davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1894-11-09

the weather and ground are yet too dry -
encourage the sower. even II all had seed
TO SOW. which some have not In fact
there seems . lood prospect that the semi
arid regions will experience dry fall. like
the one last year. and In that case 10
would be little use % SOW Some of tho
counties In these States VIII put In very
large areas cjmpared with last yeaE
Corn-The corn crop at harvest Is quite
generally good In hardness and dryness,
but In quantity Is the same as indicated
by former reports
Horses - Horses are In generally good
condition as TO flesh and health The sup
ply OF common and poor horses Is very
largo In spite OF the incessant warnings
OF tho agricultural press, farmers have
con In ued To breed cheap mares 10 cheap
stations, and nov have on their hands
myriads OF horses so poor In quality
that no one wants them, and some
cannot be given away. In some
localities the prices are the lowest IN forty
years Few good driving horses or road
sters are reported, but great multitude
OF very ordinary farm work horses and
scrubs Itseems doubtful II there will be
a rise In prices under present nditions.
and would indicate that farmers must
adopt better meiho Is In breeding.
Pastures Under the influence OF the
fall rains the pastures have revived In
most OF the States In some places they
are the best ever known. This Is proving
great blessing to The farmers with short
hay and fodder crops 1t Will give n boun-
tiful supply OF food till the frost kills IL
and will send the cattle into winter In bet
ter condition than usual
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1894-11-09

age. At tho sound of the bell the ne
groes proceeded TO tho fields, walking
In struggling line, exchanging gibes,
repartee and comical remarks on sub
jects Of momentary interest. Their
labor among the cotton and the corn
plants was cnlivened by all sorts Of
jokes and running fire of witticisn s.,
which, however, were checked as the
overseer or the driver came within
hearing. Resting spell were frequent;
indeed, were 1T not for the presence TO
t0me one in authority, the resting
spells would have occupied the most
OF the day, for as not one of the "a
borers was working for mis- own ben
eft, he seldom cared how little he
did, and for n delinquency always
had q ready ii not a sufficient excu @.
While the men and women were en-
ployed In the fields the little negroes.
or pickaninnies rs they were called,
were left in charge of some old
nanny, an ancient colored woman
no longer able to do plantation work.
She took care OF the babies, watched
the pickaninnies, to make sure they
got into no mischief, and gave the
youngsters their rations. These were
OF the simplest description, pot liq-
uor" being the basis OF the substan-
iials and molasses Of the dainties.
Pot liquor was the water in which
ham, beef and other meats were boiled.
1t was, in fact, a thin soup, but when
thickened with meal or vegetables and
reboiled, il made a reason ably nutri-
tious diet, and SO highly was it re-
garded on the Southern plantations
that TO raise little negroes without
pot liquor" was regarded as a prac-
teal impossibility. Pot liquor and
hominy, @pone bread" and fat bacon,
with molasses, constituted the staple
rations Of the slaves the year round,
except of those favored few who were
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1894-11-09

New England neigh borhoods it was
supposed that Southern planters
hitched negroes to plows like beasts of
burden and compelled them to do the
work of o en-, nor was this idea COM
pletely dissipated b. Southern man
explaining its fallacy by showing that
not less than six able-bodied slaves
would be need ID draw one pillow, that
six slaves would cost from $4,000 to
ST., 1000, while m lie, which would do
the work much more efficiently, could
be had for less than 800. The notion
that all masters were heartless, that
all overseers were necessarily brutal,
that all slaves we're treated with cru
city, and, like Gagged birds, were con-
stantly pining for liberty, became
familiar to the Northern mind, and,
indeed, the prevalence of these mis-
takes and the indignation felt on this
account had no little to do with brl n.y.
ing on the war.
It is true that there were masters n
the South who treated their slaves
cruelty. 1t is true that there were
brL tai overseers, who someti res in
flicted needless cruelty upon the hap
less creatures over whom they were
placed in authority. 1t is true that
helpless ne lroes were sometimes
frightfully maltreated: that faml les
were separated and their various II o ~
bers sold TO different purchasers, to be
taken to different quarters of the coun-
try. All these things were abuses Of
the system in idental to it, probably
fnseparable from it. But it is not true
that cruelty was the rule, that the
slaves were starved and uselessly beat
en-, for such policy would have been
in direct cOntravention of the owner s
interest, and while Southern planters
did not as rule consult their own in
terests as much as they should have
done, they were sufficiently aware of
the value of their own property not to
I'M air it by usele crr city.
Among the masters of the South
there were many men who did what
they could to ameliorate the condition
of their slaves, who recognized tn o
fact that the peculiar institution was
among them. not by their own wish or
act, and that it should be n anaged in
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1894-11-09

