Connecticut western news., 1892-04-21
THE NEGRO IN THE SOUTH.
How the Darky Provides for the sicl
 and Buries the Dead.

How the Darky Provides for the Sick
 and Burtes the Dead.
 The recent stranding in New York of a colony of negroes, who had been duped into leaving their homes in the south, is lamentable lesson to their brethren. And it is to be deplored that their igno- rance of such events prevents it from being beneficial to the race.
 But the individual horizon of the col ored people is so. contracted that the whirl of the outside world rarely reaches their ears. And their narrow mental vision catches only glimpse of happen ings outside of their immediate neigh borhood.
 Like the peasantry of all countries, the negroes are ignorant. Yet, as rule, this ignorance is joined to childish simplicity, native good humor and generous open heartedness essentially different from the vicious serfs of Rus sia or the brutal vindictiveness of the lower Italian classes.
 In Europe the serving class presents a cheap and willy copy of the sins of it's master. But the negro is generally like an overgrown child-lazy and roguish, as generous in giving as he is quick in stealing, improvident of the future and perfectly content with present satisfac- tion.
 Living from hand to mouth, and pos sessing but few of this worlds goods, it is no wonder existence to them has be- come happy -go-lucky affair, in which the man takes care of the present, and the future takes care of itself. Yet some few seem to realize that bit must be laid aside for rainy day, and these band together into societies. The socie- ties are all of semireligious character.
 Some of the names under which these societies are chartered are exceedingly amusing. Daughters of the Household of Ruth," "Sons and Daughters of Moses" "Galilee Fishermen, ,""Sons and Daughters of the Morning Star" are a few of the titles by which they are chris tened.
 These societies have as their object the care of the sick and the decent burial of the dead-an exceeding worthy pur- pose when we remember the poverty and general improvidence of the race. A member is allowed few dollors month during sickness to meet the medicine and doctors bills, and at death a coffin and church burial, with several carriages, are provided.
 Now, if there is one thing on earth that a negro loves more than a circus it | is funeral. And the more heartrend- | ing the display of grief and heavier the trappings of woe the greater is the pleasure. To have 8 big funeral is a matter of such pride with some families that when member dies money is spent extravagantly in providing an impos- ing funeral cortege, while the poor in- | valid may have suffered for the neces- | sities of life.
 For the young generation the free | schools provide a means which will al | least teach them the three R's in limit | ed degree. Yet there is no field where the seeds of training and morality need more to be sown than among the negroes of the south, and the money sent to the | missionary in Africa could be we'll ex. pended in clothing and teaching those of that land who are in our own country and sadly need enlightenment and help
 Throughout the whole of Dixie the colored race acts as the servant of the | Wh1tC, 1uu cto buCI O hluoU DO oOi V cshDo AO the world, the negro, being the poorer and more ignorant, fills the same place that is occupied in the north by white labor. It is certainly no more fair to complain of the negro being the uni versal servant in the south than it would | be to murmur that white labor is em. | ployed universally in the north. But the housekeeper in Maine or Vermont with one white ''hired help" is far better of than the woman in Dixie with three ol four colored ones at her service. For tho negro is slow, careless and neglects his work unless constantly watched.
 Wages are greatly different, too, II intersections on either side of Mason anC Dixon's line. On a country farm negro cook will have the use of a cabin ant her frewood free, receiving in casl wages about three dollars month. II the towns her wages are advanced tt five or six dollars, while in the cities sh, receives few dollars more per month New York Advertiser.
 | A Story About the Reading Deal.
 When Asa Packer died he left $15,
 900, ,000 invested in the Lehigh Valle,