Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1885-05-08
NEGRO FRAILTIzIl.,s

NEGRO FRA1LrIE
dome Of the Trials Which the Southern
d IF Honsekeepers Must Endure.
Light and darkness, sunshine and
shadows strangely blend together all
through life and IN the negro charac-
ter the good and evil Is indiscrimin-
.ately mixed up, with she down weight
in favor Of the evil. In all human
natures Isquestion il any can call forth
as many petty, annoying, disagreeable
traits OF character as that Of orr ebony
hued domestics. Self-interestis the
ruling power which prompts every ac-
ton, and the reward to come actuates
every profer Of assistance. i
do not speak unadyisedly when
affirm that it is part Of the freed
mans religion to dislike the white
man and to injnre and secretly appro-
pirate his property. Sill, 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 trne, 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 youto the ut
most limits Of your patience and exult
in your discontinue and annoyance
and maintain their stolld Indifference
to the end. 4
1t is not generally conceded that the
darky is very apt or possessed of un-
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. I have known a
''hand" to be caught in the field with
O. well-stutfed bag OF corn on his Shout
der to solemnly affirm that he Ills dun
tuck dat sack away from a strange
nigger and fore de Lord he wus jis
dat mint a-gwine to fotch it TO de
boss He wouldn't Gin no wise steal
corn, .kase he could get huff jis fur de
axing."
They cling Us tcnaciously to a fabri~
Gated statement of their own fertile
imagination as if it were gospel truth,
and as unblushingly as if their charac-
tiers for veracity were unimpeachable.
Perhaps, just at present, am not in
very charitable frame of mind to-
ward the darky world, Tor am for the
twentieth time undergoing the trying
ordeal Of having my help "seek relig-
ion."
This simple statement will call forth
the sympathy of many southern
housekeeper, and palliate my bitter
ness, but for the benefit Of the mex
periencedI will describe the symptoms
Of a sinner suffering under the convic-
ton Of unpardoned sins. A very long
face, with a more mournful express
ION thar the one which denotes
''sulks," ushers in the proceedings.
The listless air, preoccupied manner,
tightly-closed mouth, the martyr like
bearing, constitute a picture SO fresh
and vivid that l shudder even as I
write. To smile is indeed a crime of
serious magnitude, for which double
penance must be paid in the shape of
still more lugubrlous expression OF
countenance. Each and every little
| reprenand is construed into a ''censc, -
! which must be borne by the "seeker''
with all meekness- the greater the
| trials the more complete the victory. i.
Your work is sadly neglected,
! ''kase" your help saint got no hart
to wurk while she is a seeking de sal
baton Oh her SOUL" and altogether
hardly can determine which is the
greater Of the two evils, an acute at
tack OF chills or a prolonged spell OF
"religion seeking."
But all things must end, and early
some morning you will be rudely
! aroused from the blissful matutinal
dreams by the so'll-freed shouts of
your ''heart's trial." and he RECALLED
with the pleasant information that
Use dun cum frew wild de the blessid
religion Oh our sabior; Use sarched de
Lord airly and late, and, frank de
High King, Use dun foun'' him; Use
bin to de golden gate, Use knocked,
and has entered into de kingdum; !
is a reserricted sinner. and I Is
washed as white as snow" Knowing
full we'll your hel p is far too happy tc
descend to the sublunary realities OF
cooking break fast. you mechanically
don your clothes and proceed to the
kitchen, while the liberated sinner
salhes forth to scatter abroad ''de
blessed news"
It is just scene like this, and the
enforced necessity for preparing such
q meal suggested this exposure 0!
negro frailties and which prompts the
wish that all our work could be done
by machinery.
The mere thought is filed with bliss
and rest at the same time. T must
compromise with my better self by ex-
tending to the descendants of our ole
''uncles and aunt1es'' my best wishes
for their future advancement anG
prosperity, for the kindly remem
brances of our childhood ''mammies'
prompt many kind thoughts for thei1
worthless jatter-day representatives, =
Philadelphia Times. q
Oats and Peas.
We hava for many wears GROWN oats