New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1901-09-15
COTTON PICKING TIME.
1T HAS COME IN TEXAS AND THE
NEGROES ARE FLOCKING TO
THE FIELDS

THE FIELDS
Marlin Tex. Sept. "A (speciaD.-Nature is CALI
ing to her children The sunshine, the warm
winds. the waving cotton fields. call aloud to the
black man and all those who are next of kin to
Mother Nature Cotton picking time is here Few
black hear the call unmoved. Even the
lazy 'shif'less. no count Niger shakes
of his worthless existence for the time being and
becomes man ana brother tho things that
natures.
Cotton picking time Is a romp with nature; q
pJaytine with the sunshine and the winds:
holiday Of song and laughter and all forms OF
uerriment. 1t is the time when the negro returns
to his
To the dweller in town cotton picking time is
period of uncertainty and unaccustoIned labor. 1t
is the time in all the year when the proud.
white lady bears her dimped arms and fries the
pork and bakes the bread herself This IS
humiiiating. Of course. but white folks must live,
in the time of picking cotton. Cooks. cham
bermaids. laundresses and other domestic help
think nothing of leaving the breakfast dishes
washed and the beds unmade and going OF in
wagon TO the cotton fields. to be gone several
weeks or even three or four months. \ big wagon
filed with men. women and children of all ages
and compilations. Will halt in front of white
mans house, and the cook back in the kitchen Will
hear something like this: You Susan; amt yer
a-gwine ter de cotton pickin'?" Susan throws
back her woolly head and listens. Then again the
call: Here we is a-waitin' fer yer Come a.
runnin, Susan Yves all right yere." The mis-
tress of the house, returning from neighbours.
finishes the dishes herself. and puts the pork
and the bread for the days dinner. During
the day the laundress viii send back the unwashed
clothes with the message that she did not have
time to do the family wash before leaving for the
cotton fields.
Speak to the table waiter boy about something
to be done two days later and say: II do hit
! er Use here, boss" Then in reply TO question
he Will 'Yassir; thiukin' goin' ter pick
will ha
voice and perhaps faraway look in his black
eyes He has heard the call. a little faint and
far of perhaps; but when it comes to him: You
Sam: de Vaughn a-waitin'' the guest may
serve the food himself and clean his own boots
for all that Sam The boarding house keeper
says: Yes sir; l have vacant rooms and L
should Ike TO take you; but, you see. have
neither cook chamberrnaid to-day. Both left
for the cotton fields without a moments warning
Usually the planter sends big wagon to town
to gather up the cotton pickers- AS many men,
women and children be crowded into the
double wagon box piled in, and then the
wagon heads for the plantation. Few of the ne
groes have any idea where they are going A
woman Will say TO a passing acquaintance: II
dunno where Someers out hyer bout fo'teen
mile. I reckon" That is enough Only captfous
white trash would ask where they were going
II is enough that they are going to the cotton
picking. and tall in good season they will re-
turn rich In money and surfeited with merry
Th9 big o Wagons or have been Isaying Marlin
mis- entire family in his own wagon if Ssii axe
fortunate as to have one. venerable old freed
man. with coast line of white wool around his
: wrinkled face, drove through Live Oak-st this
afternoon with his whole family In a rickerv
/ wagon. bound for the cotton fields The wagon
was drawn by mule so fOrlOrn and bony that n
actually attracted 4 small crowd of men as ie
stood waiting for a chance to cross the railroad
track. To be sure the men had nothing else 70
sanatOriums but the mule was really a curiosity
Good points about the mule, uncle" said one
''Yassr." replied the old darby. his face light
ing up with this unlocked for appreciation OF his
mule. "fassir; why. sir dat ar mule"
Some of them YOU could hang YOUR hat on
Then the train pulled out and the old man drove
what the crowd laughed at At the corner OF ths
ne ..Sa street ct, man on clutches hailed him:
go SAY ~ odd old man asked the cripple: ARE
New mule. sab; reckon do know wha' you
~ ny thought you We're going to have a new
mule, 1 see you have the frame un'
! a. 80 GU Julius Cesar. called out the old man.
rise an NY Dere is shore some Gurus white
geWnen in dis we're town" ~
There is one plausibe excuse for this exodus 70
man the excuse might hold good but with the re-
gro ~ Is merely an excuse The excuse is that
fields than he possibly make M snvtbiog
else This is undoubtedly true bur the negro does
not place the same value on money THAT the rbsts
places IL is the holiday the ,rsr 1919
mHktn@ IN the fields the music and danci-r =,
night that apneal the negro To laugh a,d go q.
and rick cotton out under the blue sFv all 49,
and to NAV the Fuitar and banjo and sing and
peals strongly to the negro tba1 IN ilie ao-
prosnect of gain. S "ie4o
It is true. however. that more money Is =, 10
"shif'less- triain' town Niger NAV ear, 80 :.
day,, frst class cotton picker may make as
enorrrous INCOME. Cotton rickers ave pafI hv .ba
hnnGred poundS The average rate of nav Is Il a
Tevan who picks his own cotton: wit shors A.
take heap er cotton ter make a hundred pounds"