The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1893-12-13
Back to Africa.
Atlanta Consultation.


buys tickets fur Africa, sah--through
tickets fur Africa" J"
he was model type Of the old time
Southern darky, and as he spoke he
leaned forward over the railing in the
Office Of Mr.. Dave Appier, the we'll
known Central Railroad man, with an
expression of eagerness and anxiety
on his face. His name was Daniel
Brown, and he is president of the At
lanta Africa Excursionists' Associa-
tion.
The railroad men looked at the Wis.
itor in surprise.
GAIN the way to Africa 2" one Of
them ventured to ask after a while.
"Yas, sab, clean ter Africa. Yer
see, boss, dar's twenty-five NV us
gwine. We done put up de money in
de socistion, an got word from New
York dat de tickets would be sent tel
Atlanta dis week I'm lookin' fur de
tickets ter take us over, don't yer see,
boss, and come in heah TO see if dis is
de place whar dey:is ter come"
The old mans story was funny on
the FIRST blush. Those in the Office
looked at each other and laughed.
But there was such a tremor Of anx.
l'iety in the darky's tone, and such an
earnestness in his countenance as he
stood there poorly clad and weather
beaten, his little sharp topped hat in
his hand and his big hickory stick un:
der hia arm, that it was evident on
second thought that there must be
something behind his strange inqui.
ries.
To a Constitution reporter standing
near the old man told the full story.
He is really going to Africa. he is
going to take a party of twenty-fou1
colored citizens Of Atlanta along with
him. They will leave tomorrow.
The thing is fixed. There is nc
fake about it this time, sure, for the
tickets have really been bought, the
special car to take them to Savannah
over the Central Railroad has been
ordered out, the baggage is packed
and ready to be checked--they are
going.
Il seems that the members Of thf
"sociation," as they term it, have
been chipping in their nickels and
dimes to this excursion fund for tht
past two years, They are some Of
Gaston's satellites. CASTOR is the
promoter Of the great movemen,
among the negroes of the South to &c
to Africa, movement which swept
over this entire, region Of the South
about two years ago.
Under his guidance the movement
took shape in Atlanta more than
year ago, and many a dollar, was sub
scribed by the darkies Of this and
other cities Of the Southern Statesttt
the fund that was vaguely understood
| to be a: Kind Of mutual concern thai
would grow bigger and bigger as the
days grew warmer with the approach
Of summer and some day when the
thing had grown to fabulous enormity
all Of them would awake from theil
dreams Of sweet contemplation ant
take voyage on the goodly ship thai
would sail them safely some brigh;
day upon she shining sands Of sunny
old Africa, their fond motherland.
It is needless to say that many o!
these dollars were checked off from
time Go time on the expense account
Of the sociation," for all well regu
lated business has to have expense
accounts. It is needless to say
futher chat many Of the colored folk
who subscribed to the fund grew
doubtful by and by and pulled out
Thus the movement had its rise ant
its fall. Nothing has been heard from
it lately.
The wonder is that even twenty-fy,
stuck it out in good faith, paying il
their little contributions from time tt
time to the fund and reveling in thi
| fond dream Of some day crossing owe
to the land where burn the sands ant
| where live. the kangaroos.
But they did, and they are going t
| Africa sure enough. Information wa'
received at Mr., Appler's Office yester
day from the New York Office of tn,
Central railroad company .instructinl
him. to issue the tickets for twenty
five colored tourists from Atlanta t
] New York vis the Savannah steam
| ship line. The money for the tickets
| has been put in the hands of the rail
| road people in New York and the spe
cial steamer to take the excursionists
over to Africa will sail next week.
They will take their Christmas din
uers in Africa Think Of it, il
| Africa!
It is funny sight to look upon tn
types of excursionists that stood ther'
in the Central railroad Office yester
day. They were older than one woule
think, and when they go to Africa i
will be to die. Many Of them ar
stopped under the unfriendly touch O
age and have the frosts from the al
mond tree on their brows. They wer
all poorly clothed, wearing trouser
that bagged about their bony knee
and coats with patches about the but
tonholes and up and down the arm
sleeves.
They are terribly in earnest abou
this business. Somebody dared asl
them if they didn't think they woult
suffer from undying cravings for tn
Georgia watermelon over there ii
Africa, but didn't insist on an answe
when he saw the joke grated so harsh
| ly upon the feelings of the colore'
yoyagers.
They won't be joked about it. The,
have been working hard for two Who'll
years, practicing strictest economy il
order that they might take this tri.
and 90 home to Africa to lay them
selves down and die. How they hav
gone to bed hungry night after nigh
| in order to put aside few nickels an
dimes for this fund How they hav
worn rags in cold, raw winter tim
just for the sake of keeping unbroke
this pretty dream now blooming into
reality.
The story is not without its patheti
side. They leave tomorrow and vii
go right through to New York in tim
to catch the steamer to Africa mex
week. They say there is no sue
thing as "turn back" in this business