New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-08
THE OLD-TIME PLANTER.
A RELIC OF FORMER DAYS IN THE SUI l."
FAST DISAPPEARING.
HE STICKS TO THE OLD METHODS Or
AND LIVES LIFE OF TRANQUIL

uo., ., ,ho nlanters at the South to-day cono'ne
Tho oesce ~ merchant with that of their iesi'','"
calling and keep a store 1.-THE plaoe' -.
whose stock the simple necessities OF ''e i,od
and their poorer white neighbors are pr,,on
Other landowners again. lease the maJol -. a
of their land in small tracts to such 'e"' 80 rro-
they deem responsible. reserving only
portion for their own planting ~ -,.yss
Distinct from these however. there sun su 49,,
a tyne OF the old-school planter OF iormei 49,,
who manages to CLEAN a comfortao'e -. &C.
his cotton fields without departing lro'" 1T
tablIshed methods OF his ancestors ne S''., =,
Yates all his acreage himself. hiring "oop
hands TO do the work. and as compe'e ,.i..s
az he can find TO oversee them. He sun me-
upon having the work thoroughly done III - -
fashioned way. and upon getting a NV" .,,,s
enjoyment and satisfaction out OF NE az - 10
his due. It is surprising how few cohcese,o 80,
has made to the changed conditions OF INC 49,,
reg,r,e He s USUALLY we'll advanced in years 'h'S
typical planter and probably managed the pa
several seasons before going TO the wal -,
getting an insight into the system Oh Ia" o
which he has followed ever since
4 FRESH START AFTER THE WAX
"When came home from the army there wash /
a mule horse or wagon on the place ho' ~ 80.
stock or bushel OF corn" he will tell you' III an,
alive with Renaissance. The mouse 'a -,
standing and ! was grateful for that. ou N'''
one Of my y!fe's negroes. had planted some p
tatoes so we had the benefit OF them gov 90
corn a crippled army mule and some hee'
ing implements from the Federal bureau !"
went in debt to get them. That was ivy -
There was not an acre OF that DIE heIu 80
then" motoning toward the sea OF growing co''o,
which spread. one level acreage OIL o'o0"'
TO the pine woods in the distance , .,
He is genial and good-humored' TINS su'N ~
the old type but he has inherited alohS w -
cotton lands and the experience which en"'' ,'n
TO till them. certain principles ana preJuu'0
ne would deem IT treason TO forego .
"Fducation is the certain ruination OF darHy'
he will affirm between long-drawn puns d. ne
nine ''IIe can't hoe a halfacre task dece"''S "
draw a furrow straight after mes got ny" -
writing or reading The Niger was "e"'' ~ II,
subservent to the white race, ana ne h'"as
be Some OF them learn. but the DIX "'
,or,,v can't are the arguments he VIII advance
later in the conversation. and he VIII speaA 90
nositlvelv and be 90 blandly unconscious tha' any
one else could possibly entertain dihereH
on the subject that his opponent cannot hHu - 81
his heart to disturb such perfect equanimiN'
RATIONAL ENJOYMENT HIS AIM
The p.anter cares little for politics except to DIS
cuss them with more or less heat when occa7o"
offers or for money making. or specu'aUns' u 49,
tho hundred and one distractions necessary 10 the
existence OF men more in touch with the WORM
He goes in for rational enjoyment. pure ana simple
o,d takes az much interest in the sports OF the
"a r,ous seasons as they around as ne u'u
thirty wears before Indeed he has preserved inc
heart OF A boy in the breast OF a man II 'here j.
dog or poultry show anywhere WITHIN 'he co"'''7'
OF his native State he is the first one 70 MAKE up
marty TO go TO II. He never misses a o'd'e IAN
a cattle show or an encampment. ana ~ certain
20 On 70 the springs or mountain resorts for few
u.eks each summer with his family. he urNss
tho hest horses in the county to church or court
ho,,se raises the best breed OF pups, has the
ro..iss. collection OF ported plants and Is looked
unon bv his neghbors as paragon OF good manage
rent Then you may be sure that hls VIE HaAes
the best preserves and pickles. raises the nhes'
,,rkevs and presldes over the best arranged table
anywhere for miles around
The planter rises early and. going out on the
rart,cuar piazza which overooks his negro quarters
rouaes the echoes with his horn ian accomplishment
not TO be despised this artistic Blowing OF horn'
as any ambitious amateur can testify This Is TO
summon the hands into he feds. The master
never allows anything TO interfere with this early
-s,rg as he never permits anything TO Interfere
With his after-dinner nap all the year round
III I myself do not get UP early, the work VIII De
DELAYED halfhour or So" he explains 10 the
guest whose morning sleep he fears has been DIS
turbed
HIS IDEAS ABOUT AGRICULTURE
After breakfast his horse is led TO the back
seps and he rides away over the heds looking Win
keen satisfaction or dissatisfaction. az the case may
ne at the various processes being carried on.
Don't plough so deep" is his direction as ne
ualks his steed along furrow TO note the manipu-
lations OF the ploughman. and further on ne VIII
pause 10 warn group OF turbaned cotton chop-
pers az TO the character OF their work
"Hoeing and ploughing seem very simple pro-
cesses" he Will observe. but have studied their
nossibiIties long enough 10 know Just what erect
too deep or too shallow. too far OF, or TOD close
working has upon my cotton These young men
don't notice close enough" he adds. "Often "neh
I ride by my neighbours fields would Ike 10 give
the order for the stop poughng. and leave
the n.ants in peace Some farmers think that az
ag-57cnI,urists when ten chances TO one they
doing the wrong thing. There is a time 10 plough
and a time not plough. but few recognize II.
The planter Is good shot but ne respects me
game laws mis- own land, though. II the
morning is fine nc will give his beagles run after
belaied rabbit Just for the excitement OF the
In the afternoon. when the is declining: he
will make another tour over the feds ana theSe
two excursions constitute his work for the day In
the harvesting season he vii! attend 70 the Weighing
OF the cotton himself AT the OF the day, ana IN
preparation Of the soil for the young crop, but all
5s he aes Of M hunt pc to
him peculiarly at that season
THE BoDY-sERvANT AND HIS DUTIES.
The body-servant is a survival OF the old regime
belonging exclusively to the planter. That attache
has however. been dwarfed by circumstance Into
a mere semblance Of former dignity. The body-ser-
want OF the present day usually reioicss IN some
high-soundlng name. such as Horatio or TheophiLus
and is notceabv conscious n his clothes. For MN
there has been no halfway station between the one
scant garment OF the corn field and tne luil IN
sigma OF office In which he fnds ninseN haD!ted'
50 he moves about in his creakng boots with a
panstakng clumslness only natural under tne CIR
cumstances but distinctly comcal His duty y u
10 m0lnt guard just outside the sittng-room door
until such time h. may be called upon. Mono'onS
and fran
Oftener than not he has 10 be reused from souui
Sleep to perform the functions or his cailhg 10
see Theophllus going through the form OF Drushlns
flies the while his eyes and ears are otherwise en-
gagged is treat 10 the observer anordins Amos!
hand-maiden tanning her the while she Kills
crOchets or otherwise employs her time.
Prohablv the most ENJOYABLE hour OF their appren-
ticeshp for Theophilus and this DUSK mald-h j.
the time devoted hunting eggs Tor me next gay
breakfast while the master ana mistress arr taxing
their after-dinner siesta Then II Is mat they can
romp as they please. scurrying up into lofts. crawl
in 'unher harns and buggy-hOuses. searching INTO