Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1884-02-01
III a HrATItaN SIX ETgYEa
How tie 0o1o1ed Peopss Enjoyed Their
First Taste Of Freedom. 5s s.

,2s
F1orida with my lltsst.rfe ssolne tsyelye
ears ago, the negro Was ~ constant
source of amusement 10 me, says =
writer in. The Detroit 4 rec Press. His
ways were Sc different. lis actions so
childlike and bland, his idea Of freedom
SO extraordinary, his fjgNoranee so
grotesque ard appalling, that 1t was
better than Il circ.fs To watch hiH III
!. his goinys to and fro. Freedom made
a. striking. revolution in the colored
race socially; they tried at once to drop
all their former cat chSWords OF familf-
arity. and adopted the most extra agant
and elaborate forms OF eetlrtesy.
Among themselves it was lady
and gentlemen, = = Mr. = aud MIS-,
and all the ceremonies and genuflexions
III use among, the former slayeholding
nristoeracy were at once adopted as
their own, without any regard to the
eternal fitness OF things. ~
was riding through the streets of
Tallahassee one beautiful morning
with ek- Uiited States Senator Conover,
who. ssas then state treasurer and
owner Of a fine plantation q few miles
front town, when q. scene occurred that
has.neSer faded from my memory,
Ut hld somehow became town talk
that Dr. Conoyer was looking out for
hands 10 assist him in wasting seed on
his plantation, and when we got ,oppo-
j. site the postotfice we were halted by an
old colored auntie with: ''Oh, DIR.
Conover! Oh, DR.. aConovor: stop a
minute, please, sah!' ..
by her side was a, most dilapidated
specimen of colored humanity in state
of loepei and Windowed rsggedness.
In fact, AMY respectable western corn
field scarecrow would have indignantly
refused TO exchange garments with him
without heavy boot. The old auntie
had him by the hand, and rs we drew
up to the sidewalk she said: ''Dr.
.Conover, I done heerd We wanted to
get some gentlemen to wax on lfer
place, and | done sent for dish yer
gentleman to come to town SOS We
could get him. After a little con-
ycrsstion the contract was made and
the gentleman went out to the planta~
ton TO- pick~eotton and steal corn with
thesrest Of the gentlemen.
The negroes, male and female, were
Epassionately font of fine clothing
and tinery ST every description, and
would invest all the: money they could
earn in articles of personal adjournment.
was told, By one of the city mhliners
that the 4fnest and most expensive bon
ns.ts she brought to: the city were pur-
chased BY tHe& negro women. The
white ladies #ere satisfied to dress
more in ct5tf:onaDce with the reduced
state of their finances, but her
eolored sister Vas conteut,if she had
q gorgeous headzgear, TO let. the rest OF
her graceful person 60 arrHyed in pie
beian calico. A lot OF cotorcd ladies
scongregated at some street corner
would exhibit dazziings Of
ribbons, laces, feathers, and bright
eoIors. With them freedom meant to
step at once from the monotony OF the
codtonfield to the dressing-room OF the
petted darlings of society and fashion,
ind a foot apparently eighteen inches
in length Wol1.d often ~coyly peep out
from beneath a brilliant blue silk
dress. ~t(1s:,: :...~.''S
One Sunday morning i was riding
but on the, road toward Bellair, when !
met gentleman of the colored peisua-
sion on his way to church.
He was clothed in q glossy dress suit
of black such ,as the Hebrew children
love to pass off on the unsophisticated
African as genuine broadcloth, and
lifting '''like the paper on the wall
: His heck was encircled by q Cal
Wagner collar and a flaming crimson
scarf, 8 high silk hat crowned his noble
brow, and to cap the climax, he was
barefo0ted. !,
[. His mbney had evidently given out
before he. got to his feet but this occa-
Stoned hiin not the slightest embar-
rassment, and he strobe along the road
IN dignitied composure, a true child OF
freedom: 81 r.. ...... ".,t. :" ~.|> t.
The strong point of the negro has
been his religion, and one OF their old
fashioned REVEALS is calculated to fully
discourage the devil and all his imps.
After usual evening service the pastor
leaves his pulpit, and. surrounded by
his staff, prepares to. battle with the
evil one. The mourners crowd around
the altar, praying, grooming, and
ghrieking; higher and higher rises the
singing and exhorting, the bodies OF
{ sinners sway in rhy thm with the music,
hanis are patted, and feet stamp the
:tioor,, Suddenly there is 8 wild, shrek,
and one Of the female mourners leaps
=. into the circle, all her sins are washed
J, away, and she is So violently happy
chat She wants Is 90 right straight:up to
heaven. So,re fall as ii ina trance,
The voice of the e9horter takes on a
,sterier tone and The excitement be-
comes more intense. Then succeeds
5a1calni::. nearly all are converted, and
are. exhausted As a finale they strike
+ Up something like the following:
f'se got on de sblcl Of de Mefodis, mule
Sinner doam' We stan tisr iookin' Ike foOl
de niidie bit Gtna silvef,de saddle am gold,
An r Sc boiin' fur TO GO to sAberhan's fold.
+{{Ii An Z Il lide.' /. To-: Z. p :, -": i -
4 Yes Witt. - ~" 4 2
An Ill ride right on TO glory!
+ Tse stink my sins In de sayin' pool. essa b
j An goa orl,ie back Of de- MefGdis n,ile;@ #@
i An here + stick like big black leet2 81
u An. Tn ride II 5ss%=I1 n II 81
%sN Yes rttH- s5: C#sa,: .yss&& az 5#5
AMI IL ride right On SO Hpryl s''t
on! como from ne ch,rc hnn' de Sunny school
2 An see me riiin. on de atcfoeis mule 4.
A Dem Baptises amt got no sort OBJ show. L*=
AM Ell make dem FIstbble hosses bloRl f.
An IL ride. &, III 4 ..%'#s =$ I - r
ss 5&E YessI will ID II =: I'll Esszs,s r.
An i X ride right on 20 glory l. $sazTT% Tx
Saturday was the negro nat1 q q
holiday, and on that day Tallahassee
was fuli of them Of tall classes. #condi
Stioils, colors, and sizes Some crowded
81. stores, some OF them held imprempltt
.shassi mess naeetin gs on the corne rs, &c.
ssssionally there was q q ntting be
j IN cen two stalWart oons ,indiIly
excited cheap whisky. Among 7 6
others the political situation WIS dis,
s,i.ssed 18th all the earnest ness ant
1nnits ksf Did time statesmen.
he is ~ ollld spe end, their money
1 III j, for any article tlla
ss tfsse, Il 81 Tan One Of them fell ii