Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-07-30
NEGRO LABOR ~ THE SOUTH.
A Little on ON Dialect, Eut other
Wise ke-y True.

While this recital was going on ! had
noticed lank. awkward. negro s!dle to-
wards us and lean on the nearest corner
Of the store counter with his back half
turned. but with an air OF somewhat OBJ
trusiye expectancy he appeared TO wish
to embrace q good opportunity for at
tracing our attention without letting us
observe that We were in his mind. lie
was glossy black in color and his hoilo"
checks led down to LONG protrudins'
chin set at an angle of forty-iFr nt-
erees to TIE general surface a. MS la'r.
lie had narrow, almcnd-sh1pti eyes OF
which the whites were Conspicuous iDf
their extreme wilderness and their a.s-
proportion 10 the pupils. when soNs'i
the corners ofteucr than the centre.
There was suggestion 81 turtlv. ness
in every motion Of his muscles ana eN-
preston OF his features
"Thcre IS the chronic grGmbier or the
whole plantation" whispered my friend
- me with a jerk of the head in me
direction OF the negro. u expect I'd
get rid OF him a. the close Of THIS year,
for he is dem0rdiiZ.rg 20 the rest Lex
me touch him up IL little ami give you
specimen of his quality NJ eH' HIa'-
tus." me- went on. addressing o. grlmh.er,
to me. What is on your mindt
sneak 10 you. s3hw echoed the negro
in "A nasal draWl and with much the
slna infection that lago uses in his
"Ioreet. my TorI2" he seemed 10 SUCK
ana taste each word before ut,er.ns g.
NO sab. I want tryin' 30 'trude man
SET avn you. sah-hits not man place.
ooh. yes. you were. Erastus. You were
hanging about there 10 attract my ap
tention in the hope that | wouid ASK yYN
u unbosom yourself; 80 out win
auic< You are In some sort OF trouble
1 know. The last time ! was here Np-t
family were an sick. the time before
that they were starving: the time before
that somebody had stolen hall ~ your
corn There must be something the
matter n0w-what . IT,
"W.U. Fah. ! amt got much ter COM
plain Of But / think, sab. DE sto am
trated me honest. lit owes me half a
dollar for half days WORK but II won
give mo DO money or DO trade.
How does tie store come 90 be owing
you for a half-iay's work.
"WrI. san. hit was dis-a-way. You see
Mr. k" Ohe store-keepen "tole me ID
come heah an put in days work avn
rntndin' the roof I come an worked hdf4'
sab. dat mawnin'. I dd some hc 49,
uftir'. and when had nah dinner jess
laid down fer de res o d. DAY
"You lay down, eh. and dd not come
back 10 work.
no sab. You see, / was liftin' IN Dc
mawu.n'. an when noon come Afi %
misery in nah ches'-hit alN1 comes
when I DO heavy ltdn'. 7 come to .lt.
X fer nah pay ueXt day. bat iva o. c
no use. II say / gagged fer a day "'i"
an | hadn't Civ IT, an be wouiin pay
me. an dats fat We had some iuss.n
bout II. but hit doant pay me. san' ter
fuss VIII white man, 50 ] come 10 you
% see II YOU mighten' do som. Do
NO. Erasus. ! Think not. Mr.. ~ u
=, cbarre of the store. and 1 hold him
accountable for IT, lie knows all tn CIT
cumstances and he Is fair man VINO
would not hold back penny OF your pay
III YOU had earned H. H. would pi0hdn.y
tel me that you had done a certain
amount Of work IN the morning. ana tall
YOUR cessation AT the precise time you H'i
embarrassed his whole PLAN laat Us your
weak point. Erastus-You never lo1A "-
h,it one eide Of RI thing. and that is tt'
side OF your own comfort ana cohFeA--
ence."
Frastus made no reply. ana stirred not
from his place: but his head bowed sli5.t-
w. and his eyes roll circuit oi 'A'
ceiling. and he shifted his weight from
one foot to the other
GONE. now. Erstus." said the planter
you have something still on your minI'
what Is it?' ,,-
"Weu san. Re- chimbley avn meah cabin
is a lset.e loose ny a-top, an / Thought
You mi-ht have IT mendad'
1T doesn't need bat q troWehul OF NOR
tar. docs it?'
no. sab. s'pose datd do H."
"rhan why on earth don't you mend u
Yourself? Alr. X will give You the
MATERIAL
Put de cawntracts. sab. say as how
v'u's got TO lux after de r'payahs doh
it2"
II dare say. But there are a hundred
things the contract doesn't require me 10
fo which | am doing continually for your
benefit. and saying nothing about u.
Doesn't IL seem % you that you could
do IL little bit Of repairing Ike that on
your own cabin. without coming 10 me
with q long story?
But dc cawntrac', sah-the GAVIN
trac.-"
ION. bother the contract Now, have
YOU anything of real Importance 10 say
20 m-f'
It's hap'le. and Mr.. X say he caih nt
ut 'nudler one 'thout scndin' ter Mem
phis. an al Be time nah c0tlon's GROWN
thick. an cahn't chop hi out
"For goodness sake. Erastus isn't there
enough WOOD on the plantation 90 enable
you 10 make hoe-handle which you can
use tlll Mr. x can get new one down
from the cityg'
yves. sab. I s'pose that might be So:
hut de cauutrac say y0u's ter p'v.de all
fo tools. AM when dis yeah one dons
broke. an 10 TUX sech right smart o.
time ter git 'uudior--"
hone vou'u make an lron-bound contract
with The Lord when He takes You o.
Heaven. and hold Him % g. for | suspect
Won viii r. yer ct fun satisfaction our "
any one You deal with on this sphere
"Yes. san-dat might be So" draw.ed
Frlstus SIN sucking his nasa. words M
"a. shu.red away. pat might be- So.
sab: but nisgah mans got ter 'sist avn
his RIGHTS when his tralin' wI a "hiie
man or he don stan no show