Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1886-03-31
THE NEGROES WAYS.
HIS GALLANTRY AS SHOWN IN CONVERSE
T1oNs WITH WOMEN OF HIS RACE.

HIS GALLANTRY AS SHOWN IN CoNVEhsA-
TIoNs WITH WOMEN OF HIS RACE.
In writing up the negro character and
cha racteristics, often in finishing an article
the pen is laid aside with the mental
thought, ''there is no more to be SAID; l
have exhausted the negro subject But
after all it seems inexhaustible, for little IN
expected incidents occurring OF planta-
ton frequently give rise to various ideas IN
regard to freed labor which otherwise would
not suggest themselves. AS is generally
known the negroes do not, except in few
isolated casses, possess any given name
which is theirs by right of birth or lnherl-
lance. Since freedom, however, they have
adopted any last name which strikes their
fancy and evince.the greatest delight when
they are addressed as Mr., Mrs. or Miss
Wilson, Walker or Jones, as the case may
be.
For years after the new order of things
South the lady or gentleman of the house
would show and express considerable dis
gust and indignation if, when called out to
see Mr.. OR Mrs. Somebody, they should be-
confronted by dusky son or daughter OF
our land. But habit becomes second nature
and we are becoming quite accustomed to
ID l..
the South This mode of address, however,
is never employed by our whites, we still
clinging to the Uncle and Aunt of antebel-
lum days, where the age of the person ad-
dressed warrants the courtesy.
AS general thing the negro puts on his
Sunday manners with his Sunday clothes
and the grimy working John of the week on
Sundays developes himself into the res
pectable, dashing Mr.. Thomas, aping to
perfection the manners and style OF the
young boss of the plantation, while the
dusky bellies borrow many little airs and
graces from s'de white 'oman" whom at
heart they truly detest. This Sunday civ
ility rarely ever extends itself to the whites
and they frequently pass you with sullen,
defiant looks or with averted heads, this be-
ing more especially noticeable in the freed
women, nor are the men as polite to the
whites when they are in company with the
gentler sex as when they are alone.
Not long since a gentleman and his wife,
returning from church, met quite dusky
throng Just from their meeting house. Both
the lady and gentleman gave them kindly
bow and smile, while the gentleman bent
forward and pleasantly remarked: "You
have had a nice day for going to church. -
Not smile, not word in answar to his
salutation, only a sea of dark brows and
sullen faces. Sorely discounted the gen.
tleman drew his head in the buggy, while
his wife quietly chuckled in her corner and
teasingly observed: "Your politeness was
lost on that crowd"
ooh, no." he replied, "not lost, but l dc
feel sorter cheap"
And now for conversation between Miss
Wilson and Mr.. Hunter.
| "Good evening, Miss Wilson. l is more'r
pleased to see you. How is your hef?"
"Jis midding, frank you, Mr.. Hunter
How is you staining de times yursef?"
"Js tolurble, frank you. Miss Wilson,
1 was coming down to see you to-nite."
"All rite. Mr.. Hunter, do so; I'll be
more'n proud to 'ceibe you. lis cameo
up to de quarter to see Mrs. Walker cord
ing to ointment I made wild her. l will
be turning home in less den no time"
GIN dat case, miss, I'll gil. mysef dc
pledgur of rescorting you back home; dat
is if you amt in no wise posed to habing
my company"
'sJis lissen, Mr.. Hunter, how you is talk
ing! In course I'll be more'n proud tc
'ceibe your retentions, and l amt gwine t6
keep your patience waiting long nudder
is lis gwine to pass few words wild Mrs.
Walker and den | will be at your serbice. .
Off Miss Wilson tripped, her mincing gait
and coquettish twists and turns playing hav-
&C with the heart of her rustic lover.
"Dat shure am fine young GAL he
muttered aloud ''an' der amt annuddel
young oman dis side Oh de creek what kin
git aroun' so libely as Miss Wilson, ano
JENNY she kin whirl aroun' so rapid like
when she is advancing twill it farely makes
my head swim. shure is gwine to see hel
l q 4.
dis and dark"
"Wallace," called I, shave you fed uI
the stock and locked the stables?"
81 is gwine rite now, Miss Amy, rite dis
mint Bress you," he added in low tone,
81 cum nifty nigh forgetting dem horses an
mules'
'tMiss Lucy" asked young lad of six
teen of my housemaid, who is just in her
teens, raised and educated by ourselves and
is consequently devoid of a great many ne
gro peculiarities, show is you .joiced yurseli
at de party las mite ?'
ooh, had right nice time. How did
you like it yourself?'
81 fought it was all jam up 'kase you
was dar. Miss Lucy, is you tuck motto OF
dat black gal wild de yellew frock on?"
''No; what about her?"
"Wall, she axed me twice to treat her an0
l telled her as l inginierally axes de ladies
what I wants to treat and she had better
wait till axes her to low me treat her."
"Did you ever ask her?' queried young
Lucy.
GIN course not; ain think it is coming
| in oman to AK gemmen to treat her
Miss Lucy" he continued, looking down al
his feet, chow is you liked dem two treats
gin you?'
''0h, 1 liked them ever SO much. Did
you enjoy the dancing?"
Don't talk about it. Dat dancing beat
creation. 1t pears like as how you gifts
aroun' nifty lite and easy like. Dat Baker
gal filings herself aroun' like she was gwine
to tare f1ngs all to splinters and yet you beats
her all hollow"
''You must know" replied Lucy, with a
conscious tone of Importance, ''that the
white folks taught me how to dance.
dances Just as the white chilun dance.
likes the glide, polka, the waltz and sich
like, but these quarter hands can't dance
no such as that
"That's so,'' replied the lad; "but ain
you think as how | KEEP up wild you pretty
well las night? 1 kin whistle all dem airs
Miss Amy plays, and it pears to me as
if I is ketching dem fancy steps rite
along"
ooh, yes, Watsy, you does right, con.
sidering; but Miss Amy is just calling me
and | must go. Good night. Don't for
get to pile me up some wood on the gal
lery before you go, and may be one OF
these days l will learn you how TO dance
the right way. Good night agin.'
But perhaps after all we have wander
ed too far in search of true negro gallan-
try and could have found it better exem-
plified in the aged colored man who lifts
his torn hat from his snowy head, and.
bringing his right foot forward, scrapes it
back on the ground, saying as he does so,
ode morning to you, mistir;" OR yet in the
decrepit negress who drops respectful
courtesy and with kindly smile GA her
withered face extends her hand for a
greeting. But these old landmarks are
fast dying out and there is left in their
stead race of uncultured beings who,
save in self-interest, have no kindly feel
ing for their white employers.
| PROFITS IN POULTRY RAIsING.-No 9th
er business connected with agricultural pur-
suits, seems so attractive as poultry farm
| ing. Even those who fail in the business
i NJ ri rnH Er0rn 4V~oA