the big plantations WIS, it is true,
mostly work. During the blu y season,
which of course depended upon the
crop, the hours were long and the
work severe, but at any other time the
slaves were not as rule overworked,
nor indeed during even the busy sea-
son was their labor much more arduous
than that Of the construction gangs
now employed in building a railroad.
In the field work, whether hoeing or
picking cotton, cultivating the corn or
sugar cane, both men and women took
hand, the latter frequently doing
quite as much as the former.
The entire p antation was under
the supervision of the overseer, who
was usually a white man. The
owner rarely troubled himself alb ut
the details OF the plantation work,
leaving all these matters to his
overseer, who was supposed to
carry on all the business pertaining to
the plantation, t. keep the books, to
preserve an account of the expenses
and the income, and, in short, to be
the business agent and account keeper
OF the plantation. He, and not the
master, anne in direct contact with
the slaves, and to him they looked for
buClI OIuOlos bnO ONOIbt0E Ndo
honest and ca able the plantation bust
ness frequently prosperei; If he was
the -ntrary, the plantation soon ran
down, and not few plantation owners
went through the unpleasant expert
ence OF every year being compelled to
sell off piece OF land or few slaves
to make b til ends meet.
While the overseer was the princi-
pal executive OIL Ger OF the plantation,
he fire. 3uently, however, delegated q
portion of his authority TO subordi-
nate known as driver. The plan
tation driver was commonly an old and
trusted negro man, who, by many years
OF faithful service, had acquired a
claim to his masters consideration.
He was often preacher, and thus had
&C luired over his fellows an ascenden-
cy which caused him TO be respected
as in every way their superior. His
official position In plantation etiquette
was next to that OF the overseer, and
he wss even occasionally intrusted
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1894-11-09

|enos, Per for many hours every day, and
kt6 hore were persons who imagined that
de.. u wore chains such as graced the
b it;n Rss Of refractory work-house con-
mps Mes or unusually tough members of
meqey chain gang, The popularity OF
hos. Gle Toms Cabin" with its vivid
nstle snres of the miseries of slave life,
esraliti 10 ponsible for not few of these
w,lfs itakes, while legion of limitations
his really strong book copying its
{ luns. matte and sensational features
20 y<witAout emulating the interest No
character Of its narrative, must be
q ucredited with most of the remaining
ran6 mistakes which, even at the present
day, are cur. ent in many neighbor
ntefroods as to the condition OF the former
&outhern slaves. Many of these mis-
n Nlkes, says correspondent of the st.
|Theouis Globe Democrat were even
frotesque in their absurdity. In some
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1894-11-09

We're contending with, and at
once planned for the suppress
sion of that vice. lie organized
the Civic Federation consisting OF
some of the best people of the Windy
City. Then he enlisted the aid OF con-
stables and detectives and concerted
move was made upon the gambling
houses. The effort to raid these es-
Establishments resulted in a number of
fights, in which club, and revolvers
were usel and several Lersons were
injured, but at last the reverend gentle
man and his Iosse succeeded In land
ing several scores OF gamblers behind
the barr He has since ecured their
indictm Mt While gambling has not
been entirely su pres ed the majority
of the houses have Teen closed and
there has been large decrease In
the profits of those which are running.
Mr.. Clark's next move will be against
immoral houses. He is at present the
most talked-about man in Chicago and
a large number are advocating his ele-
walton to the mayoralty at the next
alactit n
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1894-11-09
Telegraphlc CIic'ss.

