The Savannah morning news., 1903-07-19

over Fort Sumter, across the blue
.ors of Charleston harbor to the
an little island that had been named
honor Of King James, an unusual
| i. vas apparent. and yet there had
80, nothing in the general atmosphere
-, night before, when with all due
q - and ceremonies he had gone to
.ost out beyond the Ashley and the
nd oaks of st. Andrews. "Jeems
e., as the natives had decided to
.sristen the place, after vain attempts
:, oct thick tongues and thicker lips
GOV James," was fairly alive with
,,stla and activity. From cabins and
,nts here. there and everywhere, forms
4 .,oorqed and little groups would con-
-.,,,ata near some settlement" to
+alk earnestly, with many "Ah, has"
q nd "da's-so's." and then move away
4 - otber positions and repeat the per-
s.r,oncas. The island is not thickly
q .attisd hut there are many little groups
q ~ cabins. and the visiting around of
a .be nopulation at this time made it
8 snnesr very well inhabited.
tnother thing that the sun noticed,
on5 this was all important, there was
. dtful CLEAN of sword and bayonet
3 ~ tbe slanting rays that had appeared;
81 and the men who were thus up betlmes
3 wore gay uniforms, and caps with
B numes. The usual pursuits of the
q rolored natives were not as their
q grandparents in Africa, the Warpatn
for blood of their friends in other
n tribes. but the harvesting of the fes-
five ollra and his red-skinned friend,
the tomato-and so it was evident that
something entirely new was in the
s wind The story of turning the sword
into the ploughshare had not at that
fine reached Jeems Islam, consequent
lv this was no preparation for Vege-
table culture or tilling of the soil. OF
a certainty, no war was in progress.
Shadows were just beginning to as
sumo bounds when the male members
of the island began to get together
and then into their midst came a great
negro with an extra large blue plume
In his chapeau. His garb was like I'M
10 an entire display of bargain day
Fabrics. and at his heels clanked big
cavalry sword The day was July
and even at this early hour it was
warm. Capt Louis Mango Middleton
felt the heat under his thick clothes
end began to get impatient.
Hey! you niggers! skummish up an
doan' fergt dishyer addigent gineral
bin low we better be cen time for de
b rade pun King street fore de
specshun TEX place." This delivered
an a loud tone caused additional activ-
lty and the orderly sergeant hustled off
b few messengers to get out the tardy
ones.
Under a big oak not far from the
shore of the Ashley the line was final
ly drawn up for the captains inspec-
zion and it might well be said that like
the lilies of the field, Solomon in all
bis glory was not arrayed like one OF
these" The Jeems Islam Volunteer
#Guards formed a part of the colored
Preserve troops organized during the
Ndays of the reconstruct ion" in South
#CarOlina, and armed by the govern
ment without regard to their fitness
for such honor-and since the first
muster, back in the early seventies,
they had held their old Sharps rifles
and added to the decorations of their
blue and red and green and white and
Hpurple uniforms, making a parade reg
ularly every Fourth of July and, after
tne recognition by the state govern
lhent, being inspected by the adjutant
general once a year.
Inspection day had arrived, and the
Guards were ready to embark for
charleston at o'clock; Capt. Middle
ION surveying with swelling chest, the
rank and file as the march was made
70 the boat landing.
Cap'n, said man in the front
fank CANT yer mex Corprl john
son git often NAH heel? %
Rave yerself, nigger," was the re-
WY Silence cen ranks! Emf L dun tell
yer fer cotch step, Corprl?"
Inc landing reached a motley col
iectlon of boats was found and packed
N Varlously with market men and
"oineh, tubs of tomatoes and baskets
III okra and green corn and egg plants,
me Guards made their perilous way
5aCross the Ashley to Cantini's wharf
In The foot of Tradd street, and there
t,Se 81 marked and formed in line, much
!" the delight of the crowd of buck
S'eIS and others on shore.
o. MlchaePs clock had just chimed
III me TOUR musical quarters and then,
!. IN measured strokes announced that
was o'clock as the last of the SOL
NJ &C., - got up from his seat on a basket
n, ioastln yeres" and climbed ashore.
|ohioue me was formed with consider
bU'e pushtn' and the roll being called
nors me sergeant Capt. Middleton an
bo 1-iTeo that leave of absence would
90 qAoWed for two hours.
r. ent mean by dis, howsumebber,
c re ADDED dat members OBJ dishyer
no, rp ny better git into no crap games,
be i o,,' spec Corpr'l Washinton hab
doany ;, on he vegetubble kyart, but
oh IA l % no men ter Spite de unifome
mott;. QIiuayrds by sellin' okra cen to-
vii ~ uuday De ladies OBJ de family
len,noeS ~" q Ter dat. Mine now, an doan'
Am Ill. iil YOU alls absen' wen de roll
EaH bout 'leven clock"
conoads, long time the day had been
|Cba,Tosd to the colored militia and
dart ION streets were alive with
clotbaoC olored men in bright colored
scattos from 'sun-up." There was a
dezyo,l.LHi q to the various places of rem
proacSOS as the time for inspection APP
was 80 and Prof. McLane Gasden
bans e@iIg harnmering out tunes on the
lan 2o 9t' Michaels as the Jeems Is
near " oiunteer Guards reassembled
1Sy Tor the march.
SS,ster Ca line, sister Ca'line.
cam an 70 dance de peavine?"
spirs Hoatlns over from the white
far Meeting street, and detecting a
cbisc5.ey look in the roll of Sergt
iistsl.." eye Capt. Middleton imme-
pam, GOT the attention of the COM
non. iSs up dar on de Ief, Mistah Sim
N !, hole You gun lex you ent feared
,ers 81, 81 ready fer march all you mig
AMI "ho Dat bin smoke cig-gars en-
,tsn - VOW den. forrd march, Git
.een 80, Ane Legree. you walk lex you
llne ~ ken Wen we falls en-. be-
yan pan l wants all you mems ter
trest 81 an glib all dem gals on King
o. r treat sho enuff.''
treat ne cobbles at the side of the
o. marched the Guards and at the