Evening star., 1931-12-20

bank. Then, once a year, when all Of
the cotton is ginned and sold, there is
settlement made. Generally, if times are
normal, the crop brings about enough to
pay out" to the supply merchant, and
the tenants share generally makes lit
tie more than enough to pay the COM
missary bill. But times weren't normal
this last year.
That chilly day when the tenants of
Red Chute gathered for their final set
tlement there was gloom in their souls.
Cotton amt brang nothin'. Boss Is so
far behind on de levee he might not kin
make a crop next year. Hits gonter be
agin de law. anyway" st amt werrit
about de boss not maxim no crop next
year. He gonter. But what he gonter
feed de niggers on? Johnson grass, may
be. Even old Grant amt paying out!"
Grant, with his "a children, his wife
and his woman, was the prize tenant.
He had made 50 bales of cotton on 40
acres of land. His share was 26 bales,
which averaged $50 bale. His income
was $780 for the year, and his commits
sary bill for the same period was $812.20.
Things looked bad on Red Chute.
TWO unanticipated factors had entered
into Grants overdraft, however Mis-
ter Dick, early in the year, had foreseen
the possibility of Scent cotton, and he
gauged the rationS accordingly. But one
member of Grants family got too sick for
the old women to cure and doctor had
to come out from Benton. His fee was
paid by the planter, and Grants account
charged with that amount. 1t was one
of those things that could happen to
anybody, at any time. The other factor,
however, seems to be peculiar to planta-
tion life in North Louisiana. The plant
ers dread it, but when it happens they
accept it as one of the hazards of Negro
labor, although, viewed dispassionately
by a layman, it is small wonder that
Mister Dick jest will cuss"
1t happened early last June when cot
ton was at a critical stage of develop
ment and when the dreaded enemy,
Johnson grass, had to be battled from
daylight until dark six days week.
Grants huge family is the champion foe
of Johnson grass in the Red River bot
toms. He has plowhands and Is hoe
hands that are large enough to do good
work. And with Grant in behind them
to keep them at it, the Johnson grass
hasn't chance.
But at the most critical stage of his
crop last June God struck him dumb
and hungry. For nine days he could
neither talk nor eat. He walked up and
down the turnrow at night and made
strange noises at the devil. '''7 0s i.+
Nobody, black or white, tried to inter
fere with Gods work on Grant They
all knew better. Didn't Old Man Borsaw,
when he owned Red Chute years ago,
try to drive Negro to work whom God
had laid His hands on? Two years later
God took Red Chute away from Old Man
Borsaw. God don't love ugly and Mister
Borsaw acted ugly to man possessed of
God
At the end Of nine days Grant ate
big meal and went straight to the field.
But his army, minus his driving leader
ship, had lost the battle to the grass.
The crop was in bad shape.
To save the cotton it was necessary
for the planters to send in the battery
of "bulls"-a crew of five expert cultiva-
tor operators who are held in reserve for
just such emergencies. These experts
are paid 81 day each and they put in
four long days in Grants field, getting
him out of the grass. The cost was $40,
and that amount was charged to Grants
account.
Settlement day was bad. Even Grant
didn't come out" and when Grant
doesn't come out there is scant hope for
the others.
But two weeks later there came a much
happier day on Red Chute. It was Trad
ing day"-always the last Saturday be-