Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-08-16
ON THE PLANTATION.
Pleasant Landscape Sketch on the Banks of
the Mississippi

the Mississippi.
The autumn was struggling for zecog-
milton and was making an impression
upon all but the midday hours. In the
morning the air came cold and crisp, full
of incentives to work. Ia the even
ings the soft languor and dreamy inert
ness of summer has been driven away by
a wide awake activity, with good resolu-
lutions and plans of future energy to be
discussed Inside closed doors and windows
into late hours Of the night. The roses
in the garden bloomed pale and istless
after their exhausting summer season,
shivering perfumelessly in the practical
October hreezes. The trees were ia the
full glory of their rich green foliage. The
cane in the fields stood in thick, solid
maturity, with long, green, pendant leaves
curling over and over in bewildering lux
uriance. The sunset clouds, bursting with
light and color, gilded the tops of the
boundary woods and illuminated like a
halo the features of plantation life. The
Mississippi river, rejecting and rivalIing
the sky above, rolled. an iridescent cur
rent, between its yellow mad banks, cut
into grotesque silhouettes by crevasses
and steamboat landings as it dimpled in
eddies over shadows, boiled and swirled
in hollow whirlpools over depths, or rush
ed with infexible, relentless rapidity, fol-
lowing the channel in its regular course
from point to point. The days work had
come to an end. Thu plantation bell
rang out its dismissal and benediction.
The blacksmith laid down the half sharp
ened cane knife and began covering up
the fire. From mysterious openings on
all sides of the sugar house workmen is
sued with tools in their hands. The stable
doors were thrown open, and the hostlers,
old crooked legged negroes, hurried about
with food for the mules. The COWS tin
killed. their impatient bells outside the
milking lot, while the frantic calves
bounded and bleated inside. Along the
smooth, yellow road through the field
came the "gang" with their mules and
wagons, plows and hoes. In advance
walked the women, swaying themselves
from side to side with characteristic
abandon, lighting their rude pipes, hail
ing the truce to toll with loud volubility.
The men followed, aggre ssiveiy mascu-
line, heavy limbed, slow of movement on
their hampered shod feet; wearing their
clothes like harness; with unhandsome,
chaotic faces, small eyes and concealed
natures. They watched the women with
jealous interest, excluding them from
their hllarity and responding grudgingiy
and depreciatingly to their frank over
lures. The water carriers, half grown
boys and girls, idled at a distance, balanc-
ing their empty pails on their bare heads
quick and light on their feet, graceful,
alert, intuitive, exuberant with life and
animal spirits, they were happy in the
thoughtless, unconscious enjoyment of
the short moment that yet separated them
from their hot, dull, heavy, dangerous
maturity. The anticipations of cheer
and rest; the subtle satisfaction of hon
estly tired bodies; the fattering COM
men1ations OF their own skill from the
finely cultivated stand of cane on each
side of them; the past expiations of
blowing, ditching, wedding, hoeing; the
freezing rains; the scorching suns; but,
above all, the approach of the grinding
season, the roulaison with it's frolics, ex-
citements and good pay, all tend to
elate their spirits, and their voices, in
joke, song, laugh and retort, sped down
the road before to the quarters and evok-
ed responsive barks and shouts from the
dogs ard children there.