West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1896-12-10
TRE SUNNY SOUTH.
Characteristics OF the Descendants OF
Ham aud HOW II Is Born In Them
to Break the Eighth Commandment.


Special Correspondence Of rnE ARsus.
UNIVERSITY OF NASHVILLE,
November &c, 1896.
We may be familiar with North.
ern negroes, but his true traits are
only known when we see him in ali
gleeful glory under burning South
ern sun. Among the first things
noticed on entering Southern
city, in contrast with our more
Northern cities, is the swarm Of
negroes crowding rather stohdly
along every street, working in ev-
cry shop, and, what is more notice.
able, loafing on every street corner.
1t is darkey who first elbows to.
ward you asking, "'Ave Yo' any
trunk to be hauled or grip to be
toted % 1t is darkey who is
sweeping the walks in front of al
most every house; and, above all,
1T is darkey WHO'S responsible for
the matchless corn bread and potato
pies, as we'll as the bursting
Thanksgiving turkey of every
Southern table to-day.
With these indications it would
seem that the black element should
at least be credited with the virtue
of industry. And. indeed, he may
be credited with this virtue; but
only for a short time, since rising
from his infancy he hugs it for
season, then, entirely too soon,
sinks into idleness and shiftlessness.
The life of a darkey, so far as
industry is concerned, may we'll be
divided into three periods. The
first extending to about the oge of
seventeen. during this period he
is sober, honest and industrious
the white men seek his service and
the South grows fat on the fruit Of
his toll. But 10y the time young
manhood begins to dawn, his youth
ful industry gives way before the
love of song, frolic and dance, and
he is we'll entered into the second
period OF his industrial life. Dur
ing the first part of this period the
gay darkey knows, as by instinct,
OF every party, dance or frolic
within ten miles and spends most
of his time attending them,
How the darkey lives during part
Of this period, which lasts till he is
gray, Is an unsolved mystery, un-
less the bewitching Southern moon.
together with the unguardcd hen
roost, have told their story. Many
family, consisting Of five or six
individuals, is clothed (?) and fed
from the labor Of one man one day
in a week, at fifty cents a day with.
out board, and a slight remunera.
tion from some neighboring white
family for the services of the wife
of the shiftless darkey on wash day.
But the family lives and supports
two or three dogs from the crumbs
from the table.
The owner Of one plantation
assured me that the meagre earn
ings Of many Of the negroes was
swolled to the necessary amount by
stealthy forced loans from the
granary, smoke house and chicken
house, as we'll as from the very
pantry Of the employer, the latter
being negotiated by the darkey
cock attached to every white fami-
ly, and who being extremely COW
ardly after night, must needs have
her husband, wearing n large coat,
with still larger pockets, come to
escort her home. The owner Of
this plantation assured me that this
pilfering is a universal character
Istic Of the darkies. stating as proof
that the preacher Of the congrcga-
tion on his farm had, a few nights
previous, stolen q sled load Of meat
from his smoke.house. This was
so large a forced contribution that
the gentleman insisted that it be
returned, which was done. The
darkey laborers on many pianta.
tions, this same person said, always
counted on seeding their COWS and
pigs from the planters corn crib.
In this respect, as we'll as in
many others, the more Northern
negroes are angels as com pared
with the Southern. The Northern
negro is inclined to have self
respect, and even to be naughty
and overbearinQ toward the whites