GEORGE GOULD'S match company
has been organized.
DULUTH voted to buy the city water
works and gas plant.
PLATE-GLASS manufacturers are en-
deavoring to form trust.
A SNowSToRM Ia ting eight hours
occurred at Hay 81 rings, Neb
SEVERAL buildings burned at Rolla,
Mo-, causing loss OF 100000.
J. NJ. GREGG. a prominent business
man OF Burlington, Iowa. is dead.
Mrs. w. Fl JONES was oInd dead
at Salem, Ohio Murder is suspected.
JOSEPH KERCHER was xii ed at Phil
adelphia, Pa, by hatted baseball
AN unknown steamer and all hands
went down in the English channel.
ORDERS have be N .ued to work
the Reading collieriei t. their iull ca
racity.
GOVERNMENT troops will be sent to
indian Territory TO rid the country OF
bandits.
w. J. BARNES l. held at Sioux City,
Iowa, ID answer to "a score of charges
OF forgery.
TIE Rev. ORA. =. Harper, for forty
years a mi ,sionary in China, died at
Wooster, Ohio.
J. A. FRANCIS, teller of the City
Bank at Hartford Conn, is in al. His
shortage is S23 o..
THE power house and machine shop
of the Canadian canal at Sault Ste.
Marie, Canada, burned.
CHARLES f. ANDERSON, n Swsde,
committc suicide at Hot Springs, Ark,
by taking morphine.
SOCIETY people of Oct oft engaged
in fox hunt. an aniseed lag being
substituted for the o..
THREE trainmen w re injured and
considerable property destroyed by
collision at Lima, Ohio. y
GOVERNMENT officials have made q
vigorous protest TO Germany against
the war on American catt.e.
THE American brig Z. w. Lucas,
Puget Sound u San Francisco, was
abandoned at ca in a leaking condi-
ton.
DR.LENT, botanist, and DR.. Kretzsch-
mar, zocl)gis 4, and several bllck fol-
lowers have been ain in Africa by
natives.
A GUN exploded in the hands OF
Philip Raymond. OF West Newton,
Mass, and killed his wife and c-year-
Gibson.
JOAQUIN INFANTE, one OF the
wealthiest men OF New Orleans, died
at sea while en- route from Sicily TO
New Orleans.
BOSTON and New York capitalists
have formed a syndi, ate to purchase a
line OF newsra. jers i.Um the Atlantic
to the Pacific.
OFFICIALS of the United Mine
Workers deny the rumors that the
coal miners of illinois contemplate an
other general strike.
ALICE BRANDON, OF Wausau, Ind,
took poison at Frankfort, Ind, and
died. She left lett saying, The
wages OF sin Is death"
CHARLES REEVES committed suicide
at Hot Springs, Ark. by shooting.
Reeves was from Mexico. and had been
In the city two weeks. He left no
statement.
CONGRE 5SMAN HALL, OF Minnesota,
was very seriously injured by falling
from a trestle after political rally at
Hastings In hurrying for mis- train
he stepped off trestle and fell head
foremost twenty feet
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1894-11-09

on the cam align with Moukden, the
Manchurian capital, as the OF. ective
point. Unless they are fully prepared
to make this winter campaign, S me-
thing heretofore unknown in Eastern
warfare, they will be obliged to force
the lighting and move with great
speed, as but fifteen days remain be-
fore cold weather comes.
In the neighborhood OF Port Arthur,
whore the second japanese success is
re orted, the winter climate is not so
severe and operations may be main
tanned until much later in the season,
particularly in view Of the excellent
base of supplies afforded for tie Jap
anese troops in the presence of their
own war vessels in the reighborhood,
which will keep open free lines of COM
munication with Corea and Japanese
supply Forts. 1t is believed that not
with tanding the taking Of Chinese
fort by the Japanese at PoSt Arthur
the place will be able to holl out for a
long time. 1t is st ongly fortified by
land ard sea, the plans being drawn by
experience European engineer GERS
and can offer a most formidable resist
ance. TIE experts in Washington be-
lieve that it cannot be reduced by the
Japanese without the use of heary
siege artillery and so far as reported
the Japanese are not supplied with
this.
Inasmuch as the capture of Port Ar
thur would result in giving Japan con-
troll of the Gulf of Pc Chi Ii and cit
of the Chinese capital from communi-
cation with the sea, it is believed that
the Japanese will make most deter
mined effort to capture the fortress.
The belief that they are prepared to
do this, even If it involves long siege
and a winter campaign, is borne out
b. the fact that the agents of the Jap
anese government in this country have
quietly bought up vast store OF goat
skins, and have practically cornered
the market AS these skins are COM
monty used in China and Japan as a
necessary part of the soldiers winter
raiment, it is fair to presume that the
Japanese are making ready for win
ter campaign. Great interest is shown
in the rews at both Japanese and Chi
nese legations in Washington.
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1894-11-09

erty. Instances were occasionally seen
of slaves being allowed to pul chase
themselves where the laws az the
State permitted 1t. though ON . In .
while curious misuse wa made OF
the purchasing power, as In the case
of the old kentucky slave who, b.
working overtime, acquired enough to
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1894-11-09
GAIN TWO VICTORIES.
JAPS WIN THE FIRST BATTLE
FOUGHT ON CHINESE SOIL
Mil<a dos Forces Prepare to Make n Tell
Ing Advance Before Cold Weather Crop
Conditions Reported from Twelve States
Death of Honore Mercier.
One Port Arthur Fort Falls.

