The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-12-05

For fifteen years this has been an or
derby, peaceable and honest town. Ever
since the saloons were abolished there
has been no disturbance of the public
tranquility. During all that time our
doors have not been locked at night
nor has our chicken rOost been robbed
by the fowl invader. The presence of
our faithful dog may have been our
protection, for there have been some
few chickens stolen in these parts. Our
neighbOr, Charley Patterson, suffered
some in that way until he bought the
old gallows on which a man hung few
years ago and built chicken house of
the timber. Since then he can hardly
get a darkey to put chickens in it by
day, much less to take them out by night.
But our negroes in and around Carriers
vile are a clever, industrious people and
as honest as mankind are generally
The domestic servants will take sOmr
liberties with little things that they
think We won't miss, but they have
many good traits that are a set-off, ami
so we compromise on general principles
But now the burglars have come to
town and alarmed the whole community.
L believe they come from up north
where every bad thing comes from,
even to bad weather. The other day
tramp came to our house and asked for
something to eat. He was fairly good
looking and well dressed. My wife got
him lunch and asked him where his
home was, and where he was going.
He smiled and said he had no home, and
was raised in an orphan asylum up
north and was going to Atlanta in
search of work.
How do you travel" said she, 'it
you have no money!
''WeH, | ride ON the freights until
they put me off, he said, land then L
wait for another one and ride some
more. | am just taking a little trip now
to see the country"
There were two of these fellows in
town and they took the rounds asking
for something to eat and always got it.
My opinion is that they are professional
thieves and their purpose in calling at
so many houses is to prospect the prem
ises. The night after they were at our
house burglars entered four houses and
stole money. They took 500 from unde.
a sleeping mans pillow and smaller sums
from the pockets Of other men. A fev
nights after they entered three houses
and took a fine gold watch from under
bankers pillow and the next night
a watch and some money at another
place. They take no clothing nor any
thing to eat. They are white folks, |
tell you, and are experts in their busi-
ness.
Well, of course, the whole community
is aroused, and especially the women.
ATry So Il
is more afraid of snakes than of men,
but she, too, got alarmed and made me
get the hammer and the screwdriver
and some bolts and nails and fix up
every door and window. She held the
lamp and watched me all round from
room to room, and | mashed great
blood blister on my finger and it hurts
yet When all was done to her salts
faction and we got ready to retire, she
suddenly told me not to lock the back
hall door, for Uncle Sam had to come
in there in the morning to make fire.
Considerate women! She knew that |
didn't like to get up out of a warm
bed to unlock the door. Reckon she
thinks the burglars wouldn't be so
impolite as to come in at the back door
Bet they don't get any watch from un-
der my pillow, for l haven't got any
Forty years ago they got mine just
that way in old DIR. Thompson's hotel
in Atlanta, and / have never carried
one since. They got my pocket book,
too, and a little money and some valu-
able papers. They were from up north
and were very clever men, considering,
for in about a week they sent me all
my papers back through the mail and
the letter was postmarked Philadelphia.
They will give a man back everything
they can't use. Bill Fort told me that
they were kind hearted set of thieves
and he had known them to lean over
and kiss a sleeping man after they had
robbed him.
No, it is white folks who are stealing
these valuable things. Negroes haven't
got above chickens and turkeys yet. /
heard the other day of an old darkey
who prayed every night during Christ
mas for the Lord to send turkey to
him, but the turkey didn't come, and
so he changed his prayer and asked the
Lord to send him to a turkey and his
prayer was answered that very night.
A negro don't banker after gold watch
es. He wants something to eat.
But now | want to know what 10 all
this racket about that they call CO.
fad and would soon pass away, but it
seems to get bigger and bigger the more
they talk about it. One would think
that there were no female colleges in
the land and that the boys were getting
all the education when the truth is there
are more educational facilities for girls
in this State than for boys. / don't
known what it all means. Do the girls
want to mix with the boys and improve
them and be inspired by them? Then
why should not the boys claim a similar
privilege and go to the female colleges
and to the girls industrial school at
Milledgeville? If we are going to bunch,
let us bunch the whole concern and in
clude the agricultural attachments and
let the girls do some blowing il they
want to. But l reckon it is just the
new woman who is contending for the
abstract right to go to the university.
OF course they won't go, for their faith
ers won't let them as long as the female