The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-08-20
(written for The Advertiser.)

(written for The Advertiser.) To one stranger within your gates, there is nothing more interesting than a study of the different, very many dif- ferent. characteristic negro types. Hail. ing from the extreme northern part of Kentucky, where there is one negro to about two hundred whites, her first im- precision was How many colored peo- plel"
 When she voiced the thought the an- swer ,she received was. ''Yes. we've lots of niggers down here" And she has seen lots of them, and lots of different types of them, and has been amused,
 saddened and angered in turn. You, who have been unused by the l old coiored nanny; who have played and fought with mammy's children; who have been brought up among them; who have had them cook and dig and delve for you, cannot appreciate the enjoyment that a student of human na- ture derives from this, to her, hith-
 erto almost unknown subJect-except
 what she read of 1t in books and pa pers.
 Incidents which would have escaped the notice of a Montgomerian have
 been full Of pathos, humor or indigna- ton fer her. When she remarked upon them, the answer she received from
 her friends, residents in this city, was
 Please don't begin to rhapsodise," or
 T didn't notice" or Don't bother me; I'm too tired and it's too hot" Bye the way. is everyone tired or
 slow, or is 1t just plain commonplace incidence, born of the tropical (7) clt- mate? Or have I brought down with me some of the hustling, bustling spirit of the North and do imagine that ev- cry one, who is not hustling and bust ling, Is sIow7 wish l could "do as Romans do" and take things easys for do think your women are lovely and their slow graceful movements make me wildly envious.
 But to return to my subject. the
 Montgomery negro Here are a few
 incidents which will explain my inter est and to which venture to say. none
 but Northerner would give more than deeting notice.
 Two girls coming down the Avenue, the larger one carefully balancing big watermelon on her head. She steps on
 thorn. Shifts foot to let her com panion extract thorn, meanwhile bal- ancing herself on other foot, and at
 the same time juggling melon on head. The expression on her face, the ludi-
 crous position, in fact all the ridiculous action of the little play, were to me irresistibly funny. I cried with Rich ard twas it Richard, WilliamO "A ko-
 dak! kodak! My Kingdom for a
 kodakr'
 How many of you know the bent lit- l tic old woman who perambulates in the neighborhood of Jeff Davis Avenue and Court Street. or sits on curbinB and accosts pasSers-by. Missy. give me
 nickel! Please. missy. give me a
 nickelr' have stood at a convenient distance and watched her for several minutes at a time, and never have seen a nickel transferred to her pos- session from that of the accoBted one. But undaunted, she whines to the next
 her same request, Missy, please give
 me a nickel"
 While standing at the corner of
 Court and Dexter the other day, I was
 witness to an affair that filled my soul
 with anger. A little black lad, about
 10 years old, struggled around the cor-
 ner of Dexter Avenue towards Court Street with a basket full of something. He actually staggered under the load. The corner was crowded and he lodged here and there, around this man, be- hind that woman. the driver of a wagon on Court Street shouting to him, 'Hur-
 ry up, kaint wait here all day." Just as the poor little chap was about to mount the wagon, in fact he had started to raise the basket to the driver.
 the latter clucked a "Gittup" to the
 mule, gave a shake to the lines and up the street, likkety split he went. 1 looking back and laughing, leaving the poor piccaninny staring after him
 in white-eyed, open -mouthed surprise.
 A look of despair displaced the one of
 surprise. and if ever I saw despair in l a chiId's face saw 1t then.
 What did he do that forT' queFied, T dunno, rS bin hurrytn' to git hyeE