New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-02-28
FLORIDA ODDITIES.

nm IN Rov-st when this voice proceed, rom near
+ large bale OF hay and immediately lhere Strpp'u
forth two negro children girls OF elRht "i nI"''
They were both bareheadtd; they were dl'sS'u III
,ocks and skirts the skirts very much 10" i'"S'
One had on shoes and stockings the o'"'r was
,ore(ootcd. They smiled broadly a. we he>I'a'eu,
and the taller one she who had shoeS s'cppcu
forward and repeated: I'LL.
Sing aud dance fur yez' lady an" e"N' '''S"'
shuttle vita her heavy shoes on thc p''"A' ""'''
vO stood. ,;1 .. ma
eonfdontiu.ly, with a Jerk OF her head to""'u n"'
companion. MI.
.Sb,,, ewine to earn a red dress, she IS inns
,,r,sento,ion of the case made me decide directly
eat down OH "A box of oranges, and SAID
"IlI rive Won nickel. Now begin"
Their black eyes snapped and sparklch. The ELL
+ertaiument began instantly. The hareiooted
e,rl drew herself up rigidly and opened her mouth
10 its utmost capacity, and from 1t were emitted
deep eontraltO sounds that seemed 10 De anSthi"s
INT music for dancing. The owner OF the thIck
shoes began to draw them noisiIy over the pianhS'
swaying her body and arms as she did So her DidcA
face now os solemn as if she were assisting at
dirge. .oa
The words were solemn, too They were repeaVeu
over and O, cr before could distinguish 'hein'
Don't marry dat man wild a Done III n'e ioe'
For he'll neber die" .
AS soon as | knew the sense OF theSo i'ho'' "P
preciated the warning conveyed in the ADVICE
The singer also appeard to have full knowledge
-, ,vhot che WAS saving and the bdeousnesS OF
having a husband who would never die hdue ne'
fat face get longer and longer. and at last tears
octnallv came and rolled down UNDECIDED. Inc
tears may have been called forth by the stress Oh
that minor STRAIN reiterated in the words For ne
neber die" There such wall III inc re@'n
muscal voice as it dwet repeatedly upon TINS me-
that Int for the absuriity of the thing telt that
7 could have cried very little in sympathy
NV companion, standing near me, bore this scene
for several minutes. AS whole IL was ''e n'oo'
r;dicpIous and pathetic display had ever wit
nes,ed The never ceasing moan OF that tune anu
its silly words the grotesaue figure which swayou
and scrapeA about in time to the wall. thus insist
;rg nnon dancing when dancing seemed most thOr-
onOhlv ont of rlacs all this made most trying mo-
men, and | was sensible OF something IKE ioei
ing of shame that was moved Ill the least Du' II
was that girls cOntraltO voice.
Nv friend brought the fcrule of her umbrella
down sharply as she exclaimed
al cannot bear this another moment' III give
them two uickcls If they'll stop"
Nv this time it was not our own exclusive enter
tainment. Half dozen people had gathered ana
were looking and listening intently
sHeel and toe! Heel and toe Put In. jimmy"
Jimmy did "put IN" She dropped her first tune
with a Sudden change OF attitude that made one
eiddv She was not stir any more She looked ike
n bufoon and she sang with Gathering rapidly ana
1epetition, these words:
90 my Lord sing, singP
The dancer jumped and shufied, now heel ana
foe and she went so fast that her figure was no
longer discernible that OF human being but
was q confused flying ID the ali OF body arms anu
logs The spectacle seemed to DO something which
had been set going by machinery. Everybody began
10 louch. and confess that felt Oh hysterlcal IN
clinatjon to begin jumping about on my own &C
count.
Twas wondering how long the physical frame OF
that negro girl could endure tins. when the pcr-
Torrance ended with sudden smack down on the
boards by tie thick shoes which came close together
and remaiued motionless.
Immediately the singer gathered up corner OF
her calico sack and went round among the group
The coins jingled hopefully. We renamed mo
ment. and the two came closer, asking us to count
their money for them They had dollar and nj
teen cents; their black faces were radiant when
We told them.
"Neber done no scch business bcfo'' said the
dancer %Of cose We en- bofe have red dresses
uowi looking at mo iDquirlhgy.
We discussed these garments for time, and
then as we started TO leave them. the girl who
sang. said with a kind of timdness in her manner:
aWsh go ladies d come ter our meetin
termouer"
The dancer laughed and said, JIMMY sLcs dar."
But dat amt what | meant" responded jimmy
earnestly al meant bout dc rousements. Our
minister mighty gran preacher. He puts OF de
rousemcnfs bout every Sunday. Wish yO' ladies
ID come"
sDat TO does" said the dancer with such earnest
ness that her eyes rolled.
We Immediately resolV ed that we would certainly
be present at there mcetin' the next Sunday, and
having received minute and confusing directions as
30 how We could find tue church, We parted from
the two girls.
great many people have been TO the religious
services of ignorant cOlored people and have de-
scribed those services. ] had been present several
.imes before: had even listened to a sermon by
John jasper in Richmond. but think the honl
passed i'm this church was one of the strongest
spent
There boing two times. q" sun time" aDd stand
ard time" all through Florida. there is practically
no time ut ali. 4 gathering is appointed ut "A GER
tam hour but that sa mere form, both with blacks
end whites If You lato by half an hour, you
explain that Won understood the hour was by stand
ard time. There is very little pnnctuaty and the
NEGROES naturally are the worst OF all in this Ie
spect.
When We arrived in sight of their church il
looked and was entirely deserted, although it wal
1850 by fast time. the hour set. We went in anC
waited The day was warm; We left the door oper
aud could hear the mockng-biIdS singing in th'
Stiffness without
Finally one man sanntered III an ohjoctiess way
sat down. then rose and went out. Within tho mex
half bou1 seven people had como and sOuc. an'
come again.
After awhile they began TO sing In dlscoIdant
nninteresting way. This sound evidently calle'
in others The munster arrived at half pas
H. lie did not apparently think Their