Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-07-12
ON THE PLANTATION.
A Pleasant. Landscape sketch on the Banks
of the Mississippi.

| A Pleasant Landscape Sketch on the Banks
| ofthe Mississippi.
The autumn was struggling for recog-
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. In the even
ing the soft languOr and dreamy inert
ness of summer had been driven away by
wide awake activity. with good resO-
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 listleSs after their exhausting sum-
mer season, shivering perfumelessly in
the practical October breezes. The
trees were in the full glory of their
rich green foliage. The cane in the
fields stood in thick, solid maturity,
with long, green, pendant leaves curl
ing over and over in bewildering
luxuriance. The sunset clouds, burst
ing with light and color, gilded the
tops of the boundary woods and il
lumined like halo the features of
plantation life. The Mississippi river,
rejecting and rivaling the sky above,
rolled, an irredescent current. between
its yellow mud banks. cut into grotesque
silhouettes by crevasses and steam
boat landings as it dimpled in eddies
over shadows. boiled and swirled
in hollow whirlpools over depths. or
rushed with inhexible, relentless
rapidity, following the channel in its
angular course from point to point
The days work had come to an end.
The plantation bell rang out its dis
missal and benediction. The black
smith laid down the half-sharpened
cane knife and began covering up the
fire. From mysterious openings on all
sides of the sugar house workmen
issued with tools i'll their hands. The
stable doors were thrown open. and the
hostlers. old crooked-legged negroes
hurried about with food for the mules.
The COWS tinkled their impatient bells
outside the milking lot. while the fran
tic 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
abandon. lighting their
rude pipes, hailing the truce to toll |
with loud volubility. The men followed,
aggressively masculine, 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
hilarity and responding grudgingly |
and depreciatingly to their frank over
lures. The water carriers, half grown
boys and girls, idled at distance,
their empty pals on their
bare heads-quick and light on their
'eet, graceful. alert, intuitive, exuber-
ant with life and 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 an
,icipations of cheer and rest. the subtle
of honestly tired bodies;
he iattering concentrations 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;
he scorching suns: but. above all, the
approach of the grinding season, the
-oulaison with its frolics, excitements
and good pay, all tended to elate their
spirits, and their voices. in joke. song,
augh and retort, sped down the road
before them to the quarters and evoked
barks and shouts from the
logs and children there.-Grace King,
10 Monsieur Note.
-Amy-ssI like Charlie: his kisses