The Washington times., 1901-12-22

central Alabama. and those parts OF
Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, and
Tennessee along the Mississippi River.
In parts of Alabama and Louisiana
white men are so scarce that one pass
ing the highway eNcites curiosity. But
on most of the plantations there~are
the white planter. his manager and 1Sre-
keeper, and their families, the proper
tion ranging anywhere from fifteen or
twenty negroes 30 one white person. The
former are usually renters or croPpersi
that is to say, they raise the crop for
half OF the product. Sometimes, however,
they pay fixed rent OF SO much cotton
or money to the acre.
Near a certain railway station In Ala
bama there is negro who owns planta-
tion of 1.1o0 acres well stoc&ed and man
aged. with his own little coterie Of
croppers There are many such planta-
tions whose ownership has passed from
eX-master to ex-slaye. In the settlement
just referred TO. there are over thirty
cabins built OF logs. mostly without win
dows, save an aperture about one foot
square, over which a wooden shutter
fits.
Characteristic Improvidcnce.
There is scarcely a picture on the wall
of any OF them save an occasional ad
vertising chrome, and patent medicine
almanacs are about the only excuses
for books 10 furnish mental food
to whole families whose kitchen,
dining, bed. and sitting room for all
ages and sexes is a single four-wall en-
closure. But you see clocks worth So
which have cost $l5 from smooth tongued
peddlirg agents who collected the money
14.sf ffa=f al I'm. I f1rar
ing machines with no evidence OF their
need from the scanty clothing to be seen.
With no mule or horse TO draw them
some OF these people own buggies. which
they have been pursuaded TO buy. The
fact is everywhere apparent that these
people have not let learned the first
principle of getting on in the world"
II was In the Christmas season Of
few winters ago that the events here mar
rated occurred In Blank settlement in
Alabama. BY December % the accounts
Of the croppers had been settled and the
year had been a sufficiently good crop
year to bring nearly all ont little ahead.
Even the planter had made more money
than usual and he was in excellent spirits
TO celebrate the prosperous times by a
liberal hand In the Christmas doings.
All this little population seemed in the
same mood and Christmas Eve found eK-
pectations and pr parations at the high
est a few mysterious looking boxes had
been carefully packed at the store and
place on the back porch OF the big
house"
Lot of Precious jugs.
As there are no saloons allowed in the
county a still mere mysterious consign-
ment Of jugs carefully corked and scaled
was passing into the hands Of each man
as be left the store for his home. To OBJ
serve the fondness and tenderness with
which these jugs were borne away one
might have thought they were filled with
precious metal, but the contents was a
secret aud it must not lie betrayed
II so happened that Christmas came on
Sunday and according to time-honorad
custom a visit 10 the big house" to get
"Mastah's Kristmus eitf" was the first
thing in order. Great we're the schemes
10 get into position TO shout the import
ant words TO the planter before he could
shout them, for the first to say the greet
ing was entitled to a gift from the otlfr
One would have forgotten there were i'm
passable social barriers TO have seen and
heard The good humor displayed as black
faces appeared from out of the parlor. the
halls. kitchen, and everywhere shouting
TO the jolly planter.
Soon, however, all were there and the
greetings had been exchanged among ALL
Then The large boxes were ordered into
the yard, where rude long table had
been prepared. The contents OF the boxes
were heaped high Ia plain view TO all.