The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1914-10-27
THE NEGRO IN HIS LAIR.
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back you up against a brick wall and
smother you to death. He does not
do these. things, or any Of them,
through evil design, as many some
times suppose, but he simply cannot
help it if you get in his way, for he
is busy and cannot look out FOR you.
Saturday is his Fashions" and news
exchange day, and in addition to hav-
ing all those things in his mind he
has to shake hands with every other
negro woman he meets. You had
better take out an accident policy
or get off the streets on Saturday.
The standard Fashions" for a ne
gro is peck of corn meal, two
pounds of sugar, one pound of coffee,
three pounds of salt meat and one
gallon of black molasses a week
but he can consume all of this at one
sitting if necessary; or if he is work
ing for you and boarding himself he
can live a week on three soda crack
ers, a box of sardines and five cents
worth of cheese. In other words, his
stomach is built on the general plan
of an old-faShiOned acOTdeOn, and
either contracts or expands, accord
ing to the pressure brought to bear
upon it.
He is also immune to nearly all
kinds of poisons, and can swallow
the most deadly drug with impunity.
remember of having a negro work
for me one time who was having
chills and suffering with severe back
aches. | got him a bottle of chill
tonic to take and a bottle of liniment
to rub his back with. The Hniment
was labeled, Poison; for external
use only" and | cautioned him about
it when l gave it to him. But for
three days and nights before l found
it out he had been rubbing his back
with the chill tonic and taking ia
blespoonful of the liniment three
times a day before each meal, with
excellent results. On another occa-
sion | was sick and had a negro to
wait upon me. The doctor opened
a can of antiphlogistine to make
plaster for my side and left the can
on the kitchen table, and when the
negro went in to get his supper he
mistook it for a can of peanut butter
and ate the whole of it without ever
his mistake.
The negro does not lay up traes-
ures on earth where moth and rust
would cOrrode them or where thieves
might break in and steal, but when
he has any money or other valuable
thing he Immediately puts it in cir
culation, and the things in which he
invests are never of perma-
nent or lasting nature. He spends
much money each year for legal ad-
vice and medical services, presuma-
bly, for finding out what he ought to
do, so that he may do the opposite,
for it is a we'll known fact that a
negro was never known to shut a
gate or follow anybody's advice
about anything.
He is also an ardent admirer of
the work turned out by the dental
and deep down in every ne
gro's heart there is a secret longing
to some day have a gold tooth in
front and one on plate so that he
can take it out and look at it and
put it back at will.
He is likewise a great admirer of
art, and in every Negroes home, how
ever humble, there hangs a slife-size
portrait of himself on the wall
right opposite the door, where you
will be sure to see it as you come in
the door. The rest of his surplus
he usually spends for enter
tainment, preferably an excursion,
but anything else will do. | have
stood on the street corner
on a cold, gloomy winter day and
watched as many as so negroes, who
would not average so cents each, and
none of whom had on clothes enough
to flag a hand car, clinging to mer-
ry-go-round grinding out the we'll
known and much-belOved melody,
''Oh, Bill Bailey, Why Don't You
Come Home" and their front teeth
like the keys on baby
grand" piano, while hundreds of 9TH
ers, who did not have the price of a
ride, were standing in half-frOzen
mud, shoe-deep, cheering them as
they came around.
All things are pleasing to him. A
circus or funeral are equally enjOya-
BILE, but a protracted meeting, follow
ed by a big baptizing, or term of
the circuit court, followed by pub
lie hanging, is his chiefest delight.
The negro was once the white
mans slave, but that was only for a
short time, and was a part of the
great scheme which God had in mind
to better prepare him for the enjoy
ment of the things which He meant
to bestow upon him in the future. By
long and close association with the
white man he learned his ways (and
his innermost thoughts) and can now
size him up and classify him just as
accurately as cotton buyer does the
different grades of cotton, and can do
It quicker.
He is no longer a slave to man or
Mamon, and, verify, that scripture
which says, "The last shall be first |
and the first shall be last" has al |
ready come to pass, and the negro |
low has reserved seats on the front |
'ow. If any good things are to be
had he is sure to get his share. One |
law negro asked mo if 7 thought a |