The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1902-08-02
DOWN IN MISSISSIPPI
Mr.. George Wilson Writes Of
Plantation Life.
THE OLD SOUTH AND THE NEW.
Happiness and Prosperity Of The Negro
at Home.

This state has since reconstruction
seemed to me the most nearly hope
less of all the southern states. It's
800, 900 negro majority alone makes
it seem so, il there we're no other dis
couragiDg features But at close
range things look more hopeful. l
find here two kinswomen on my
fathers side, living on a plantation
miles away from Natchez; the plan
tatiou, IL miles long At It's greatest
length, and they have some IS fam
lilies of negro tenants to whom they
rent what land they can manage; two
white persons and they women, and
three hundred negroesl | have seen
stories of women in the northwest
who have taken up 100 acre home
steads and farmed themselves, but
that does not match this. / assure
you it looked dangerous to me, but
the two girls laughed at me and said
that If any danger threatened them
the whole 800 negroes would be at the
house as quick as their own legs aud
their mules would bring them.
The approach to the house is
through beautiful avenue Of cedars
hung with spanish moss. Before en-
tering it is seen the wreck Of splen-
did gin house, grist mill, etc. The
= federal soldiers were all ready to burn
I" it in pure saYagery when the negroes
= gathered and begged with tears in
! their eyes to spare it or they would
= starye, and so saved it. It's great
= brick foundation 100 feet square aod
. many feet high has for years furnish
y ed material for new ehimnies, walks,
y etc. The frames Of the upper story
- were OF large, heavy square timberS,
i fastened together with wooden pins;
- " all OF the material prepared on the
~ the place. The dwelling is at the
other end Of the avenue of cedars.
! II is 100 years old and in it the man
4 who owned it before my kin did, con-
cealed Aaron Burr when he was fee
ing from justice. l much regretted
= not having kodak along. Its front
~ is 125 feet, cut into 35 foot hall and
=" two rooms of about As feet square on
= either side. The ceilings are about
" 20 feet high. In one of these i'm
= = mense rooms l slept. Along the
:" whole front runs porch or veranda,
" the middle third of it having four
- large brick columns, round and cover
: ed with stucco, supporting the roof.
~ The front door and frame is an an
~ tique that many modern rich man
10 would like to buy and put into bis
=" modern mansion. On either side 0f
- this great house is good sized two OF
'H' three roomed house, one Of which was
= library, the other the home OF the
80 black ''mammy" whose sole job was
~ to suckle the children OF her beauti-
~ full white mistress and otherwise take
" the world easy. The elder Of the two
: present owners is quite a mature
Y. woman business-like, energetic and
= forceful, aud as large and tall a:
~ most men, and as we drove by d
negro's cltton patch where an oid
" woman and man of forty hoed thell
~ cotton, she remarked; "that is ms
oi' foster brother aud my nanny"
1t is amusing to see how they gel
~ along with their tenants. 800 blacl
children they are, regardless Of thei
~ size and age Ooe time woman
: comes up and wants 'MIiss" to arres
~ ''my ole MIN because he done broke (;
~ plate ovah my hade, y and she goei
'a' (, down to their cabin and scolds then
~ both numerically aud draws line Il
= the middle Of tue door with chall
- and orders one to keep on oneside ant
!" the 0 her on the other.
'n0 The house was once a grand o.
-, but now it shows much wear and tea
ap. and lack II paint and repair. Sill
St. the two are happy in their old hom
est with and old black co k and IA yea
om o,n old orphan negress whom they hav
y given home and are training for
igh waiter IL is amusing 10 see rathe
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