Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1894-01-13
Darisey Life Douea in old Virginia
BIT Ri.

darkey life 10 that old state The race
of gold uncle" and soId NANNY
darkies is fast dying ont, it viii soon
become extinct More OF them are
sleeping in their silent homes where
de iVies creep" than are living in
cabins over whose doorway "de honey
suekIe climbs"
The aold Uncle Neds" and the ''old
NANNY Tilda AIMS will soon have
place only ia the memory Of their
survivors. Another race far less res
pected and far less esteemed is fast
taking their places The proud Old
Virginia planters, once aristocratic
Shareholders, never tire of telling of
the qualities Of the old plantation
darkey as a servant Of labor and help
At the approach Of twilight as they
sit on their broad Terandas, or in the
evenings when the family is gathered
around the blazing heartb-stone they
tell affectionately of the faithfulness,
the efficiency and the trusting sim
plicity of the old family servants.
Perhaps the world will never sec
their like again. Their ambition was
TO be good servants, nothing more
No ruler on his throne was ever proud
.er than an old darkey foreman On a
big plantation. have been delight
fully amused as they would tell me Of
their dextrOus feais and wonderful
performances in the past One said
to me in boastful pride Long time
ago, | could cotch a horse and sOt de
saddle on him, quicker den a solger,
and eyybody knows how peart de
sOlger is. Bress your soul, Use driv
old marsa and old misses many times
in de kerridge, when de horses would
fairly split de ar, deg was so speerited
and run so fast, and old misses WASH
feerd bit. Old marse would say
BE keerful Ned, don't let'm git de
best Of you, and den | would Jar up
on de reins and hold N 10. Fur fact,
] wouldn't turn outer &c middle of de
road for no niger driver you ever
seed.
Their chief pleasure is TO boast OF
their wonderful feats in plantation
work. Everyone esteemed himself .
hero at moonlight corn shocking, q
log rolling, barn raising or IN hand
ling a scythe in the harvest field.
No chef ever felt his importance
more when he had prepared spread
of dozen covers for swell banquet
than an 'old NANNY cook when sh'
had baked to brown de pOssum anC
de taters aud hadn't scortched de sic
ed later pies single bit These poo
old people live proudly in the pas
and many of them still hunger 70
"the flesh pots Of Egypt
The young race coming after then
will never fill their places. AS rae
they will never become sufficient
educated TO make intelligent citizens
nor are they industrious enough t
prosper and accumulate property a
the result of their labor. Their aim
are met when they can escape an hor
est days work and have a good time
They are lovers Of display and lik
pomp and big meetin's 1t is no III
common thing to see a party Of ther
board train and ride to a 10 mil
distant station and then walk bac
for the pleasure Of haYingaa scursion.
The following little darkey poer
will glee your readers an impressiv
idea of one phase of Southern lii
hbefo de wah, and of the respectfl
obedience and the considera tion th
old-time-da had for his old Mar
ter and his old Marsters family.
MARsE TOMS ASLEEP.
Jes' back befo' de lannon's roah
Wuz heard tbro'out de Ian,
! means by dat, sometime befo'
De Niger wuz free man;
! hain't gWine spick o. slaY'Fy kase
II don't bar on de case.
But WIZ happy in dem days
Dat doan come out D. place.
Along about de early spring,
When plantin' time had come;
When birds begin TO chirp and sing,
And honey bees TO hum,
Msrse Tom would beckOn wild his han
And say, now Lud, you keep
De chlllun quiet, UNDERSTAND
In ggine 10 90 70 sleep.
De couch was near de wlnder whar
De breeze cud tuch his face
An when Marse Tom was sleepin' daT
Wuz quiet bout de place;
De little niggers go way down
De holler fer 70 play,
An Of dey come too close arogn'
Won haah If darn