The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1907-06-15
Eatesed Vt ths Pet OfIee a ChieaeA
n - SeeoaSAAs MAltez.
FOLLOWING THE COLOR LINE.
Concluded from page -

part, but often falling into pete
crime. Poverty here, however, lack
the tragic note that it strikes in tn
crowded sections of Northern cities
The temperament of the Negro is IRE
pressibly cheerful, he overflows from
his small home and sings and laugh
in his streets; no matter how raggeC
or forlorn he may be good humor sit,
upon his countenance, and his squalo
is not unpicturesque. A banjo, a null
let supper from time to time, an ex
citing revival, give him real joys
Most of the families OF this middle
class, some o. whom are deserted
wives with children, have their whit
folks" for whom they do washing
cooking, gardening, or other service
and all have church connections, SC
that they have a real place in the
social fabric and a certain code II
selfrespect.
| tried to see all / could of this
phase of life. / visited many of the
poorer Negro homes and was often
received in squalid rooms with a dig
nifty Of poIiteness which would have
done credit to a society woman. For
the Negro, naturally. is a sort OF
Frenchman. And If can sum up the
many visits / made in a single con
clusion, / should say, l think, that
was chiefly impressed by the tragic
punishment melted out to ignorance
and weakness by our complex society
I would find a home of one or two
rooms neatly furnished, but having ia
one corner a glittering cottage organ.
or on the mantel shelf glorified gilt
clock; crayon portraits, inexpressibly
crude and ugly, but framed gorgeous.
", are not uncommon-the first uncer-
tain, primitive mot unpitifuD reach
ings out after some of the graces OF
e broader life. Many Of these things
are bought from agents and the prices
paid are extortionate. Often a Negro
family will pay monthly for a year or
so on some snowy clock or chrome or
music-box or decorated mirror-pay
ing the value Of it dozen times over.
only to have 1t seized when through
sickness or lack of foresight, they
fail to meet single note. Instalment
houses prey upon them, pawnbrokers
suck their blood, and they are infin-
itely the victims of patent medicines.
1t is rare, indeed, that l entered q
Negro cabin, even the poorest, with
out seeing one or more bottles OF
some abominable cure-all. The
amount yearly expended by Negroes
for patent medicines, which are glar-
Ingly advertised in all Southern news
papers, must be enormous-milliOn,
Of dollars. l had an interesting side
light on conditions one day while
walking in one of the most fashion
able resident districts Of Atlanta. ]
saw a magnificent gray stone resi-
fence standing somewhat back from
he street. / said to my companion,
Eho was a resident of the city:
That's a fine home"
Yes; stop a minute" be said, Il
want to tell you ABOUT that. The anti
Link man lives there"
"Anti-kink?" i asked In surprise.
yes; the man who occupies that
,ouse is one or the wealthiest men
lere. He made his money by sell
ng to Negroes a preparation to
mooth the kinks out Of their wool. |
they're simply crazy on the subject"
Does it work."
you haven't seen any straight
aired Negroes, have your" he asked
Ignorance carries a big burden and
limbs a rocky road!
Old MamFnies and Nurses.
The mass of Colored people still
as have said, a more or
sss intimate connection with white
amilies-frequently a very beautiful
nd sympathetic relationship like that
Z the old mammies on nurses. TO
ne who has heard so much Of racial
a1red as / have since have been
own here, a little incident that
the other day comes 9Th
charm hardly describable. l saw
arriage stop In front Of a home. The
xpected daughter had arrived
cry pretty girl indeed. She stepped
ut eagerly. Her father was halfway
own to the gate; but ahead Of him
rs q very old Negro woman IN the
lsanest Of clean starched dresses. J.