Two important and significant Jap
anese victories are recorded by United
States Minister DENLY in cable to the
State Department at Washington. He
says that the Chinese forces have been
defeated at Chin Lien Cheng, and have
retreuted to Moukden, and that the
JaIane have taken ore of the Chi
nese forts at Port Arthur.
The scene of the first engagement is
just across the Yalu river in Ma, chu-
ria, and it marks the first real agrees
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1894-11-09

with the power Ct innieting corporal
punishment on tho negroes placed in
his charge, IN authority he was rarely
slow to exercise. for Il was a notorious
fact that the driver was always harder
on the plantation hands than was the
0versoer.
The plantation was always fitted cut
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1894-11-09

employed around the masters house,
who served his table and ate and
drank, with some few exceptions, what
the family did. The working day over,
its conclusion being announced by the
bell, the slaves returned from the field
as they went. only with far more of
noisy merriment, for there was always
a sense Of relief at the conclusion OF a
days toll
evening at tho quart rs was the
many slaves there we're always some
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1894-11-09

with bell, which hung in a frame at
the top of post and was rung as sig
nal for the beginning aud end of the
hours Of work. Small slave-owners
contented themselves with a horn,
which answered the same purpose, and
the sound OF the dinner horn has thus
been perpetuated in Southern litera-
tune and in negro imagery, but the
bell was the accepted feature, and a
plantation without a bell was consid-
cred to be somewhat below the aver
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1894-11-09

people have sustained change sorad,
ical that it can not be considered but
as a change OF character. They have
lost much of the careless happiness OF
slavery, but have gained ina knowl.
edge Of the respon Utility II freedom.
The change Is immeasuphple, and even
the most radical ADVOCATE OF the old
system would not now Venture on a re-
turn to slavery and ths Powers eer, or to
affirm that the freed pan l. not inf
I n,its!y superior in eve, 9 respect to the
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1894-11-09

buy half interest in himself from his
master-of course with the latters
conse I. Half of his time was thus his
own, and his ma ter naturally expect
ed that, having gone so far, he would
continue his efforts, and finally manu-
nit himself To tie surprise OF the
gentleman, however the half-liherated
slave spent his own allotment of time
in loafing about the village, and after
a few months OF this sort OF exercise
he disposed of his own interest in him
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1894-11-09
CROP CONDITIONS.
Cores onde 70 I'm Twelve States Give In
formation for Farmers.

The Farmers Review has received
reports from its correspondents in
twelve States on the relative area of
wheat being sown, on the condition of
the corn crop at harvest, on condition
OF horses, with supply and prices, and
the condition OF pastures.
Wheat seeding-tn spite Of the low
prices of wheat the area seeded this fall
will be about the same AS last In most OF
the States reported, except, perhaps.
Kansas and Nebraska In all the States
there are counties where less wheat will DO
sown than last year, but these counties are
not numerous They are Offset By the
counties that will SOW more than the usual
en- cunt In Western Nebraska and Kansas
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1894-11-09

sive movement by
the JAP anese on Chi.
nese 8 oil. for it Is bt-
lieved that the pre-
ceding movements on
the west side o, I o
Yalu ri er by the
Japanese have been
in the nature OF ski =
mishes to develop
the real st ength of
the Chinese forces.
This ha ing be Q n
done, the Japanece
are supposed to have
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1894-11-09

self to a neighbor of his masters,
gentleman of the vicinity. When asked
how he came to do this he replied
that he had no confidence in negro
property, anyhow. II not en- irely
apocryphal, this illustration seems to
show that the negroes of the Southern
States accepted their lot and were rs
happy in 1t as it was possible for them
to be under the circumstances. l. ife on
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1894-11-09

] CIV. w. G. Clarke,
ons of IL o eloquent
young preachers Of
that city, who has set
out on q mission of
municipal e { orma-
ton. Clarke S meth
DDS differ somewhat
from those of the New
y ork divine. After
a areful survey of
the field, he came to
the conclusion t h a t
t h Q gambling evil
was the worst o n Q
N, !, n l. rhfoo ron ., a
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1894-11-09

|ly prevale t that
the condition of the
slaves in the South
before the war was
one of abiect and
hopeless mise ry.
They were sup
posed TO be COM
PEELED to labor un-
dor a. eruel task-
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1894-11-09
MERCER is NO MORE.

