The Semi-weekly leader., 1913-02-08

~ 0Aty q buS1tG4 Va GO1u W AuAilS
have it ground into meal, then
take the gUn and dog, 60 out and
kill rabbit. then dig up some
sassatras roots, make tea and
then thank the Lord that you're
not a millionaire, then 60 to bed
win the satisfaction of kno ing
that you've done a hard day s
work :" Sweet be the sleep of the
laboring man!
You have our consent to call us q
fool, if yod wish, but be sure that
you don't forget to leave off the
damn" part of it. We don't
want you to double team" on Us.
and besides, if you we're to hand to
us the whole sentence complete,
applying to us directly the epithet,
it would sound real ugly to US.
Yes, we've visited the under
world" to partial extent. and
while there we saw a reflection of
good acts as well as of dark deeds.
The sin-besotted woman is not al
together devoid of appreciation and
gratefuIness for an act of kindness
extended to her by her fallen sis
ters. There are certain emotions
that cling to woman and it only re-
quires certain occurrences to bring
those emotions to view. The death
of member of the house of ill.
repute will often bring scalding
tears to the cheeks of other MEM
bers and comrades in shame. But
the sting is no doubt greater be-
cause of the fight of soul from
such an impure environment My
God! the picture is too hideous.
Yet, we would that many who.
claim to be Christian workers could
see for themselves, these most
awful scnees that are enacted in
houses of ill fame. Young Rookie
feIler is right when he says that
IMAM is to blame for the enormous
spoiIs of lust" Get a rope and
go after the white slave agent!'
We've about completed the
''rounds" in American homes and
places of business, and we are now
ready to report. We've gained ad-
mission in the home of wealth and
spIendor; we've visited and spent a
while in the hovel. searching dill
gently for truly happy and con-
tented person who has arrived at
the age of maturity. We had al
most given up the search as bad
job when we stumbled unexpectedly
upon the object of our search.
Upon entering a mercantile estab-
lishment about 20 feet from Brook
haven, we walked to the rear of the
building and there, seated upon a
barrel, eating a roasted sweet
"tater" was representative OF
the remnant of ante-belIum days.
Although the boil weevil had reb-
bed him of his old custom of buy
ing some cheese and crackers to eat
when he came to town, he is not
cheated of the pleasure that it
affords the negro of going to town
on 'Satday." Our memory at once
carried us back to what we still
call the good old days in the SOS,
when cotton and negroes we're
necessary one to the other. How
old are you, Uncle?" we asked.
His reply was the same that you
have probably heard from the old
slave negro. II don't know sub /!
zactly, but | wuz about the same
age as my young marster dat died
about Is years ago."
"How old was he when he died."
we asked. Don't know. sub
zactly, but tink he wuz bout 65."
As he sat upon the barrel devour-
ing that tater" he was indeed an
object of interest. In his humble
ness and simple life he is-yes! far
happier than the white man of |
education mad wealth. But we
couldn't envy him on that score.
Free speech and freedom Of the
press is what the people demand.
One true statesman said, Give me
liberty or give me deathll' Our
Thomas Jefferson said. Where the
press is free and every man able to
read. all is safe." And again.
"0ur liberty depends on the free
dom of the press. - and that cam
not be limited without being lost.
Milton said. Give me the liberty |
to know, to utter and to argue
freely according to conscience.
Under these pregnant epigrams we
will say. don't undertake to put d
gag in our mouth when we make an
effort to speak truthfully and con-
acientiodsIy. II we speak 10 error,
rest assured that a retraction will
soon be forthcoming. But back to
the freedom Of the press. There
ID 'sfreedomn to d limited extent.
just enough to try to fool that
dangerous piece, THE PEOPLEi
When q people become determined
to have their way. and their way
Il nearly always right. then Piu-
tocracy, despotism and every other
conniying machine might as we'll
To make water flow up q