The Atlanta constitution., 1900-07-16
PEUnk0ff' SLBft8r

firing in country life and 1t gives excuse
for the ''old man. to circulate. to learn
things and to swell In Importance In the
home circle.
In the olden times every cross roads
had its store, its blacksmith and WOOD
shops and its "dogery.' and L DOUBT IL
there ever was or ever will be a more
sociable place than these Men knew
each other then and they had to observe
the ethics of the times or hght-ngnt
right now and hard. There was no de-
lays I'm men having to answer Tor preaches
of roliteness n scandal was SOON iun
to n head. n fight ensued and the matter
settled. These fights were Iaar ".
often very brutal from our present Gay
standpoint but they held society 10 ltS
edusIibrium and never involved the nom
combatants of the families. Especiahy
were the oId-time southern women kept
free from these wrangleS- Inc HsHeS O.
the cross roads did not affect her frienu-
stins In the settIements-she held a place
unique in her dependence but most eHait-
ed In the ewes of men. Her very de-
pendence craZed men for her de1enSe anu
set her up thing of reverence ana 10
be adored. Standing beneath the arm no. ..
man she entirely depended upon that
arm. till tfckled In his own conceit the
nan grew stronger, the woman dearer
and all the world was blessed by CIVIL
lization that fastly crumbles under the
touch of a freer swing and stronger
vCuanhood.
These cross-road conditions have entire
" past, but the "old man" still finds ex-
cuse for getting out and hearing the news
and filling with knowledge above the
rest. L think there are few people VINO
have ever fully considered what part
the women and children play upon tne
farms of the south while these old
men'' are playing their parts. Ine olo
ms NJ must keep up the corners no"
lust as he used to- He must go to town.
go to elections, go to mill. go to court
No matter what may call him at nome.
he can always find some excuse to get
off. This is all right 1t Is human
natur,-man nature. Civilization calls Tor
excuses for this absenting ones SELF from
home in the busy season and man IS
equal to the occasion You may crush
out his "dogery." but he will find the
club" or the blind uger''-he Is going
to have something. and II is my notlon
that the more refined the more danger
Gus. If he fails to catch on to refined
clubs and refuses to mix with the "bllnd
| tiger" element, hen he Is more than apt
to join that crowd who slide around
"sistering" and "brothering specially
"sistering"-and this is the curse OF the
land.
From my heart I thank God that these
men of leisure have TO go out from tho
Iurals to find much of this sistering
and "brothering' especially 'slsterlls-
Ia the country yet there remains. here
in Georgia L know. and throughout the
south L expect. the came good. noble. Wo-
men as there used to be. The "old man
has caught on to the evils OF modern
pIogress. but the country woman mas
not. and In this igno-ance-ir II be ig-
norance-lies the future hC pc for the world
While the 'old man" takes Off his days
to keep I'D the corners" 1t IS the hap
piest thing on earth TO watch the chill
dren at the homes. Me and Brown nave
spent a week travelling, and everywhere
the children Were at work. and nowhere
have We discovered a pOuting or sulk
condition among the workers. They
all work cheerfully. As grassy as II has
been. they have their fun. sing their songs
and crack their little jokes. Back or
such as this you may risk your lie that
mother with faith in the "old man" and
with never a taint of that subtle poison
which slips in upon the catching sound
OF my sister or my brother especial
ly my sister"
God bless these women of the country
who have refused TO advance" as the
slick tongued hypocrits would have had
them advance. There are many yet no
have faith in the ''Old man" and mat
''old man" viii be saved from the pollu-
tion he has gathered by that faith. In
the very dependence of these good women
will grow their independence and river
their slave and blessas the world Every
thing depends upon these women-even
the future salvation of the world. In the
old times when cross roads nouriShed the
'old man" would have took a hand him
self, for they are not half the fools the
slick brethren would believe. but his day
IS past. A fight would do him no good
new. More than apt they would send
Linn to the chaingang that the slick duck
might the better make his offers of
gs.-un a1,T
necessity. a poo woman of Atlanta
told me once that a bad man with money
or pi estige to control was POOR woman's
greatest curse. A good mechanic of the
town told me the same day that he had
never been able to get what other men
received or the same work. because of the
fact that one of his bosses wanted to be
larger in his own family than he was
himself. This fellow smarted under the
oppression. but he was too weak to
resent and still remains roo weak. while
the slick duck thriyeS as the green bay
tree and can utter the words sister or
''bI other especially 'sister''-with a
sweetness that is musical and a softness
of the dove.
But mono of this has anything to do
with the good women OF the country. nor
with the children who are innocent enough
to telieve that they have the best old
daddy in the world, even If he does spend
a right smart time in keeping up the
corners."
1 wish you all could hear these children
just as me and Brown heard them last
week And hear these good women, too
early in the morning or late in the after
neon. while yet. perhaps. the "old man.
still fingers around at tho wagon
yard on Decatur street or drives slow to
Sear the news from men With slower
teams. The chn1ren have worked. no
doubt of that. And II has not hl;-. e..
a bit. no doubt OF that. for never a one
OF them but what Is ready to run at the
top of their speed at the first rumble of a
wagon to meet the ''old man" Gladly
and swiftly these children fly to meet
the "old man. upon his return. and it Is
then that the "old man" is In his glory.
No king is greater than he with that little
CT owd. and methinks that never king
felt greater joy.
A woman is back Of this-a wonnanly
woman-for you will hear her, more than
apt. even jealous OF her children's Joy, cry
out with voice that means to Re heard
"You. Johnl Go drive them calves from
pasturei You. Toni You. Toni Go get
the cows! You. Mayl You. Mayi Come
here and churnr'
These children will obey directly but
first they 'gs through" everything IN
every time. perhaps, there is something
There ought to be.
Such women as these and such children
are the power behind the hoe They make
all the cotton you see in winter. There
is mighty few hired hands on the farms
10. anAI1