was playing on banjo with
only two strings, and singing a song,
which run as near as l can remember
De rabbit am a eunnin' ting,
He hide heseif in dc briaf,
An he never know when trubbae come
Till the broomrgrass catch on fire.
Chorus, expressive of CONSERVATION
on the part of the lepus cuniculas:
Big eyed a rabbit, boo,
| Big eyed raDplt, Doo, etc.
The negro very early in freedom
developed q surprising enthusiasm ovel
patent medicines, especially in th'
shape of pills, and his faith in then
rose to the sublime. No matter wha
allied him-old-fashioned, universe
misery" cut finger, sore toe, or any
thing 'else-a dose of pills was tn
first thought, a refuge in every storm
The negro was always impatient o
results and preferred cathartic pills t.
any other kind of medicine, and, a
most of his Ills either arose from over
feeding or were imaginary, the pill
answered all phrpases.
Martial music was the glory of tn
negro, and! never failed to touch hi
heart. OnSaturdays, when the tow
was full of country negroes with thei
wives and sweethearts, cousins, uncles
and aunts, let some dusky warrio
produce drum, take his position in tn
middle of the road, strike up tune
and q procession would soon be forme
marching steadily for hours, with n
object in view save to be behind th
music. And as the drum rolled out il
stirring music upon the air. men, ,womer
and children would form in ranks an
follow where it led. Happy in the 81
preme idea of liberty, giving no though
to the morrow, trusting the future with
blind, unreasoning faith, no happie
race ever gave more picturesque ou
line to history.
Slavery in England.