Ex-Prem!er OF Quebec Yields After a
Long Struggle for Life.
Ex-Premier Mercier died at Mon
treal Tuesday morning. He had been
sick for many weeks, during which his
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1894-11-09

mch a manner as to entail the least
possible suffering upon its unhappy
ictims. Under the care OF such mas
q was poss BILE for the slaves to
let and not unhappy life. and
'er exceptionally faYorable
a. to acQuirs q Ett1s prop
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1894-11-09
FDsNTE-B ELLUM TIMES,
n PLANTATION LIFE DURING THE
DAYS OF SLAVERY.

pieAs Happiness of the Slave Contrast
re rCon with the Respons Utilities OF the Freed
- Labors and Amusements In the
pld and at this Quarters.
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1894-11-09

AS New York looked upon Rev. DR..
Parkhurst two years ago, so the citi-
Zens of ChicaoO are now regarding
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1894-11-09

death had been al
most momentarily ez-
pected.
Hope of recovery
had been given up
weeks ago. In fact,
from the moment that
he first felt seriously
Ill on the 18th OF
August last it had
been felt that he lay
on his death bed. Mr..
MERCER had b ZEN suf-
fering from a compli-
cation of diseases for
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1894-11-09

years past, diIbetes predominating.
After his defeat at the general cleo
tions of March, 1892 his friends ex-
Ire sed the opinion that he had only
Six months to live, but by dint of
adopting alb jtemious habits OF living
he managed to prolong his life.
Honore MERCER was born at ST.
Athancose, Que, in 1910. He was edu-
cited at the Jesuit College in Mont
real and began the study of law. He
was for time edito' OF the Courier de
st. Hyacinthe and was admitted to the
bar in 1865. In 1883 Me cier was elect
ed leader of the Quebec Liberals. The
feeling arou. Cd by the execution of
Riel, the leader of the half-breed re-
bellion In tho Northwest, gave him a
great opportu 4 ty, and when the cleo
tion of ls8o came on he organized q
brilliant cam paign, which led to the
defeat OF tie Conservative Govern
ment. Mr.. MERCER was summoned to
form a CABINET on Jan. Il, 1857. His
administration was full OF exciting in
cidents. AS Premier he was stanch
champion of French Canadians and
their lights. One of the NEST i'm
por'ant acs OF his administration was
the settlement of the Jesuit estate
question, by which the Jesuits were
laid large sum of money, and which
provoked storm OF Indignation In the
other provinces. He attracted con-
siderable attention on account of his
advocacy of Canadian Independence.
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1894-11-09

ing their masters during long journeys
through the North and remaining as
devoted on free as on slave soil.
The slave AMI the freedman are two
es entially different persons. Since
the emancipation the Southern colored
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1894-11-09
THE FOE OF VICE.

Rev. w. G. Clarke, the Parkhurst of the
Windy CITY.
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1894-11-09
story of slave Life.

c~srA.s HE idea Is general
0n1 LXI1ou - LIZ Iai.ora Ia 4 fhaf
The Bossier banner., 1894-11-15
Age improves it.

The Youths Companion is soon to
enter upon its sixty-ninth year of
publication, and as one says who has
been constant reader of its columns
Tor more than thirty years, cit has
steadily improved year by year." Its
articles to-day cover the whole field
OF life and experience, furnishing a
vast amount of valuable and enter
tanning reading of a character not
found elsewhere, and of so great a
variety that the Companion interests
alike each member of the family.
The prospectus for the volume of
1898 announces an unusual array of
attractions; fourteen serial stories.
wealth of short stories, anecdotes.
humorous sketches, adventures, sci
ence and home articles, timely edito-
rails on all important questions, and
more than two hundred original
poems of the highest class.
Full prospectus and specimen cop
les sent free on application. New
subscribers who send SITS now will
receive the paper free to January l,
1898, and one year from that date
1t comes every week. Finely Illus
trated. The YoUrH's COMPANION,
Boston, Mass.