Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-02-06
PINE LAND PICTURES.
Rapid vistas of Features and Folks at South Carolina Way Stations.
 rCraciaI Co,-resropdence

Especial Correspondence.1
 NEW YORK, Jan. 31.-Charleston is seven miles from Ashley Junction. Journeying by direct route toward the Floridas and other winter haunts of wealthy northeners, one would naturally expect to find South Carolina's principal seaport on the through line of the Atlan- tic coast rail. It isn't there. Richmond, Va., is. So is Wilmington, N. C., and Savannah, Ga. So is Ashley Junction; and here is hurried transfer from comfortable sleeping and dining coaches to very ordinary cars, when the passen- ger is booked for Charleston.
 Yet Ashley Junction has developed it's compensating influences. Being located at a half hours railway distance from Charleston, it served as quarantine against Jacksonville and it's deadly saff ron tinted epidemic of last year. No suspected or innocent Floridian was able, during the yellow fever scare, to go into Charleston from this outer barrier. The hygienic regulation worked to charm.
 On the train between Aiken and Branchville colored preacher talked volubly about his race, its needs and it's destiny. He knew the good time was coming; in fact, he believed that a big slice of it had already got here. It was his idea that the negroes were too much the prey and too little the care of their white fellow citizens. He deplored the poverty and illiteracy of the colored peo- pie of that section, but seemed greatly IL xl~ h-.r o& Himself raised from the servile position of Q common field hand to plane hon. ored by men, he was steadfast friend of all educational institutions. "Let me tell you, sir," he said, finding the waiter was an interested listener, "what South Carolina wants most Is a higher grade of intelligence among laborers of both sexes. Her working population, white as well as black, must become better ed | ucated. x**
 Embodiment and sequel of the thir- teenth amendment of the national con- stitutiou, the Southern negro, whether man, woman or child, is always an in- structive study.
 Increased transportation facilities, with | cheap excursion rater, induces the freed man and members of his family to visit scenes dear to them from early associa- tion. I was smoking an after dinner cigar one evening on the porch of a rural hotel in Darlington county, when the colored baggage crusher, pointing to one of his species on the opposite side of the road, suddenly exclaimed: "Dats Charleston niggah, boss!" .'How do you know?" asked. ,,f oo1 I1cv fc, <NvN& &sN<> ,,tN style for dis yer place. Dat's shuah" The hotel porter was right. A week 1 afterward the stylish tourist of Darling ton lathered my face as he scraped ac- l quaintance in King street barber shop. 1 He knew me again.
 | "Shave close, sir?"
 l Inodded my head, as affirmative. Saw you in Florence few days ago, ] didn't I, colonel?" he questioned in the next breath.
 May be you did," said I. ~--------~-
 "Yes, sir. It was last Wednesday,"
 s'Were you born in that county2' in- quired, as he deftly nicked me with his razor under the right ear and drew first | blood.
 "No, indeed, sir! I went up there to see my fathers young masters grave. He was killed in the war, sir, at the place | you call Antietam. I was born right here in Charleston after father got his freedom; but we all think good deal of young master, sir. He was good man and brave soldier, they say who knew him."
 Ihave written this literal dialogue not in the usual negro vernacular, for the barber did not use it. He was as choice of speech as those who had schooled him.
 HEEnY CLAY LUKENs.