The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-01-13
GOOD TRAITS OF
VIRGINIA NEGRO
If You Want to Please Him Cali
Him CoIored Man.
FIXED IN HIS PRINCIPLES.
He Can Keep a secret-wfl Stand
More Heat and Fatigue Than
White Man, aud Cold. Too, IL
He Can Cover His Head Up.
FIXED IN HIS PRINCIPLES.

He Can Cover His Head Up.
Bliss Boutwell, in long article to tho
F'recn Lance tells of some of the pecu-
larities and good traits of the old issue
Virginia negro. He says:
My dictionary says negro means black,
or one of the black race of Africa. While
the more enlightened take offense at
being designated by this name. the aver
age negro considers no insult more odiou5
than TO be called negro, niger or
darkey. II such appellation is given him
he will be sure to employ vulgar repartee,
which he calls throwing it under the
collar" But if you want to please him,
you call him d coored man.
The negro is, as rule. much stronger
physically than the white man. His pro-
creative power equals. il not surpasses.
anything in the brute creation. His power
to endure heat is wonderful, and cold,
too. provided he can keep his head and
feet warm. Many d time have | gone to
their log chimney and dirt floor homes
and seen them-havinS left their beds
lying down before hot oak-log fire. feet
stuck almost in the fireplace. every string
of bed covering wrapped around their
heads. while their bodies were left entire
~ unprotected.
CRUEL AND SUPERSTITIoJS.
As a rule ne is cruel, superSttious, ana
has upon his head bump which may be
called the kieptcmania bump. No ante
belum negro, however. would ever con-
sent TO have that bump called by any
such name. as not one of them wouid ever
acknowledge he ever stole: no mot even
a penny from nobody but marSter, ana
didn't stole then, but jess took II
The mulatto is generally his black
roots superior intellectually. but interior
physically. When nature gets ireakish oy
giving Il mulatto son to black parents,
that son will be the rascal in the family,
if they have rascal at all
When a principle is thoroughly incui-
Gated in n negro-thoush the prihcipia
may he a deuson-he will stick TO
Though the heavens fall. His devoted
service TO the Republicans party ana e
the Baptist Church challenge tue admI'
ration OF all fair thinking people.
FAITH IN POLITICS.
The boy upon the burning deck had
no seeater faith in ais father, nor wal
Mary Magdaiene's confidence, that she
would again see Ter Lord, any greater
than has been the negro tam IN ths
Republican party.
Party ties. however. are not 50 strong
WITH ttleni now. as here III virginia
within tire last two or three wears, nun
| dreds openly sgnihed their intention TO
| ION the Democracy. The Yankee car
| once understanding SAVIOR to him.
| Even after they filled their bags anu
went back North. their memories kept
| a faiiacious perfume hanging about his
| nostrils.
After the carpet-baggers' departure the
reign OF the native sCaIdwaS cor"nerced.
| and for thirty years this element mas
| made t3leir living upon his creefullty
His eyes have somewhat opened within
! the last few years, and it looks like this
! scalawag clement VIII have to CO. Here
| in Virginia he and the Baptist Church
| seem one and inseparab.e. His idea el
| religion is first, he must surely be a Bap-
| list and the initiatory steps to get INTO
| This great church are: He must sperleree
| TIE S9irit; must descend to he'll and view
| with the eyes of faith the horrors OF
| that region of the damned; thence ascend
| to Heaven, where his neart must DC
| washed clean in the crystal stream flow
| ing near the holy throne: thence back
| t., earth again, where he must for sea
| son preach salvation to the unconVerted,
! and after these days are fulfilled min
| lister baptizes rim by immersion IT'S
| religion is now complete nothing more
! being obligatory upon him other than he
must always be a Baptist. must not
/ ..cuss" or cross his feet in cake walks,
! Marching down to Tennessee ana
| Green GROWS the Willow Tree plays
! KEEPS SECRETS
Another pronounced characteristic OK
! the negro is his ability to keep secrets
| If negro feels a thing ought to be kept
| a secret let no detective ---1nk ne can
| be.tIde hin, into letting it out. So great
! is his fear of d detective and that ne
| might, unawares. pump out or nm Some
| thing OF a secret nature. that ne looks
! with suspicion upon every stranger coii'-
| ing into MS community IL stranger
| sho,rld non I'D who could not readily be
| no rs
| all around that community: keep look
| ont for that there fellow. for he nousAo
I be one OF these here protectors
! In nine cases out of ten the ante-oei!utn
| negro eutertains for his former owners
| and their near descendants d fondnesS
ai.i,, 10 love. No one since the war has
! raised ANY fowl ike old mistress OF
f; com l:l,e old narster used to raise fore
| dc war, is the ofs-hearsl expression OIL
the ante-bel!um negro For any one 90
| cast a SUR against or make detri'ist.aA
| statement about OLD marster or o1a ~
| r-ess will immediately put ihtii Oh ne
| d,gnitv some years ago a lady wanted
| sz-gaf,o,, IRON not moved 4 diStanc" OF
| several hundred yards No c<'ie 49,.
| near cid NANNY Liza said she would GET
| opother- woman living nearby to help fer
| r,ov. it. Nanny made her request OF
! mi, modern coIorcd lady. VINO informed
| her sh, was no slave ana Wou.a hs'P
| her at no such dirty WORK as ha'iaitns %
/ black iron pot for Mrs. Z or any oth,
~ yhit. woman This sIur at her old
! noisrrass, pur Nanny Liz on her dls-
n.t,. and sefzin@ hold OF that pot sac
conveyed it 10 the desired spot alone,
ssyins. when she had sufficiently caught
| hay- h-eata. These here new-ta'shioned
! nirrers can't fling no slams at the MAJ
! esrv OF my old mistress.
NOT PROFANE.
! ..cr.or NOT nj air is one command OF
| ~. RihIe sacredIy kept by 50 per cent.
- the. black race in Eastern virginia
| can now recall but Two or three negroes
| - wv community. who take Gods name