The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-03-31


scattered over the fields. in the woods,
or on the hillsides. Outwardly these
abodes are oftentimes very little OF an
improyement or the quarters or savage
tribes in Africa, and they are approached
NV footpaths which remind the observer
of n very primitive state Cf existence
but they have this advantage, they en-
atle the negroes to live their own lives
in their own way, and because the con
GitIons SAVIOR OF the barbarous they are
the more congenial 10 them. i do not
wonder that they like the South and are
homesick when they leave it, No one
who has any touch Of Bohemianism In
him or even finds enjoyment in camping
out will be without sympathy with their
feeling when he encounters them IN lne
many paths In the fields and the WOODS
which have been worn by the feet OF
these children Of nature. UndouDteoly'
great numbers Of them are attracted 10
the towns by the same magnet whlch al
this time is drawing thither the county,
population the world over; but they are
in surrounding more congruous. artist
callv certainly, when they are ledu'hs
this seml-barbaroUs life. 49,,
The influence OF the whites upon thenl
has induced very many OF TINS liIeie f 70
people 10 adopt habits OF CLEANLINESS ~
fhe keeping Of their humble ap',,.,'
which. unfortunately, are disgrace ~
neglected by a large part OF lne .s,onr
vision Of the whites known as tne -
,vbitosr Since the war these once nl,s
o,.,hl enooimens of human ity, the VIC
tims ~ the old system of rIaVery' nav
i,,nroved their condition to sIeaI 'N
tont "a small farmers, but multltuues VI
49,, orc stll at the lowest Social leNrl
-. than any reached by the negroes.
A.. Asboville a gaunt old woman WIN
no. beqging under the pretehce VI i,
balf q dozen withered apples ll a "a, co
innortuned me with a whliiihs ,ie,o,ast
,ar,,liarlv fiat and nasal as 10 s u8ses'
- ..,,,,,,,- t,ast speech" and TO lhdicate
t.tolabIv that she was American
horn and of long American uesCent p
ho,e from the refuse OF hdIhaIlIIS -. a.,
v,ortod 70 Virginia and Noih al Oii Iie -,
III, colonial days. | was struCh ny
- .,oidont because a straightouI dno
downrieht American proicsslolai - -
,,ss a novelty in my experience o LA
a wrctched and repulslVe sordid
a. ,,ot,, calico. and showing SUI ~
III ua,y v,ithered face under an Oh
- c,,od sun-bonnet, though the Wed'H
a. tboee mountain regions was piHnb'
81 ..oo,,1{aritv about the South "hi0n %
-, observable, is that the oecdy VI
,,annors" of which so much mas 80
,ritton in our time in TINS coun"S 90
1870 has not extended TO H. ANU 10
-, 1,oey,nning to reach it. The cour''oy
Of the people generally Is sun Ioi .ha
,rd suggestive OF the manners Vi
tot century A few days ago "a"
eastman. United States let'eI il.,,,.
Who lifted his hat as ne hallueu - a
"a q woman who opened the u0Oi -
,,orv modest dwelling In southern 49,,
Frequently men lift their mats 10 -,
other. ! have seen conductoIS VI 90
cors now numerous in this region w
81 - yban addressed by ladies'. 1
Iool,ed i'm al a dance in Village anu
80 etruck by the formal Difference VI
r. mon "a the women. Some OF ule
,,o,,ro fellows took hold Of the girls III d
yvaltz as If they were maze OF liaeiio
class or were goddesses whom IL Na'
nrestlmptuous for them 10 TOUCH lho
eult was that the occasion hau O"a'
acter of solemnity which seemed 10 me 10
dctract somewhat from its purpose as an
entertainment. AS / was tourneylns 10
Richmond a stalwart young felloW VI
rather rough appearance ehteIeu 'no
with a demure young malueh' IoI 49,,
he found a seat, about Whlch ne uiSPooOu
her travelling furniture, her panuoo oN
her bundles and her cotton uhlDreIid' III
a. ,vas raining. If she had been a queen
~ With more deferential devotion, OF
rbo have received his service with more
~ the air of one accustomed TO the
bonare,o of loval subjects. She smiled upon
him craciously as he wrestled WIN Hel
huge bandbox and many bundles anu
when ne hurried from the car alteI II
hogon "a move she extended to him her
hand condescendingly but she dld NOT
turn TO elate MIN unduly with me auul-
tional favor of glance through the VIII
dow as the train drew away from tne
station. Instead, she opened her H''ie
satchel. took from 1t package OF enc"
inc-eum, and set Ia chewing calInlg' CoH-
tinuing the exercise until she reacheu nei
destination. fifty or sixty miles beyond.
on my return trip yesterday was toiu
at one of the stations that Tilted sutton
, ,cung man of wealth and consequence
i'm the community there, had just sho'
himself I'm his despair and mortincauoh'
| and IL was spoken of as not eXtraordl-
nary proceeding for southern lovers 10
! become desperate under such clrcum-
| staTCes
These are simply illustrations TO indl-
cate how widely the tone OF manners
! they exhibit prevails AT the South. Inc
use of sir" in addressing social equals
| is frcurcnt. Yesterday / heard man adj
dress his wife as ma am. Inc clVlhty
! of the people to strangers is remarkable,
| and far from displeasing in its formal
courtesy. The Difference to women espe-
! cially is striking.
have touched on only a few of the
/ points on which / intended to write, but
! as this letter must have exhausted your
! pationco. ! shall have TO reserve for an
other letter some observations OF the Ne"
| c,,,tb IL ic called.
| MANHATTAN.