The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1885-04-17
NEGRO F~RAILTIES.
SOM Of the Trials Which the Southern
Housekeeper Must Endure.

through life and in the negro chara(
ter the good and evil is indiscrimir
ately mixed up, with the down weigh
in favor of the evil. In all huma
natures l question if any can call fort
e as many petty, annoying, disagreeabl
: traits of character as that of our ebony
hued domestics. Self-interest is tn
ruling power which prompts every &C
: lion, and the reward to come actuate
every proffer of assistance.
, | do not speak unadvisedly when
, affirm that it is a part of the freed
mans religion to dislike the white
( man and to injure and secretly appro.
pirate his property. Still, underlying
their general demeanor there is a spe-
cies of urbanity, Difference, and humil-
ity which is an outcrop of their policy
and not of their true, genuine good
will to '.de white folks" Yet | think
the negro man is less bitter and pos
sesses more agreeable characteristics
than the dusky daughters of our soil,
for [ will place the sulky, contentious,
sluggish freed lady of color" against
the entire domestic world for Disagree
ableness. They can try you to the ut
most limits of your patience and exult
in your discontinue and annoyance
and maintain their stolld Indifference
to the end.
1t is not generally conceded that the
darby is very apt or possessed of I'M
usual inventive genius, yet they COM
bine the two qualities in an unusually
exalted degree, for who can deny that
where a negro is caught in a very tight
place they are extremely apt at in
venting a very plausible excuse be-
ing in that place. l have known a
''hand" to be caught in the field with
a well-stuffed bag of corn on his shout
der to solemnly affirm that he ''iis dun
tuck dat sack away from a strange
niger and fore de Lord he wus lis
dat mint a-gwine to fotch it to de
boss" He wouldn't "in no wise steal
corn, kase he could get huff jis fur de
axing."
They cling as tenaciously to Il fabri-
Gated statement of their own fertile
imagination as if it were gospel truth,
and rs unblushingly as if their charac-
tiers for veracity were unimpeachable.
Perhaps, just at present, | am not in
a very charitable frame of mind to-
ward the darky world, for | am for the
twentieth time undergoing the trying
ordeal OF having my help ''seek relig-
This simple statement will call forth
the sympathy of many a southern
housekeeper, and p~alliate my bitter
ness, but for the benefit of the mex
p%eriencedI will describe the symptoms
Of a sinner suffering under the convic-
lion of unpardoned sins. A very long
lace, with a more mournful express
on than the one which denotes
'sulks," ushers in the proceedings.
The ~listless air, ~preoccupied manner,
ightly-closed mouth, the MARTYR like
'earing, constitute a picture so fresh
md vivid that l shudder even as !
write. To smile is indeed a crime of
erious magnitude, for which double
must be paid in the shape of s
still more lugubrlous expression of {
ountenance. Each and every little {
epremand is construed INTO a .'censc,"
VhIch must be borne by the ssseeker''
Nth all meekness- the greater the 9
rials the more complete the victory.
Your work is sadly neglected, 7
kase" your help ''ain't got no hart
, wurk while she is a seeking de sal II
alton OBJ her soul" and altogether | +
ardly can determine which is the a
reater of the two evils, an acute at s
of chills or a prolonged spell of il
religion seeking" {,
But all things must end, and early
)me morning you will be rudely
reused from the blissful matutinal
by the soul-freed shouts of a
our ''heart's trial." and he RECALLED 81
18th the pleasant information that a
dun cum frew wild de the blessid t.
OBJ our sabior; Use sarched de P
ord airly and late, and, frank de II
Ugh King, Use dun foun' him; Use II
n to de golden gate, Use knocked. ri
I'd | has entered into de kingdum; l 81
a reserricted sinner, and l Is W
ashed as white as snow Knowing OF
well your help is far too happy to al
'scend to the %sublunary realities of lie
oking breakfast. you mechanically &c
IN your clothes and proceed to the OF
tchen, while the liberated sinner m
forth to scatter abroad ode IL
essed news" st
is just a scene like this, and the co
forced necessity for preparing such IN
meal suggested this exposure of pc
gro frailties and which prompts the oV
sh that all our work could be done uE
machinery. an
The mere thought is filled with bliss b'
d rest at the same time. l must 40
npromise with my better self by ex- gr
to the descendants of our old be
and aunties'' my best wishes I'M
their future advancement and III
,sperity, for the kindly remem- er
lnces of our childhood ''mammies'' ia'
'mpt many kind thoughts for their an
rthless Iatter-day representatives, MI
i2adelphia Times. no
thi
les