The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1885-09-05

WAYS AND IRREGULARITIES OF SOME
SOUTH CAROLINA DARKIES.
Row the CoTored Ttxcursionist Eaio-s p
Trip on the E:aiI-GettinS Neal
by strategy Funeral DC
c:Si0ns-- Death.


[Cor. Detroit free Press.l
The South Carolina rics fell negro gets
more pure en- jOyment AMI sap ont Of this
bioodleSs turuip Of & world than any other
being under the sun He is the only species
of man that can go 10 sleep standing up,
and in his mental makeup he Is consti-
tuted as to be absolutely proof against the
corros!ons of care. In his normal condition
ne is lethargic and comat ose. The hum Of
the busy world may he music to him, but it
is the music that lulls to repOSc.
There two occasions, however, on
which nc throws aside his lethargy and
fairly reveIs in entiIu5!a m that tim
gles in every fiber of his being.
These two occasions are excursions AMI
funerals. l have seen ono buy q 300-rnile
round trip excursion ticket and daace into
the train in grinninG ecstasy of delight
when knew that ho did not have a crumb
of bread n cent OF money to carry with
him. Ho had faith like Elisha's that
somehow he world be fed; and if during his
trip he missed four or five meals iii success
sion, it did not materially interfere with his
en- joyEent When dinner time came he
would go to the cooler, swallow glass of
water, tighten his belt q notch or two, and
return TO his seat to enjoy the scenery. The
main rIse of the colored excursionist, who IS
in a strange city, is to make Gcquaint-
ance of his own color and then brace him for
r square meal. The victim is generally moro
social than suspicious and probably never
suspects the real object of his new Gcquaint-
ance, even after it had been accomplished.
The excursionist, il he is an elderly negro,
will select u man about his own age, who is
iounging on @ dock or in the shade of wall,
and approach him very nonchalantly at first.
Tho following conversation tells the tale
better than | can:
Excursionist eyeing his victim closely
Amt tink, say, | see you son'ers TO to-
day!
Victim-IIuh?
Excursioni4t-Y o' face mind me o cousin
Jim. He dead do now.
Victim--Who, me-
Excursionist-'ESc uso me; tho't YOU is
gemman l meet down to Yam'see timo de
big meetin deere.
Victim tbrishtening up-You amt cum
way fun Yam'seo, is you:
ExcursioHist-Me: I bawn two mile
fun dere. Amt my cousin Lucy Ann
Willyums marry Pete what pump dc water
at dc depot:
Victim jumping up ana holding cut his
hand)-Ohi Hush; You amt Lucy Ann
cousin? Vas, you is, case you wouldn't
know her EFF you wasn't Como yer brut-
der, and tell me bout all dem FOXES down
da'. You know | heah, SinSt | left, dat lots
o FOXES die or after dat big meeting. IS
you hcali so. too.
xcursionist--Yas; bin derc. [ toll YOU.
Dey had sumfin liil' hygolicum fiips Dat'a
what dc doctor said. tink dey eat TOO
much Do dat amt cwine hart me. l amt
sat nuth'n to-day.
Victim-You amt: Why law me! Wha'
you bin3 Bin trabblin, eh? FOXES can't el5
and trabbie. You go hum wild mo. My ole
oman kin rake up whites. va, yor come
viii me.
~ 1 !, II
jack the eXcursiOnist = happy. 50 is his vic
tim.
But funeral is a perfect gol-send to q
negro settlement in the rice country, Be-
sides having the advantage over an excuI-
sion of being froe, it has no official to dom-
neer over those who arc ambi-
tiouS to play prominent part in
the exercises. After giving the chief
places to the nourners the rest of tho com
ultnity engage in n sort of elbow and hut
ling tournament for the sul3-po~ition Of
prominence. The number Of pali-boarers is
only limited by the iencth of the coffin and
every mun for tive miles round who has
boon licensed to exhort is going to have n
lcl. at the career OF the deceased if the
grave has to be filed by moonlight; and
every man who has old, tried and tooth
worn prayer will bring it in at the funeral
il he hai to drag it in backwards by the
tail"
The prominent and peculiar traits of the
deceased q theme of discussion and arc
dwelt upon with fondness and detail for
weeks after the funeral, or until another
shall tako his place. Tho deceased may
have tecu worthless droue beneath notice
or contempt while living, but death hangs q
haio OF the most fascinating romance around
his late career, and the recollection of his
most trivial seeds and sayings are treasured
up as too holy to he unveiled, save in the
hours OF solemn meditation AMI religious
reverie. This well-known fact enables Cuff
fee to look forward to his departure with
.complacency to which his Caucasian brother
is stranger and into the ecstasy of which
ne can mover enter.
What terror can death have for the hero
of the marshy rice field, when it viii put
aus name in all the mouths of the world
around him, and mako him the subject of
prayors and songs and subIued convarsa-
ton Lis past shortcomings do not trouble
him much as he nears the borders of the
phantom land, AMI prepares to launch out
in the great darkness of death. By Il Iegar-
demain OF VIII power peculiar to his way he
manages to forget his fraiities. Aud with
him sill forgot IS a sin forgiven.
While he gasps for breath with the eve of
faith he GaZ'S INTO the eternal kingdom As
che Indian seeks q huntiuG- ground for his
slysum, and The Arab OF tho desert prays
Tor n home at last among parcolating fount-
aims and pendant fruits, SO the rice-feld
African models his heaven after his own
desires To him it Is place Of radiant
Light and rapid music, and harpS and palms
Al !, 10