The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1899-06-09
THE COUNTRY NEGRO.
WHAT HE REALLY IS ON SOUTHERN
PLANTATIONS.
More Highly Respected than his Brethren
In tie C'ties-i.ites to Work and Likes
to ioaf-A Child Mentally, Though
Mnn nnPhysicaiiy-Causes OF Law
lRaAneaa.

In TIE C,ties-Iltes tn Work and Likes
to hoaf-A Child Mentally, Though
" Man nPhysicaiiy-Causes OF Law
leaHDess.
(trom the New York Commercial.
Advertiser.)
"A man has to 20 down into the
heart Of the South and see the negro
in the little villages and On the plan
tatlons as we'll rs in the cities to get
true estimate Of his character--to
know really what he is. The groat
majority of those living north of
Maryland arc either in the profes
sions or are walters, coachmen or
serving in some other meniul capac.
ity. Few have any trade except ns
BARRIERS, and colorcd farm hand is
rarity. Though tho civil war
ended thirty years ago, only about 7
per cent. have drfted away from the
South, and tho majority of these have
white blood in their veins. Over 5,
OO0,0O or three fourths of the race,
III the United States, ere in the rural
districts Of the Southern States.
They include the "country niggers,"
as called in this part Of the country,
and are principally ull-blooded
black.
TO be called 'country nigger" is
really a compliment, for tho respect
able white population believe that
the colored farmer or farm labor is
the best Of all. They say that there
is less "deviItry" for "cussedness"
about him than his brethren True,
he may think it no sin to help him.
self to corn or fruit, or sometimes a
chicken or so, from his employer or
his nrighbor's place, but such thefts
are very little thought of so long as
he does nothing worse. The native
farmers in the Carolnas or the Gulf
States, for Instance, realize that the
negro is child of nature. In tho
field or forest he feels at home, and
is happy. When ho is happy he
sings or tries to sing. And the more
he sings the harder he works and
fights. ADy one who has ever seen a
steamer loaded at a Southern wharf
by the roustabouts knows this to be
true, and tho colored soldiers who
went up the hill at San Juan showed
how music makes them fight.
The "country nigger" is up almost
with the sun in the warm season. He
eats his breakfast of Western ham or
bacon, perhaps fish from the neigh
boring river. Corn pone and a
draught of coffee, made from burned
peanuts, or possibly a mixture of
stulfs he gets at the store for ten or
fife en- cents pound, completes the
meal. or he goes to the corn field,
fruit farm or garden patch, two or
three miles away, to work until noon
in the heat Of a sun that would
strike the Irish or German hand on
Northern farm senseless in an hour
or two. Sometimes the sun gets a
little too hot in the long July or Au-
gust day; then the noon rest is longer
and he works later in the dusk of the
evoning But, rs Il rule, tho heat
agrees with him, as it did with his
African ancestors. He feels the
chill wind more than tho most deli
cate city woman at tho North, tough
and robust as he appears. 1t is a
common sight for the "boss" on
some of the Southern plantations to
run across field hand sprawled on
his back fast asleep, with the sun
shining directly on his face, though
the mercury may be above 90 in the
shade. Sometimes he sleeps when
he should be at WOrk--lf he thinks
the boss is not liable to come around
for he does not consider it crime to
"loaf" whenever he can get chance.
The days work at an end, he comes
back to his cabin, eats his supper
which ls about the same as breakfast
goes over to 500 como of his neigh.
bors, or they come to see him, and
all have a smoke and talk, which u.s.
nally ends in more or less singing
His household is abod by 8 o'clock
unless there's a plan a foot to add tc
the family supply Of food or fodder
from some ones hen roost, garden o,
barn.
Outside Of the evening recreation
~ 81