Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-05-12

my ability in our business, but as a general
thing that was conducted in English.
If Frenchman came along who could
not understand English, l gave him French
for his French. these accomplishments
would be of great value to me, and l had
no doubt of my success as a peddler. /
could also converse in at least three of the
negro dialects used on the west coast of
Africa. knowledge which had acquired
during my residence there, a fact of which
George Wesner was entirely ignorant.
I walked slowly along the road toward
Raymonds. Now and then l would meet
with a horseman jogging along on his pony.
Most of them l knew. These usually passed
me with an indifferent stare. The pack
was heavy, the day was hot and the road
dusty. The sweat stood in drops on my
face, and my inclination to rest frequently
gratified.
Toward noon I met a gentleman of my
acquaintance with whom l was quite init
mate. Now, l thought, would be a good
opportunity to test the efficacy Of my dis
guiSe.
1 halted beside the road and importuned
him to buy some of my goods. No, he
didn't want anything. ! was persistent
and finally sold him a case containing a
couple of dozen razors and patent hone,
warranted to put razor edge on case
knife IF the user possessed the requisite
skill and patience: did noD.
1 had tried my disguise and was salts
fed.
That afternoon I was lucky enough to get
a lift on n team for five or six miles.
This diversion rested me and about clock
turned off the main road, taking the road
across the prairie toward Raymond's.
Raymond was a Boston man and had
come into possession of this estate few
years before He was perhaps little ego
tistical and had boosted that he could show
the Acadians how to run a plantation and
make sugar, and he did show them. going
at 1t with an energy that dazed the easy
10 rlla
land stretched for a mile each way. On
this home Raymond had displayed a skill
and taste that astonished the people in this
section of Attakapas. He had inclosed
about six acres of the rolling prairie sur
rounding 1t with fence of close paling six
feet or more in height whitewashed to a
dazzling whiteness. Within the ground was
plowed and rolled as smooth as a lawn.
Across the Enclosure ran broad driveway;
on the left, extending from this, was an
other, perhaps twenty-five feet in width.
which led to the mansion house. These
walks were covered with gravel: the broad
leaved china trees grew In luxuriance along
the side of the main driveway, while rows
of orange and lemon trees were planted be-
side the beds of coleus, variegated gerani-
ums and other beautiful plants, that never
ceased to bloom in our mild climate. The
whole place bore evidence of refinement
and prosperity.
The mansion house was a large two
storied structure, high in the walls and
very airy. On two sides ran a piazza A
broad hall extended entirely through the
house from side to side, through whose
open doors the summer breeze, fresh from
the prairie, cooled the sultry air.
A short distance from the main house
stood that of the overseer: this was small
err, but constructed after the same pattern.
The chmneys. like those of most southern
houses, were outside. The roofs of the
piazzas and the houses also were painted
brick red.
On the right of the entrance leading to
them were the negro quarters, situated
upon either side of a wide street The
buildings were small one-story cottages of
two rooms. These also had the conven-
tional piazza and a lean-to or fat-roofed
porch; attached to each was a small kitch-
en- garden, a few rods square. Beyond the
buildings were the orchards and vineyards
intersected by narrow graveled walks.
For irriga.ing Raymond had sunk two
windmill of his own construction; this was
visible for miles, and was a guide to Ray
monds.
This afternoon I was tired and not sorry
when the attending negro swung open the
big red gate and l had passed through
Hearing that Raymond was in New Or
leans 1 passed directly to the overseer's
house; he was in the fields, but his wife
was at home, and in this isolated place
even a peddler was welcome.
The crock of water hung suspended from
the ceiling Of the piazza, swathed in a wet
cloth to keep its contents cool.
Asking her for drink of water, I opened
my pack and displayed my wares.
She loved to talk. and led the CONVERSE
ton, shaping my questions SO as to lead her
to talk about the field hands. She and her