The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-11-26
TIE AMERICAN NEGROES.
Their Peculiar Capacity for Mirth. Merit
ment and Melody.

and an article or falth through ME.
though unwittingly He is built that
way. and is never so happy as when in
any degree enabled to Illustrate tho in
clinatiOn.
1t is with the approach OF tho holidays.
when, having received his money for his
crops, and feeling that no can get ad-
vances from tho store" during the
next summer. no 10 as improvident as
the tabled grasshopper, and lives like a
lord. OF course, it must be understood
that tho country darkey is referred 10
here His town brother lives hand TO
mouth existence. and rarely has enough
money at any one time TO inialge his III
clinations. The lack OF funds does not
detract from tho disposition, but curtails
the scope of indulgence.
The nature OF the negro makes him a
charming factor in literature, when some
student Of history awakens an echo of
the past, or a delicately attuned romasce
or lay treats tenderly Of individual lives
Those OF the north who know the darkey
only through Page. Edwards. johnson or
Cable have little opportunity of seeing IN
lifo the characteristics depicted. unless
they leave the beaten route OF southern
travel and stray off into the bypaths
where the scenes are irreconcilable with
the days of modern progress.
There, wedding his way through cool,
-t.,-or lanau nornafal trffh
dies from the tall. soughing pines. or I'M
der the somber cypress, the traveller may
meet n family OF darkies going calling
or TO the village 10 sell berries They
will pass down the road in Indian file,
and, though the wayfarer be total
stranger. he will be the recipient of the
most courteous and cordial salutation
The mother will beam on him from be-
meath her bright bandana, which
matches. perhaps. q vivid pink gown.
He will meet many other faces like hers
at the cabin doors, where the cultivated
taste for yichy, settler, or carbonic will
meet with pIeasurable surprise when
quafling deep draughts of spring water
from a sweet gourd" dipper. Toappre-
ciate a drink of water, one should drink
Il from the gourd.
The singing and dancing Of tho darby
on the plantation is in striking contrast
to that of the drawing room performance
of tho white folks. have seen a group
sitting quietly. holding their hands. when
one of the party would take up some
queer chant. the words of which would
be lost in persistent dwelling on the aspi.
rates. AT first the measure would be slow
and hating, but. as others Joined IN and
took up the chorus, the rude melody OF
the song would be rounded out and swell
with a penetration carrying its burden
to Others at work in the fields. who would
take up the familiar air till the neighbor-
hood would pulsste in song.
Some Of these songs are largely recita-
tive. with a weird. lonesome chorus.
others breathe dance steps so plainly
that only few bars are finished before
the singers are patting for some Of their
number, who are on the boards or sand
shuiiling. cutting the pike. ""the pigeon
wing and other popular steps.
The negro is lover Of melody. and it
Is not an infrequent thing 10 find them
grouped about the front piazzas when
there is company at the big house'
and the piano is giving forth fayorite
Chopin, Strauss or Gottscbalk Long
after the echoes OF the melody have
died away on the night they will remain
speIIbound. Manuscript music was a
sore puzzle 10 our general utility man,
who was styled Cupid. for the reason
perhaps, that he was totally unlike that
mischievous little god both in appear
ance aud proves. believe | could
have conveyed to him moro clearly al
understanding Of the cosmogony OF
Paradise Lost than Of tho method OF
writing music.
With their naturally joyous tempera'
ment one might believe that allegro
would be their favorite musical move
ment, but penseroso is more frequently
voiced in their efforts. When by them
selves. safe from an audience, they yield
TO the spirit Of song, and a pathos Of
yearning, pleading and protesting lie
thrown into their homcly lay. and comes
10 the nearer as the voice Of a soul in
travail. With the end Of the soug a
merry laugh will dispel these vague fan
cies and deepen the perpIexity OF the
curious listener.
Beginning with the advent Of the
Christmas holidays. which the darby
signaizes by investing in fireworks and
INDUCING his fondness for sweetmeats
and continuing until after New Years
there is no work performed on the farm
1t is one round OF gayety. Hunting in
the day and dancing al night The New
Years. which is celebrated by that queer
custom called walking Egypt" comes
all too soon. This custom is a religious
ceremonial. but is generally denounced
by the clergy as 1northodox. They find it
a relic of yoodoo practice, and the frenzy
which its music and marching seem to
bring on Is discountenanced by the pull
pit. Tho congregations IN many In
stances, however. insist on walking" or
make their pastor walk. and they gener'
ally have their way.
This walking Egypt" Is nothing moro
than the entire congregation forming in
line and filing up Ole aisle and down the
other to the measure OF chants which
work on the emotiona and result In ell
manner OF excuses and absadonment
Under the influence Of its spell the
marchers seem iIisensible TO pain. and
will oftentifnes spring through the win.
dows. The women are more susceptible
70 its intoxication than the men. walk
ing Egypt" marks the ending thsn q
the season. TavAAs e. Hxx1H