The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1892-05-04
-jARKIES HUSTLING.
ONE WAY OF MAKING THE EASY CO.
ING NEGRO STIR HIMSELF.

IOuTIbtS-SCTanl Ding TOT SiIFer-I1if-
ing for G~reenbacks.
Asteamer was just leaving Charleston,
bound for Jacksonville, Fla. A stop OF
several hours at the famous old earth
quake city had made a pleasant break
in the three days run from New
York. Many of the passengers had
taken advantage Of it to drive about the
quaint old town, curiously observing the
great cracks caused by the upheaval
that still remains in many of the build
ings. Others took a sail over to Fort
Moultrio or to Fort Sumter, where the
civil war was started. Perhaps the
most interesting point for the sightseers
who remained ashore was old st. Mich
ael's church. Some Of the more sturdy
climbed far up into the steeple, from
whence General Beauregard had
watched and directed the battle, until
the Yankee gunners had got the range
Of his observatory and put a cannon ball
right through the steeplc, not far from
the generals head, when he discrectly
retired.
These passengers were so much i'm
pressed with the historical associations
connected with the place that it was al
most a relief when a half hours diver
sion came to them. AS the steamer was
moving away from her pier an ambitious
little tug that pulled and snorted and
footed enough for a couple Of ocean
liners missed its hold, and the big steam
cr's bow drifted slowly around until she
lay broadside to the outer end of the
pier. Here she was held for awhile by
a stiff breeze that pinned her up against
the pier and by the mud hat griped
her keel.
Perhaps it was the cheerful recollec-
ton Of past experiences which they
hoped to have repeated that caused all
the darEics, big and little, the six-year-
old ~pickaninny and the g~rayheaded,
stOOp shOuldcrcl rclniniscence of slavery |
days to hurry down to the end Of this
pier. There are few things hat will
arouse the dusky southerner who makes
his homo along the river front. He is an
easy going, happy naturcd fellow, fond
er Of Il laugh than he is Of work, who |
finds his greatest content in doing
away in some sun sheltered nook upon
AHS b" iNobiAIS ~ IIS LII AICLI IlIC !
arduOus toll that he fancies he may be
called upon to perform in the week to
come.
They were of this class who came
trOOping down to the steamer by the
dozen and score. A careful patching
into n suit Of the attire of half Of them
would have made q beautiful crazy quilt |
garb for one. 1t is doubtful if the most
conscientious and painstaking cObbler
could have constructed a decent pair of
shoes out Of the material he found upon
that pier.
However, it was diversion to the pa
sengers on the upper deck to see that mot
leycrowd, and when adumpy little fellow
with q wonderful mouth, that must have
created a great acuu in the atmos-
phere every time he breathed, pranced
to the front and shouted, "Now, ladies
and gents, jcS' you trO adime at dis we're
hole, n If | don ketch it she dom count"
there were instantly three or four dimes
aimed at the "holc." But none of them
made a bullseye. | fancy the game
must have been played before, for the
instant the dimes flashed in the sunlight
n half dozen stalwart negroes leaped
upon the shoulders Of the possess0r of
the mouth and bore him to the ground.
Then there was q scramble! A Yale
Harvard football scrimmage is supposed
to contain as much Of writing, cOntOr-
tiOning, muscular humanity as it is posi-
bic to get into a given space. But Yale
Harvard tangle would be a sort of kin
dergarten frolic in comparison. That
n scramble lasted more than ten min
utes. During that time the pile Of dusky
humanity was ten feet high at least, and
there were twOscOre of writhing forms
in the heap, all struggling with despera-
ton to get at the unfortunate fellows
down below who were supposed to be
clutching the dimes. III warrant that
during that ten minutes there was an
individual waste of energy that would
have kept the participants in food for a
week if otherwise directed.
But that was only the beginning. The
sport became as exciting to the watchers
as to those who took part. Quarters
and half dollars began to shower upon
the wharf, which was now thronged
with an eager, dark faced multitude.
whose eyes g%listened. The most sober
minded passenger caught the infection
and began to feel around in his clothes
for silver. y wellknown Bellevue hos
pital physician, DR.. Is. ONeil, gather
ed together all the silver dollars that
had been given him in change in
Charleston, and kept half a. dozen
heaps of darkies III turmoil at once.
The climax camea as the steamer began
slowly TO move away from the pier.
Some n waved a two dollar bill and
asked who would dive for it. Il will"
came from two dozen threats, and there
was a general peeling of j~ackcts-from
those who were dudish enough TO wear
jackets. The bill fiuttered on to the
water ten feet from the pier. There was
an anxious. hesitating, regretful pause
and a scratching Of heads. Then there
a plunge, a few sturdy strokes by a
Young negro, and he clutched the bill.
The passengers gave him a cheer and