New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-05-07
AMONG THE BLACK FOLKS.
Original Experiences of Northern
UOnan IN Florida.


especially popular among her friends for her
ability to tell original stories She travels
great deal, always picking out a part OF the
country which she has never visited before, ana
she gets her new stories from the natives. She
spent most of this winter in the South and the
greatest part of the time at the Florida resorts
On her return her friends crowded her first sun
day night at home, sure they would near new
line of Southern stories, nor were they disap-
pointed.
you know I'm always curious about the
working people al the places I visit" the widow
began, land at Palm Beach the work is done by
negroes one of the diversions there is riding in
wheel chairs which are propelled, bicycle fash
ION, by lusty negroes
"'Are you married? 1 asked one of my chair
men morning.
mo miss: 1 amt married no more he
turned 'Meh wife she done thought she could
DO bettah dan wash tn dishes an keep tn
house for meh so she sure left meh- Nom, Use
not married more
When it again time to rest the negro
asked the questions.
&" is you married, miss? he inquired.
at a widow, I returned.
He scratched his Woolly head and chuckled
time or two, then he remarked:
dat sure funny; a widah wheelin' a
widahr
Another of these ebony wheelmen wheel
ing me along Lake Worth. when 1 noticed
particularly fine cocoanut in a tree which grew
bver the swampy edge of the lake. 1 told the
boy to get the cocoanut for me. He went up
the tree like monkey and dropped the cocoa
nut on the bank. Then In some manner he lost
his hold and fell into the mud. He finally crawed
ashore, covered with slime from head to foot.
When he had a chance to look himself over he
remarked:
Use ruined, mssus; sure is ruined
"A crisp dollar bill which I happened to have
in my purse changed his mind about the ruina-
ZION.
''The Southern negroes one finds about the
hotels are as good as New-York walters at ex-
acting tips. but the strangest example of tip
ping which I witnessed was on a little Indian
River ferry. pulled out roll Of bills to
pay his fare, and the wind twisted a S. bill out
Of his grasp. The bill went overheard and a
half dressed negro deckhand went after it. The
negro was picked up with some difficulty. and
took the bill to it's owner
GU keep that for your honesty said the
man.
You mean Use to get dis for my honestly
the negro questioned.
1.-THE man nodded. but still the negro stood by
expectantly. The looked at him for a mo-
ment and then light dawned
Reaching into his pocket he pulled out a
quarter, saying. And here's something for your
trouble The negro had his tip and was salts
Ted
AT Daytona one of my young friends from
the North decided that she wanted to buy dog
as they were to spend several months in a cot
tage on the seashore. Accordingly she asked
their negro man of all work about it.
." DO you know where 1 can get a good dog
about here. Tom? she asked.
" There sure lots of dawgs over on de
river where de black folks live he returned
" But I want good dog. a dog with breed
Ing she said
" Dem dawgs sure does have de breedin',' Tom
assured her.
"a What kinds are there?
well. dey's mostly what we calls cur dawgs,
miss
But dog is a mongrel' she declared
"Yes'm, that what desc dawgs is. Dey sure
am cur mongrel dawgs an they sure has lots Of
breedfn'.
at was my privilege in little Florida town to
hear this conversation between the pastor of q
colored church and an old washerwoman who
member of his flock:
Why wasn't you to church last Sunday, rneh
sister? the person asked, after the usual greet
ings had been exchanged.
why wasn't 1 to church? she began evil
IDENTIFY embarrassed. but with no sign of a blush
for obvious reasons Why wasn't to church?
Well pastor, 1 done washed clo'es all day las