The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1888-08-18
ON THE PLANTATION.
A Pleasant Landscape sketch on the Banks of
The Mississippi.

the Mississippi
Tho 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
ings the soft lauguor and dreamy inert
ness of summer has been driven away by
wide awake activity, with good resou-
| iutlons and plans of future energy To be
discussed IL side closed doors and windo VS.
into late hours of the night. The roses
| IN the garden bloomed pate and lis.iess
after their eGhausting summer season,
shi"ering perfumeles-ly in the practical
October bree2es. The trees were i. the
full glory of their rion green foliage. The
cane Ill the fields stood in thick, solid
maturity, with long, green, pendant leaves
curling over and over III bew'ldeFiug lux
uriance. The sunset clouds, bursting with
light and color, giided ths tops of the
boundary woods and iiluminattd like
halo the features os plantation life. The
Mississippi river, rejecting and rivalliug
the sky above, rolled. an iridescent CUT
rent, between its yellow mBd banks, cut
into grotesque sIlhouettes by crevasses
and steamboat landings as it dim pied in
eGdies over shadows, boiled aud swirled
III hollow whirlpools over depths, or rush
ed with intiexiole, relentless rapi6ity, fo,.
lowing the channel in its regular course
from point to point. The days work had
come to au end. Ths plantation bell
rang out its dismissal and benediction.
The blacksmith laid down the half sharp
ened cane knife and began covering up
the fire. From mysterious openings on
al aides of the sugar house worbmen is
sued 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 tim
kled 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 aud hoes. In advance
walked the women, swaying themselves
from side to side with characteristic
abandon, lighting their rude pipes, hail
ing the truce to toll with loud volubility
The men followed, aggre ssively mascu-
line, heavy limbed, slow of movement on
their hampered shod feet; wearing their
clothes like harness; with unhgndsome,
chaotic faces, small eyes and concealed
natures. They watched the women with
jealous interest, excluding them from
their hllarity and responding grudgiugly
AM depreciatingly to their frank over
lures. The water carriers, half grown
boys and girls, idlsd at distance, baiauc-
ing their empty pals on their bare heads |
quick and light on their feet, graceful, !
alert, intuitive, exuberant with life and |
animal spirits, they were happy in the |
unconscious enjoyment of |
the snort moment that yet separated them
from their hot, dull, heavy, dangerous
The anticipations OF cheer
and rest; the subtle satisfaction of hon.
es.ly tired bodies; the fattering com
men3ations of their own skill from the
inely cultivated stand of cane on each
side of them; the past expiations of
blowing, di.ching, wedding, hoeing; the
freezing rains; the scorchiug suns; but,
above all, the approach of the grinding
season, the roulaison with its frolics, ex-
,itements and good pay, all tend TO
slate their spirits, and their voices, in
joke, song, laugh aud retort, sped down
he road before to the quarters and evok-
I'd responsive barks and shouts from the
logs ard children there.