New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-01-20
THE LISTLESS JAMAICA NEGRO.

never Ny love for You is a love that cannot be
tade- You shall be my love here in heaven
for ever The Rose in June is not SO sweet as
when TWO lovers kisses meet Kiss me quick
and be my honey. 1 still remain true lover,
James is an honest and prosperous black man
IN the mountains of Jamaica. 1t is pleasant 70
know that Mrs Agostss listened TO his simple
appeal and became his honey.
Another letter l reprint simply to show how
a little greed may kill all the romance Of a
Negroes love- We trace an artifcIaIi,y in his
love passages. II is hoped that his note pro-
duced nothing but a silent cO~smpt,
1 write 10 hear from You wetne. Sou intend
| 70 make me a fool is not puppy show -;,at
You think YOU find any better than me. I witch
| twishl 10 send the yam he'd for pIanttn' IN your
garden. but do not know wether VIII reap the
The scenes of the love meetings of the ma
tives Of Jamaica are always framed IN a rich
setting Of tropical moonlight, waving palm
trees and flashing fretleS- If the Negro lover
could not be eloquent in the midst ~ such rare
/ beauty he would be unworthy ~ the name %
man.
The town of Kingston Is made M OF mean
streets Cramnled with little bungalow houses
/ filled 10 overlooking with people colored in all
shades of black and yellow If the place re-
sembles amy well known capital &c must be New
York. but New York built by children IN doll
/ house style and painted green and white. In
the manner Of New York the streets stretch 20
/ the WhaTves and Quays of the giant harbor. and
electric tramCarS Claug along the busy roads by
| day and night Electric poles stick up along
inc roadway IN blatant disregard or me inner
| Feelings of romantic tourists The shops are
usually called empoTiumS
| The most obvious inhabitants Of Kingston ara
! the drivers of the bugsieS \ Jamaican buggy
| Is spideTlike species Of the four-wheeIed vehi-
| Gle known in England as the country fly. IL IS
/ drawn by one horse, which is neither horse,
/ nor pony. nor mule. but something remotely
/ resembling all these things. and raising senti-
mentS of deep pity in the hearts Of all beholders
The driver OF the buggy, the buSSyrlan. supplies
\ the necessary enthusiasm 10 the horse ana
/ buggy alike. One instinctively feels that but
/ for the elevating spirit OF sublime optimism
t0
/ gree. the poor horse would drop dead and the
l vehicle would fall 10 bits. The bUgEynldn tg-
nores everything in life save possible customers
/ II you hire buggy You are the life and soul OF
the driver until you enter his crazy carriage
/ then YOU become as less than nothing, and the
/ driver ShameleSSly bargains with pedestrians
for the use OF his coach when the time comes fof
4 you to leave. The buggymen know Kingston as
we'll the London Cabby knows his London
/ and that is saying much. He drives with rae-
i Ting carelessneSs which is entirely good ror
/ weak nerves. He ignores the protests or hs
nervous fare and smiles I'm derisiOn OF the Warh-
4 ing hand of an outraged police He cann9ns
other buGgIes as though they were billiard balls
\ and finally lands his victim, In condltloh en-.
/ tirely demoraliZed and feversh. at place Where
/ he has no desire to go Then the driver planes
| the passenger for not giving correct directions
! and explains that To drive will be another
I pence per passenger TO any place IN town. 81
the driver gallOps 10 an unfreQuented corner Q.
i the place and demands an extra Sixpence. 1Ho
| fare must pay walk back In the sun throus"
/ the stencil of poorer Kingston IL Is really oe'
\ ter for tourists to buy buggy ana a morse s.iu
I to hire a driver tf they intend 10 stay IN the
/ island for more than three weeks These can
/ be a easily sold they can be purchased anu
/ the possession of them saves the waste OF PleI
CiOuS energy and IL is better for the Language anu
morals of a vigorous person. Compared Win
/ the buggyman. the London fOur-Wheel caboy -
angel OF mercy. The buggyman VIII aoah-
| don his horse and buggy and follow You down
/ side streets. shouting that you have PAID nlus
too little. He will fling your silver to the sroul,5
and stamp il. Then. picking II up. ne VII
| follow you. shouting that you owe him MONEY,
( No one heeds him. 1t is a common scehs anu
not worthy the attention OF Jamatcans.
The animal has the heart and soul or a ga
| riage horse, and he is keen IN his nastSI,
/ hunt for fares trained polo pony Is IN ~.
/ lowing the ball In color he is usually DIisls
/ yellOWy red. with name and tail of light ySiON'
/ He always shows his ribs and the whip IL pleS.s
ant To him because the lash disturbs the lies.
Kingston has racecOurse on which the army
/ officers and others run their horses. "A RAJ
/ horse, Mr.. Henderson says. may be oOueht -
credit for $50 and the opportunity Is thus sN,e9s
! To the junior officers 20 make a display Wiz
small capital The races are attended BY oaeSs
/ as we'll as whites. the former apinS the later III
/ their manners.
/ The cOlOred jockey" writes Mr.. Henderson
! us a type by himself. In his amber and So&t
| or pink and yellow or green and red. and WI
! his bent legs and bumped back. he would deliga.
\ the heart OF any disciple Of Darwin. On ~
horse he looks for all the world like clOtsea
monkey on London barrel organ. He rdess
with an air OF hravado and a most cruel switch