Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1892-04-16
BLACK RATES. DEVOTION.

The dozen black "boys" OF John Fairdolph
were busy at work on the highway one August
day repairing the broken places and evening
up the Lynchburg road, customary with
all the planters who preferred paying their
taxes by deed rather than by money. Not
that the road was especially bad. for as Vir-
ginia roads so il was in tolerably fair condi-
tion for a locality where even vet one meets
more travellers ON horseback than in vehicles,
but the taxes had to be worked out, and the
darkies shoveled and dug in the perfunctory
way common to all human beings who do not
feel the aniInus OF pay or recompense TO re-
ward their efforts. As they worked they
kept time with the cadences OF a song or
chant Who that has heard that wild, weird
work song Of the southern slave can ever for
get iti Without words, without meaning,
rising In stentorian accents and anon sinking
into mellow tones, always changing yet ever
tie same, the uncouth lips frame the sounds
unconsciously and TO the listening ear not un-
pleasantly.
Today, as the noontide hour drew near, the
men ceased their labors at the voice OF the
overseer and sat down by the wayside 10 eat
the food brought from the distant huts by
boy. Their master, unlike his overseer was
not harsh and had always permitted the men
70 have an interval of rest at midday. Now
they threw themselves fiat on their backs,
and, without even their hats to protect them
from the burning sun, went fast asleep, care
less and with that abandon which character
izes man without purpose. Even tho tramp
OF boofs did not arouse them, and when the
ridera drew near only the overseer and the
county supervisor were awake to greet them.
The travellers were youth and lady the
former handsome, proud, and refined-the
saa..s - a A.
Dominion-the girl shapely and fair, glowing
with the exercise of the gallop from which
they had just refined their horses
The girl nodded TO her fathers overseer,
the young man cast a careless greeting TO the
idIers, and, touching up their horses, the
twain disappeared down the road In the direc-
ton OF the mansion. For a moment neither
OF the men spoke, then the supervisor said,
mighty pooty gal, that"
"Yes,n ejaculated the other, "as vain and
stuck up as pritty That fellow with her, the
hound, has turned her silly head. See here,
Sam, I'm jist about tired of this, and I'm
goin' 10 leave the locality, but when 20
reckon to even up with the old man, and take
some one with me-"
The two became deeply absorbed In low
conversation, in which the overseer did most
Of the talking, apparently striving earnestly
TO persuade his companion to agree with his
views In their preoccupation they forgot
entirely the presence Of the negroes, and il
was only when the overseer, provoked at
some remark Of his companion, made loud,
angry reply they recollected their surround
sssRs and glanced uneasily at the recumbent
figures. The dsrkies were apparently all
asleep, and, with a sigh of relief, the overseer
drew q whistle from his bosom and blew a
shrill blast, which brought every one to his
feet in an instant. The slaves had learned by
sore experience not TO delay when the signal
was heard. Cursing roundly at their tardi-
ness. the oversser set them TO their task some
distance away and resumed conversation
with his companion. The slaves recommended
their wailing chant, but one stalwart negro
did not join In the refrain. He fingered near
the white men laborng by the roadside dog
gsdly and 10 appearances oblivious to all
but his occupation. Hiseyes, bent downward,
flashed however, and his muscles twitched, as
he listened unbeknown to the plot being con-
cocted bet ~een the WORTHLESS near by. BLACK
RAfe," as he was called far and wide on ac-
count OF his intensely dark skim was no more
a favorite of the oversesr than the white task
master was OF the slave.
Sharp, the overseer, was well aware OF the
cause of the negros stubbornness and lily
concealed yindictIyeness toward him, and
while he laughed scornfully at the warnings
of his associates he nevertheless felt inse-
cure when alone with the giant negro, al
though he hid bis fears under a cloak Of re-
doubled harshness and III treatment He
knew that Rafe had sworn 70 avenge the
wrongs OF the slave girl, Mary. and ON this
account he had frequently endeavored TO per-
suade the planter TO sell hafe TO some Ala
oama or Mississippi dealer No that he might
forever oe rid ot hls presence. NO one but
Sharp had any fanlt to lind with hafe, and
his master had nouted the Idea OF parting
with him TO all out sharp hale was kind,
gentle and ooedient' Among the darkies'
caoins haie,s was lhe one al "hich the men
and women loved To meet IN the evening" and
tne slaves believed IN MN 70 the nttermost