New-York tribune., 1906-12-03

sIPPT TAILEY BY CTiftor Johnson. With 81
5v5, 7p. xiv. 3S7, The Macmillan Company.
n this latest volume Of the American High
wavs and Bvways" series. Mr. Johnson takes his
readers on 4 personally conducted tour from New
Orleans 70 the headwaters OF the great river.
He spends little time in cities. but more IN ram
tltngs along country roads, finding lodgings in
farTnhOuses and in village inns. We are thus
enabled 10 get intimate gimpses into the lives
Of the people who form. after all, the bulk Of our
population. but whose uneveutful lives and
exciting activities cause them 10 be largely
overlooked by most travellers and writers.
There is naturally nothing very thrilling in the
authors record Of his wanderngs. and get,
perhaps but { One-sided view OF the culture and
progress of the states through which he passed.
Much Of his chara cterization Of the region was
gained through interviews, and Is set down IN
The words Of his informants. Some Of the side
lights thus thrown on American manners and
customs. # not precisely novel. gain q inter-
est from this first hand treatment. Thus, in
Louisiana, where the author was present at 4
country polling place during the day Of the
spring election, We get view Of political meth
ods in the South. which is highly Illuminating
Where were you in 1862" asked one Of the
bystanders Of another. 'Ha, you never lifted
finger then TO put the niggers down. You
would NOT risk your life as I did and eleven
Others with ne"
: Inquired what this upheavaI Of 90 was. and
had cao-ad sheriff He was capable enough rll an9
g 9 rs c-ty but he was black and II was terribly
g1----g 10 see niger IN the courthouse han
o.ag white mems money. So the whites deter
we've Hen with guns 70 the polls, where
c moment S2 be Sfscs ne not d4a[ o was
wee at hand all day and saw to it that the
hen
.3-g6 man rarely OF never comes near the polls.
consider Themselves patriots and Iiberators worthy
q special distinction.
Only thirty votes were cast in that district or
the day that the author was present
The old colored folk, with whom Mr. Johnson
talked. seemed to be divided IN their views a. 10
whether they were better or worse off than IN
lne days OF slavery, a question IN which their
personal experiences were doubtless the con-
trolling factor. In Mississippi he was fortunate
enough 10 interview en- old NANNY who had
store Of stories about our old friend "F3rer
Eahbit," number Of which he has transcribed
In desc ole stories" his informant com
rneEted de rabbit always on q complaint when
car any work 10 do an he never leave off
'ei-in about his troubles"
Tbs river food when the author made
his Journey, and travelling by steamer parts o-
The way. he had some interesting experiences in
navigating the submerged farmlands where
me boat threaded a precarious way amid houses
Snd barns and pig-sties and where barbed
"lre fences were dangerous menace to naviga-
nor In Arkansas he found IT difficult TO dis
cover a fiddler who could play the "Arkansaw
traveller" though there were plenty OF persons
VINO could repeat the jokes.
IN he Ozarks, q main travelled road the
N1lhor was one day surprised 10 meet a cara
van OF white topped wagons-veritabIe prairie
Sciooners, with TWO entire families and the dogs
~Ho poultry emigrating TO new homes" II was
40 unusual sight in those parts, he learned
siter~ard They were travellers" said 3
-sFfhers wife. That's what call EN-. and
1-4t what they call themselves Sometimes
Neral wagons pass in day; but they amt so
Uherous as they used 10 be- Two years ago
Na44 We counted twenty-eight o those coy