Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1888-08-18
ON THE PLANTATION.
A Pleasant Landscape Sketch on
the Banks Of the Mississippi.

The autumn was struggling for recog
milton and was making an impression up
on all but the midday hours. In tn
morning the air came cold and crisp
full of incentives to work. In the even
ings the soft langour and dreamy inert
ness of summer has been driven away
by wide-awake activity, with good
, resolutions and plans Of future energy
10 be discussed inside closed doors and
windows into late hours of the night
The roses In the garden bloomed pale
and listless after their exhaustine
summer 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 curling over
and over in bewildering luxr,riance.
The sunset clouds, bursting with light
and color, gilded the tops OF the bound
airy woods and illuminated like q halo
the features of plantation life. The
Mississippi river, rejecting and rivaling
the sky above, rolled, an irridescent cur
rent, between it's yellow muddy banks,
cut into grotesque silhouettes by crew.
asses and steamboat landings as it dimp.
led in eddies over shadows, boiled and
swirled in hollow whirlpools over depths,
or rushed with infexible, relentless rap.
idity, following the channel in its reg
ular course from point to point. The
days work had come to an end. The
plantation bell rang out its dismissal and
benediction. The blacksmith laid
down the half sharpened cane knife and
began covering up the fire. From mys.
FERROUS openings on all sides of the sug-
ar house workmen issued with tools in
their hands. The stable doors were
thrown open, and the hostlers, old crook
ed legged negroes, hurried about with
food for the mules. The cows tinkled
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, hailing che
truce to toll with loud volubility. The
men followed, aggressively masculine,
heavy Embed, 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 erudging-
ly and depreciatingly to their frank
overtures. The water carriers, half
grown boys and girls, idled at distance,
their empty pals on their
bare heads-quick and light on their
feet, graceful, alert, intuitive, exuber-
ant with life and animal spirits, thew
were happy in the thoughtiess, uncon-
scious enjoyment of the short moment
that yet, separated them from their hot,
1ull, heavy, dangerous maturity. The
of cheer and rest: the
subtle satisfaction of honestly tired
bodies; the Aattering concentrations
If their own skill from the finely cul-
ivated stand of cane OH each side of
hem; the past expistions of blowing,
Itching, wedding, hoeing; the freezing
aims; the scOrching suns; but, above ali, |
he approach of the grinding season, the
oulaison with its frolics, excitements
md good pay. all attend to elate their
pirits, and their voices, in joke, song,
augh and retort, sped down the road
'efore them to the quarters and evoked
banks and shouts from the
logs and children there.-Grucc King.