The plaindealer., 1900-01-26

beds. There are two churches
here-Baptist and Methodist. Revs.
A. Fairfax and Payne are the
pastors. Mr.. Ellis Dixon is an ex-
cellent pharmacist, and commands
good salary in prominent drug
store. Henry Hale, son Of J. 5.
Hale, who was on the medical staff
of the Twenty third Kansas volun-
teers in Cuba, is also winning laurels
as a pharmacist. Thus far, only five
persons have graduated from the
High school-Ellis NJ. Dixon, Dan.
Hale, Mrs. Lille Mccullough, nee
Berry and Arthur Dawson. About
fifteen are in the grammar schools.
Miss Mary Hale will graduate from
the High school this scholastic year.
PARSONS
is a town of 5000 inhabitants, OF
whom about 1900 are colored peo-
pie. Here the once famous HObson
Institute was established by the de-
Scendants of William Penn, though
it is now extinct. From this -four
ishing, young, but thoroughly or
ganized school, more colored young
men and women were graduated,
perhaps, than from any other school
of higher learning in the state. 1t
was founded by the Quakers far
back in the Sos, and was to all in
tents and purposes, distinctively
Negro school. But colored people
are not natural-born Quakers, and
being Methodists and Baptists by in
tuition rather than from faith, they
did not cheerfully support Hobson
Institute. And it went down a few
years since, for the need of more
funds. 1t is a noticeable fact that
the graduates of Hobson Institute
exhibit considerable polish in lam
guage, diction and euphony, and
not few have won laurels as math-
ematicians, orators, teachers, jour
aliStS, authors and business men. For
example, Prof. j. E. Johnson, now
principal of the government school
in Muscogee, l. T., he author of
D" Thoughts on Character He rea-
sons like Bacon, depicts like Emer-
son, and delineateS like Shakesseare.
Hon. S. o. Clayton, of Parsons, is
the finest dramatic orator in South
eastern Kansas. Mrs. Henrietta
Harper, Wichita, may we'll be demon
strated the Ella Wheeler Wilcox.
She wields facile pen. Then there
is Rssv &. W. II Hfarts, s.' who IS editor
in Litchfield and G.. E.
2 & of Parsons. There are but
CO... Sa,S tol3, stars who were nestled in
Necrr1seues. Parsons is one of
the beher, fios'ssE.Assa.s. The col
ored people own good property
very few " shanties are to be seen.
Strictly speaking, there are no
" darktown quarters. Their hous-
es are tastefully built, beautifully
painted, overlooking economically
designed lawns that are the envy of
a more fortunate people. The peo-
pie are kind-hearted, generous and
thrifty; and yet it is strange that
colored people receive so little en-
couragement from their neighbors.
There is not a single clerk in
grocery or dry goods store or res
taurant only one drayman and one
coachman in the city. 1t is rare
thing for them to get work on the
streets. What a paradox ! There
are many mechanics aud artisans
who get employment elsewhere, and
spend their money at home. There
is room for good physician, a good
lawyer and frst-class restaurant.
Among the prominent, well-to-do
citizens are Hon. J. w. French, S.
c. Blair, David Foster, Rev. A. Fair
fax, Hon. Charles Morris, Adam
Dorcas, VIM. Washington ct al. The
able pulpit orator and Bible expos
itor, Rev. A. Fairfax, is pastor of the
oldest and leading Baptist church.
The amiable, conscientious and ell
oquent Rev. NJ. Collins is pastor of
the A. NJ. E. church. Rev. d. D.
Payne is beloved in Mt. Pleasant.
1t is said that about S 900 colored
people from Alabama and Georgia
have settled in the mining belts of
Kansas during the past IS months
in Weir City, Litchfeld, Pittsburg,
Yale and other points. Here is an
inviting field for missionary and ed
ucational societies. By-the-way, ev-
cry body uses natural gas down