The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-10-30

dent, compelling, inSiStent. FINALLY
if one is of the common herd, earth
earthly he too yields TO the temnta .
ton or purchases the fad for his lso
men folk-and, then. the result is nr
Ia sameness that is perennially dis
heartening.
Suddenly one becomes aware that
the real, smooth class of citizens M
longer follow the style. A dreadf,,I
whisper permeates the air that ..it
isn't worn at all in NYork, my Dear,,s
Gradually the citizen who has foliowaa
the rage has it born in upon his SOM
that he is behind instead of nm viz,
the times. He discovers that he
doesn't care TO be wearing anvtbino,
that everybody else-including tbo
Smith children-are e. -;ng. And
then-to finish off the job-some Snn1
day morning sees the negroes of tba
town parading by the score dreSsa :
one and all in the most exae.eara teG
of the forms of the new fashion
already old,
When the negro gets in the game
@oodbye style! And yet the negro is
the only party TO the TRANSACTIONS that
comes out on the right side of the
ledger His high pride of imitation is
satisfied, he buys the best at second
hand rates, and he has for months
the company of the large class of tim
id people who. hestating 10 become
conspicuous on the band wagon. secure
their seats at length Just before the
vehicle is vacated by the crowd.
OF course there are certain fash
ions. certain Games which take such
hold on human nature as to stick in
definitely OF that class are base ball.
and, to q limited extent, foot ball al
so. The world loves a contest of
force whether it be a war or the CEN
tres of two rival elevens struggling
in the rush. But even in the things
that are common to all men there
crop out the inbred iealousies ami
anupathies that follow always upon
imitators.
The negro killed the bicycle. He
has had much to d with giving the
coup de grace to such simnle pleas
ures as croquet and lawn tennis. he
Will finish "goff' as soon as he learns
the Gaelic pronunciation However
much he may desire the good of the
race, the gorge of the average white
man rises when the brother in black
essays TO initiate his dress or mis-
amusements-which are the luxurious
vanities of his life.
The other day q gentleman and /
stood and watched while one of the
colored foot ball teams went by. The
negroes We're well behaved, not even
boisterous Yet the sight of them. III
their sweaters and padded suits. SEEM
ed TO strike a discordant note in ones
kindly feeling for the race:
UGH" exclaimed the gentleman as
they passed. What I'd like to do
and his teeth set-''would be to take
every one of those young bucks by
the neck and kick them into a cotton
field, The negro needs somebody 10
make him woodwork"
Yet / knew-and he knew-that his
gorge rose not at the idleness of the
eleven, not at the absence of the cot
ten picking bags. but at the sight of
those foot ball suits.
Why it should survive in a Repub-
lie in which all men are supposed 10
be born free and equal and in which
the Chief Exc tive is said TO so love
the negro as to have tabooed the tur>
key because of its white meat / do
not know-but the prejudice against
the quality of imitation in the negro
a quality that is as natural to him as
airs in the blood to stay.