Morning journal and courier., 1888-05-10
COLOR LINES IN THE SOUTH

was really in payment of the fleet bill and Alaska was thrown in. COLOR LINES IN THE SOUTH Shocking Incidents of tho Preiudices of Race-An Interesting and Pathet- Ic Chapter of Unwritten History CoIored Ladies Driven From the Gilmore Jubf1ee-Ph2ses of Life That Are Noe Creditable 10 she Now South. ATLANTA, Ga, April 25. To the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER: Again during the past week another forci- ble illustration of the still unreconstructed condition of the South has been brought to light. In telling the story I will venture to go back a score of years and give some hith erto unwritten history, which will tend to il- illuminate the occurrences referred to. It was late in the afternoon of dull Octo- ber day in the year 1868. A negro woman was walking wearily down Washington street in the city of Atlanta. At first sight there was nothing remarkable either in her appearance or manner, unless it was the scrupulous neatness of her apparel. 1 She wore close-ftting and rather pretty | print dress, with 8 dainty bit of ruching at l the throat and sleeves, and spotlessly clean white apron in front A second glance, | however, would have revealed to the thought I full observer something in the outlines of the | meek black face singularly in accord with | the good taste displayed in her attire; a cer- l tain refinement and delicacy of feature sell dom seen in a negro face at that time. l More than that the thoughtful observer 1 would have discovered. He would have dis | covered a deep sadness mirrored in the large | pathetic eyes and reflected from the outlines | of the slender face All day she had gone l from house to house on Capitol avenue, or
 McDonough street as it was then called, and l Washington street, asking for employment | as a common menial in the kitchen or in any | other capacity. Domestic help was very plentiful in those days and at each place she was given a prompt-sometimes curt-refu- l sal.
 | At length, despairing of accomplishing anything that day, she had started for hei
 humble lodging place on Magnolia street, al l most under the shadow of the hill upon whose summit was to be built year later l the first building of the pioneer university 1 for her race in the great Empire State ot | the South"
 Down Washington street to Mitchell she
 walked; thence down Mitchell to Pryor. l At the corner of Mitchell and Pryor she hesitated.
 | s'It is hopeless" she said to herself half aloud ''Night is coming on and flesh and blood cannot endure much longer" She took Q step or two in the direction of | Mitchell street. Then she stopped again, turned and after another moments hesita- | ton wearily pursued her journey along Pryor street. There had something come between | her and the rest for which exhausted nature | clamored-the picture of two little ones who were dependent upon the success of her err | rand for their very bread. Over the railway tracks she passed, with a I l<-Io ok &I,aT TIpso fhn 1afk and on to Decatur street. Thence up Deca- tur to Peachtree. Here she paused again. Atlanta was just beginning to recover | from the prostrating effects of the war. Phoenix like, Marietta and Whitehall streets were rising where only smoking ruins had
 been left by the receding armies of Sherman. To the west, directly opposite the site of the
 wooden postofice, a large force of men was engaged in rearing stately four-story block. l The walls had been started with the inten- tion on the part of the proprietor to erect 8 fine opera house. When the work had well advanced financial complications had coaa- pelled the ambitious builder to abandon his project.
 At this point that man with peculiar genius for great enterprises, H. I. Kimball,
 had come forward and purchased the half
 finished structure. He was now remodelling
 it and finishing it as Capitol building, to
 be sold to the State of Georgia and opened
 
 Glancing down Marietta street at the army
 of masons and carpenters who were in full
 view working on the walls, the negro woman
 whose fortunes we have been following drew
 deep sigh and said aloud "It is the only
 hope. They say he is as generous as he is
 public-spirited, and that his wife is gentle,
 kindly woman. I will make one more eff
 fort"
 Then she tottered on out Peachtree street.
 walk of half mile brought her to the
 pleasant new home of Mir. Kinball, modest
 but comfortable-looking mansion, located in
 Peachtree and Old Peachtree streets, just
 back of where the present Ben Hill monu-
 ment stands. Opening the gate she passed
 inside. She noticed the air of hospitality
 about the house, the bronze images of dogs
 on either side of the front door steps, the
 two children at play in the yard. Passing
 areAnd to the side door, she summoned all the little courage she had left and rapped.
 Presently the door opened. Mrs. Kimball had answered the knock herself in unassum- ing violation of the southern rule, almost as infexible as the laws of the Medes and Per sians, that no lady of birth will answer her own door bell.
 'T knocked to inquire if you are in need of more help in the house, madam"
 Mrs. Kimbal1 glanced down at the trim little figure.
 ''What kind of work can you des" she asked curiously.
 sAnything, anything, ma'am."
 "You cannot do kitchen workF'
 70, yes, I can."
 t'You do not look as if you had ever done any such work"
 "But assure you can do it if you will
 only give me chance"
 ssWhat experience have you hadf' "Not any, ma'an, but am sure I could succeed"
 "How could you succeed if you are not Because have two little boys who must be provided for"
 Mrs. Kimball glanced down still more cu- riously at the slender figure before her. It was not often that a colored woman spoke
 such pure English.
 'What is your namefn she asked. Alabama Lathrop." "Is your husband living?" sNs ma'am'
 sfHow old are your children?' "One is three years of age and the other is
 only baby"
 "Are you very poor.n "I am destitute, ma'am. o, if you will
 only give me chance I will serve you so 1 faithfullyin
 Mrs. KimbalI hesitated stI will cheerfully work the first month for
 nothing continued the pleading voice. "Where are your little ones nowan "I left them for the day with a friend l away out on Magnolia street,
 'Have you made many efforts to secure a positiona"
 "I have been going from place to place since early this morning." Mrs. Kimball could no longer resist the eager, wistful face. "You may come tomorrow morning" j" she