The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1890-04-17
immediately neiehborine 9

~ =. thSthdtelS UelgnDOrlng on
that hve httle town but few negroes
were induced 10 remove, but in the
more remote regions to the north
west OF that point vacant cabins, with
their smokeless chimneys, broken
fences and general air of desertion
become oppressively apparent. One
small farm after another is passed,
and now and then On extensive plan
tatlon, upon which no signs of life
appear. Evidence of recent and hasty
removal are everywhere visible. Parts
OF broken furniture, cracked or broken
cooking utensils, old brogan shoes,
and various remnants of wearing ap-
parel, all III q shape of having been
oarelessly and hastily thrown aside,
bear testimony to the hurry and furry
with which the late inhabitants took
thcr departure. Occasionally q va
grant cur dog, which, as general
thing, the country negro prizes above
even the members Of his family, is to
be seen still, with mute but loyal
fortitude, standing guard over the
| empty home of his whilom friend and
master. The country is full of these
miserable brutcs, which were of ne
cesslty left behind and no amount Of
coaXing will induce the sad-eyed,
mangy-coatcd mongrcls to desert the
hearthsrOnc. Here and there little
mounds, with plain board markings,
tell OF the last rest resting place Of
the kindred of those who have vOlrrn-
tarlly sought new homes in the dis
tant Southwest. Once in u while a
damaged coon pelt flaps in the breeze
against the gable of the empty hut;
an OLD battered bucket sits by the
well side; wide-opcn barn doors,
vacant managers, empty cow pens,
and neglected garden patches com
bmc to present II picture in detail of
utter dcSolation. The humble meet
ing house, iii which God was wor-
shipped on Sunday and the young
blacks received instructions in the
blue black speller on week days, is
now IL lonesome testimonial of ad-
vantagcS enjoyed in homes they have
left, which may not be so easily OBJ
tanned again.
Stlll further on one comes to cross
roads, and here again all is hushcd
and silent us n churchyard The
| blacksmith shop is nailed up, the
| forge Is gone, and with it the smith.
80 also Is the store closed and barred,
the goods removed, and the store
keeper with them. SO contagious
WAS the exodus epidemic that one or
two white families, formerly resident
here, caught the infection and went
along with their colorcd ncighbors
A stray domestic fowl, which proba-
bly, roasted in some ScQucstcrcd spot
unknown to its owner. is met with
now and then, as is also pig or two
vainly searching for its former mates.
The road itself shows that there has
been no recent travel over it, and,
with the advancing spring, weeds and
grass are SprOuting forth soon to en-
Swath the pathway in track Of living
green.
Such are the visible evidences of
the dcSOlatlon wrought by the cyO-
duS, but Of course they arc only to
be met within the more remote sec
tion* From the vicinity of all towns
very few negroes have removed, for
the double reason that they were not
wanted and wouldnot have have gone
if they had been. In and about all of
the cities and towns there is an abmd~
ancc of negro labor, which, but for
the dcmoralizing effect of town life on
the colOred citizen, might be utilized
IL restoring the waste places and re-
hNbilitating the planting interests,
now at q st0ndstill. If it was posi-
bic to properly distribute the surplus
and bndcn3omc negro elements of
the towns throughout the farming
districts now lying waste the exodus
would prove II blessing to the State,
which has for so many years suffered
from an excessive. consuming and
non producing population. But that
this will be done. or that it is possible
to do it, none who knows the town
bred negro darcs hope.
But even us mattersnOw stand, the
landowners are taking very philo-
sophical view of the situation, and the
more EOrcSccing agree that the effect of
the exodus will ultimately be bcncti-
cial to the State in every way.