The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-04-16
LIFE on A SUGAR PLANTATION.
A Northern Girls Description of
Characteristic Louisiana Scenes.

Characteristic Louisiana Scenes.
From the Chicago Chronicle.
To spend the mouth of March on
sugar plantation in Louisiana is not
the common lot of Northern girls. 1t
is real spring, the great tall hedges
on either side of the roads are green
and blooming, the birds are singing
away as they do in the North in June.
But you never doubt for moment that
you are in the South, for the first thing
you know a cane cart, drawn by three
mules abreast and driven by a darkey
standing up, but managing to keep
his balance, comes rafting down the
road in a cloud of dust. He says
Good evenin' to the occupants of
the carriage Gt being 4 o'clock in the
afternoon, for everything is evening
after 12) and Go long, you mule!"
to the well-fed animals hauling his
cart, which disappeared in the dis
lance, while the carriage turned into
an avenue of tall pines and oaks pass
ing through a wide, white gate, opened
by a small darkey boy, who rose up
from somewhere near. He had tin
pail bullying full of lively crawfish
which he offered for sale-"Two bits
for desc an all All kin cotch termorrer,
eff you all want en-
Entering the long, cool tunnel of
shade hats came off and even the
horses seemed to raise their heads and
sniff the fresh pine odor. The low, two
storied house came into view to COM
plete ones idea of proVerbial South
ern hospitality, with its wide-open
doors both front and back, for the hall
runs directly through the middle, maxi
ing a cool Longing place on scorching
summer afternoons. After alighting
and receiving the most cordial well
come you are shown to the largest,
highest ceilinged and airiest bedroom,
with it's carved four-poster bed and
armoire of mahogany and glass doors,
which is the only clothes closet the
room affords.
The view from the windows down
the wide spaces between the glorious
trees is simply enhancing Stepping
out TO the gallery, the welcome hustle
of the early supper is heard-doors
slamming and loud conversation issu-
ing from the detached kitchen, to say
nothing of the savory odors and tam
TALKING sounds.
After the o'clock supper comes a
drive along the bayou in the cool of
the sunset and the quiet of the dusk
and the most interesting conversation
have seen cane growing, but fewer
still have watched the progress of
sugar making. The thick cane stalk
is planted in burrows in the early
spring. each joint giving a sprout;
then when it grows to be from five to
seven feet tall in the fall it is cut
and put into those interesting cane
carts and also on the small cane cars
of the tiny dummy train which travels
fhTnnOh no 81 Of
ticular plantation. 1t is carried to
the sugar house-a huge pile OF ma
chinery, buildings and sheds-where a
carrier, or sort of tredmill, whisks
the heavy cane up to the iron crushers,
two enormous wheels which grind the
cane to sticky splinters called begasse
while the juice runs into the boiling
watts. This process makes it molasses.
Sugar is made into several grades,
some after standing several months in
the drying room and some from separt-
ing the molasses and sugar by centri-
tugal force, the sugar flying in one
direction, while the molasses goes in
another. The particular sugar house
under discussion turned out 1000 900
pounds of unrefined sugar during the
months Of November and December
and part of January, 1903.
The plantation store, the boarding
house for extra help during grinding
the mule stables the small engine house
and store houses along the banks of
the bayou comprise the settlement on
that part of the estate. They have
their own electric plant and coal car
rler for the large coal flats which are
towed to the plantation landing. The
machinery goes full blast both night
and day. there being two shifts of
workers, and the scene at night is
most interesting. The majority of those
employed are negroes, but there are
also great many Italians, who live
on the plantation, have their own
cabins and work in the field in spring
ana summer and in the sugar house
in winter.
Returning to the house by different
road, we passed through the quarters
down a road between whitewashed cab
ms, with the doors all open and an
occasional fire within where some were
just hnlshlng supper while others sat
or lounged on the steps or doorwavS
Dozens of youngsters played in the
dust or sat on the fences like f1ocks
OF crows. Stopping the horse to turn
ASIDE into the lane which ran to the
stable an old woman was walking In
the path beside the road CARVING y
chair on her head
Where are you going, Celeste?'
EVenin', sar; Use goin to de 'vival
meetin' out by the road gate. SisteT.
Nora, the 'vangelist. she came long
terday."
On hearing that a real meeting was
to be held in the quarters, the driver
stopped right there, and the eager
Northerners were of the audience
Thrilling and fascinating are tame
words to use in trying to portray that
revival. Each person brought his own
chair, aside from a few men. who sat
on benches against the wall. The
preacher cajoled. persuaded. command
ed and pleaded, shouting and waving
his arms as the excitement grew. The
means and ordinations from the worn-
en- folks as they rocked and swayed
in their seats became really alarming
to the uninitiated. but still ludicrously
interesting. Several rose and shook
hapds with the pre- cher" then re-
tired to the saved bench. There were
five converts that night amidst Groom
ing songs and loud anthems, led by
SISTER Nora" the travelling evangel-
list, who would read aloud a line of
song. then the congregation would sing
II 70 the accompaniment Of their shuf-
fling Of feet as they sat and the tap
ping OF the canes and sticks belong
ing to the men.