The Hope pioneer., 1888-07-20
ON THE PLANTATION.
A Pleasant Landscape Sketch on the Ban
ofthe Mississippi.

OF the 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
a 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 nj ght.
The roses in the garden bloomed pale
and listless after their exhausting sum-
mer season, shivering perfunelessly 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 a halo the features OF
plantation life. The Mississippi river.
rejecting and rivaling the sky above,
rolled, an irredescent current, between
it's yellow mud banks, cut into grotesque
silhouettcs by crevasses and steam.
boat landings as it dimpled in eddies
over shadows. boiled and swirled
in hollow whirlpools over depths, or
rushed with infexible, 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 it's 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 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 tinkled their impatient bells
outside the milking lot, while the fran
tic calves bounded and bleated inside.
Along the smGs3. yellow road through
the field came the 'sgang' 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 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 a distance,
balancing their empty pals on their
bare heads-quick and light on their
feet, 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
ticipations of cheer and rest, the subtle
satisfaction of honestly tired bodies:
the fattering commentators of their
own skill from the finely cultivated
stand of cane on each side of them; the
past expiations of plowing, ditching,
wedding, hoeing; the freezing rains;
the scorching suns; but, above all, the
approach of the grinding season, the
roulaison with it's frolics, excitements
and good pay, all tended to elate their
spirits, and their voices, in joke, song
laugh and retort, sped down the road
before them to the quarters and evoket
responsive barks and shouts from the
dogs and children there.-GrGce King
in Monsieur Motto.