Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1930-10-04
Will Carl Forget Himself and Fail under the
Spell Of the ''Plantation Blues"?

along, Hotshot." he agreed. "Why
not?"
"Ef I could holler like a noun
tin jack,
Eff I could holler like noun
tin jack,
| I'd go up on de hillside
An call my rider back :"
Carl and Hotshot sat deep in the
shadows outside the big cleared circle.
Within the enclosure a huge fire
blazed brightly, throwing into bold
relief the cluster of dark faces sur
rounding it. or casting gigantic shad-
ows past those who danced in close
embrace to the strains of throbbing
banjo.
The place had wild barbaric
quality, set as it was in the midst
of the thick woods that lay between
the Barre mansion and the wide cot
ton fields. 1t had once been the site
of log church, but slavery days and
the church had long since been for
gotten. Now it was used by the work.
ers on Colonel Barre's plantation as
a meeting place where, after the days
labor was done, the dark peasants
could gather, build the big fire, and
dance and sing until the moon was
low in the sky.
How you like it, boy?" Hotshot
asked.
81 don't know" Carl confessed with
shaky laugh. 1T gets me all stirred
up-the music, guess. If I ever
heard any like that when I was a
kid in Mississippi, I've forgotten it,"
Plantation Blues
Someone was singing again. Carl
bent toward the circle to listen:
Ode brook run in de river,
De river run to de sea,
An eff I run into my daddy
Paw1l have to bury me. ="
What kind o. blues is that" Hot
shot chortled gleefully.
"The kind Langston Hughes writes
Carl replied, as though he were talk
ing to himself.
"Shucks! Dey don write that kind
O. blues!" his companion Snortes
derisively.
Perhaps not" Carl agreed, smil-
ing to himself in the darkness. why
don't you go on out there and join
them, Hotshot?" he suggested.
The little man squirmed, then ne
relapsed back to his position beside
his friend. When he spoke there was
longing in his tone, although he
strove to hide it.
CAV, I amt so pertickler bout
clownin' with them guys" ne dis
claimed. "Out there walkin tn dog
like that" Then he asked, "E7hy you
don get out there and have some
fun yo'se'f, boy? I heerd bunch Of
them gals talkin' bout you today.
They said" Hotshot chuckled, that
you sho' was pritty."
They're silly" Carl said shortly.
And besides"
"An' they think you're hincty-
dicty, sort Of, too"
"Why?" the youth calculated in
surprise. why should they thin:
me stuck up?"
"Well, I reckon it's cause you talks
so proper" Hotshot commented
drily.
IT can't help how I talk, Hotshot."
Carl told him earnestly. Right now
I wish could talk-like they do
That's funny" his companion
unused. Here I am wishin' 7 could
talk like you, an here you are wishin'
you could talk like me-" He sighed.
81 guess folks amt never satisfied"
Out by the fire the singing had
ceased, and the banjo was stunning
some melody whose speedy tempo
rang through the woods. Someone
in the crowd was urging someone
else to dance.
Come on out here, Elmira, u
shake yo' hips! Aw, come on, ole
bashful gall Mex Peco leave you
alone, and pats yo' feet!"
The girl to whom the remarks were
directed was cream-colored, with
heavy, lustrous black hair, and was
one of the younger yomen who had