Evening star., 1914-10-25
BY DAY ALLEN WILEY

BY DAY ALLEN WILEY
that when a darky is singing loudest he'll
work the hardest so | organized what we
called the Red Label Band, and during the
harvest time it plays in the packing house.
The band plays with few horns, one or two
fiddles, including what country people call
bull fiddle mouth organ or so, and a
few other instruments. You can hear it
quite distance out in the orchard, and
when it starts up a jig you ought to see those
darkies hustle!
"They can't keep still, and each tries to
get ahead of the other. They rush the fruit
into the packages, nail them and clench
them, and hurry them into the cars as if they
we're getting double wages. I've got some
boys down there who I'll wager can nail
package faster than any other man or boy
alive. l have one who nailed box in nine
seconds, more than a nail second What
do you think of that?
"Those people love music. If they can't
hear it from someone, they'll make it as well
as they can. Why, don't know but l get
double the work out of them when they hear
the band than at other times: not that they
are lazy; for never paid wages to a more
faithful lot of people. l could tell another
story on that which would open your eyes,
ONE season just before harvest l was sent
~ for by my orchard superintendent in
New England. 1 did not want to 60, as it was
time when the trees needed close watching;
but they wired me that must come if only
for week. We had man who had been
on the place all his life; was slave of the
man from whom l bought it and had stuck
to his old master after he was free. Sam
Johnson was sort of foreman under Mo-
lumphy and really understood the care of
trees about as well as any negro l ever had.
"The day | went away l sent for Sam and
Henry Wilson. Boys, 1 said, I've got to
leave you for week or so, and l want to
know if you will look out for things and keep
the hands working all right while I'm away.
It's pretty big thing, all these trees to look
after. Do you think you can?s
@Don't you worry, Cap'n,' said Sam
Me and Henry'll see to everything and
don mind a bit: we'll tend to it.
"Well, | made the trip, and hurried back
as soon as I could. Apparently they had
kept their word. The trees were in good
shape The stock was well fed, and the house
undisturbed. l had told Henry Wilson he
could sleep in the kitchen while was gone.
When l entered the kitchen there stood an
old army musket in one corner which l
knew he used for rabbit hunting. 1t had a
double load of slugs, and was capped ready
for business.
4'Henry, what did you bring this around
for?' said l.
"Why, Cap'n, me and Sam thought as
how some no-'count niggers or white trash
might hear of you goin' way and try to steal
somethin'; so jest told Sam I'd take de ole
gun and stay round nights till de boys come
to milk and git ready de plow mules. But
nobody come, Cap'n. It's all right
T WANTED to go down to Fort Valley
to mail some letters. Hale said he
wanted to go to the box factory where he
got his peach crates. We got about mile
away, when 1 saw house shining with its
new coat of paint. On the front steps of the
porch sat three big fat colored brethren smok-
ing their pipes. With their long black coats
and white neckties it struck me that they
were camp meeting orators.
aAre those preachers
"Yes"
@They seem to be having good time
@They ought to be. That's our religious
boarding house. These preachers are given
their board and lodging to keep our coons
from running away in harvest time to 60 to
camp meetings. went down to hunt them
I'D and when thew came to see me [ made