The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1888-06-09
SCENES IN GRANTSTOWN.
LAZY AND coNTENTED BLACKS OF
THE BAHAMA ISLANDS.


Market Day, Saturday Evening in u Su.
burb of Nassau-NIcn, Women and Chill.
dren Gosslping with Gusto-visit to a
Thrcepenny Ball.
Market day at Grantstown is in the even.
ing, and on Il Saturday at that.
Over the hill on star lit night-they shine
so low You may almost reach them with Your
callc-a white, smooth road leads to Grants
town. AS you go down the slope little dots
of flame appear beyond and the hum of pleas.
ant voices, till i'll short time you reach an
almost continuous row of cabins Oh either
side, and this is GrantStown-not our Gen.
Grants but another Grants Sir Somebody,
at one time governor of all the Bahamas
under water and just above it, for Grants
town is n colored suburb of Nassau and lies
in a hollow behind it. The little flames
broaden us You approach, and you find on Il
flat stone for hearth, a litter of ashes and
little pitch pine sticks, kept lighted torch
like, and squatting on the ground beside each
Old wenches, toothless and sere, child or so,
and the market stuff spread in little heaps
Five sweet potatoes sell for copper, four
gumbo pods for farthing, four little red
tomatoes and pepper for Il check "a check is
one and one-half penny; there are also tins
OF Guinea corn IA sort of broom corn sce,N,
white maize from the out islands, cow peas,
little cups of ground nuts, peanut candy,
cakes, dark molaSses bread. oranges, sapo-
dlll;t i'll its russet coat, rarely a banana, often
Il yam like log of wood, little tied up
bundles of black mangrove roots for fuel,
and no investment need be over n check. All
this hardly seems to he food, but only relish
Where are the solids, the substantials.
Eggs, bread, butter, ETC.! Not any, in
Grantstown!
MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN.
You so on to find the crowd thicken and
the noise of voices increases Crowling tho
road, the blacks-mcn, women and children
-iostle and joke, gossping with g,lsto,
chaliing and scandal tattling-un outdoor
tea party without any tea.
How do! massa! Pleas the Iawd, Use
hopes yo wel.'
"Yo' TAX evcun' walk. TAX mo wild
yo':'
"Bos g'me copper, Use pore No! das uwl
"Yo' no by o me! das right. Yo' talk II
waak:'
"What's that. Souse, massa! What's
sonse! OH massa, yo doom ltno' dat! Wy,
dat's pigs head, II sour II salt"
And this then was the one luxury; sousc
at sixpenc' eacup full. A Grantstown
dnrkey pr ably never had bellyful of
meat i'll b life
Ground nuts or peanuts, which with us
are so I,rge, white and cheap, in Grants
town arr scarce, small and black; quarter
gill sells for penny. They are another
luxury, and probably a Lushel would glut
the market. But for all the dirt rags and
squalor there is something in the ring of the
voice which indicates anything but MISERY
rather contcntmcnt and wealth of animal
spirit
Visit Grantstown when the sun is up and
see the tropical picture, the thatclled cabins
embowcred in climbing vines, encirclcd with
the plumy cocoanut palm stored with all
good, trees golden with oranges and the Sis
ter fruits, great shaddocks bigger than ones
head. There tho broad, deep cut bread fruit
tree ripens its seedless green sunbaked oavps.
Everywhere the warm enfoldling sunlight
and the soft air, breczes that clothe and Shell
ter.
Work-heres Ali that's vulgar; idleness
is virtue, and nakcdness is classic.
a TIIREEPENNY BALL.
The tingle of u triangle, rapidly struck, at
tracts me to the corner house, where, through
window openings, guiltless of sash or glass,
see moving crowd. AT the door am met
by "Gr mo trup'cnce, massa, an | dawncc
wild yo'," from tho mouth of buxom wench.
'Go way dere! Use propritary oh dis ball;
doom glib her ony trupencc, massa glib it me'
This from burly black in cast off suit,
may be one Of $40 suits, threc-quarters off
some time ago, and hat once n beaver, but
now literally crushed hat, quite appropri-
ate for Il ball.
The thrcepence paid admits me into low
rooted cabin, about l0xl2 feet, crowded with
both sexes, all smoking and somewhat boozy
The orchestra consists Of tambourine, triangle
and accordion. The music is quick time: the
dances are the quadrillc, the waltz, and the
Marango IA country dance. In dancing OF
in waltzing the movement is all in the hips,
but little of feet or knees-a sort of wigglc,
as if uncertain whether to dance give it up.
''Gcs, boss, we dawnccs cherry evenin' from
Montla' obcr till Satda' Want dawnce yo'-
sef: Only trupence fo' Marango and six
pence for de walzc Dis mos Specific place
in Grantstown. Ma name, w. H. g. Gray;
dis ma keerd (hanling me his name scribblcd
with pencil on an old almanac leaf Gwine
now, boss: Das right; kun nodder time;
s'long. 81. 81 in Detroit Free Press.